National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-05-26
WORKING ron LOCAL OPTION.

The District Temperance Alliance Adj
dressed by Distinguished Prohibition
lists.
Yesterday afternoon largo and enthu-
siastic audience was present at tho Masonic
temple to listen to the orators to be introduced
by the District Temperance alliance. Mr. II.
Is. Moulton presided, and after the meeting
was opened by prayer and singing explained
the objective point of tho meeting, which
was local option" Tho alliance was union
of all the church and temperance forces,
banded together TO protect home and native
| land and drive from our midst the two greatest
curses of the nineteenth century-the saloon
aud tho pool ROOM Ho introduced to them
speaker of q national reputation, and
one whom tho citizens of tho district
had long wished to hcar-a gentleman who
would prove to their minds conclusiyely that
! prohibition did prohibit-tho Hon. John b.
! Finch, of Nebraska. Mr.. Finch in q clear
and legal manner, demonstrated to the au-
dience all that no had been introduced to do,
and stated that in all his experience upon the
temperance platform he had been unable to
thus far find one man or woman who had the
moral courage TO meet him and say tho
statements uttered by him in support of his
arguments for prohibition wero not founded
upon terrible facts. Facts which no defed
any person to disprove. He was followed by
Hon. George c. Christian, of Chicago, who
Endorsed all Mr.. Finch had said aud further
more stated that there should be no COM
promise on the temperance question;
that tho grand objective point should be pro-
hibition. Tho liquor traffic should never BIO
recognized by any license law-high or low
license. He deficd any person to show by
facts or otherwise that any good ever came
from tho use of liquor rs q beverage. Some
people seemed to think that the temperance
people sought TO encroach upon personal
liberty-say what people should cat and
drink and call them fanatics. That was not
so. All tho temperance people wanted was
that u law should BIO made regulating the
storage Of liquor, the same as they would and
did gunpowder, or any other dangerous eN-
plosive. One exploded the body and soul, and
the other property.
One hundred and sixty-four persons signed
the alliances petition asking for local optic
The alliance held another meeting in Met
repolitan Nj. Il. church last evening Mr.. ii
b. Moulton presided, and Rev. DIR. Huntley
pastor of tho church, after opening the meet
ing by prayer, gave his people over to the
tender mercies Of the alliance, which, hi
stated, was engaged in one of the greatest
conflicts of the nineteenth century, and theii
cause deserved the support of every goot
selves to tho churches. Mr.. Noulton
after thanking the doctor for the many
courteses extended to the alliance, ant
explaining the objects of the alliance, intro
duced Hon. John b. Finch, of Nebraska, wht
spoke upon the rum question from q money
standpoint, showing that for every dolla
thoy received as n revenue from the sale o
Intoxicating liquors they paid back NOR
than ten times as much in the support o
prisons, almshOuses, &cg and asked hi
hearers tho plain, logical question: "Wha
are the citizens of America paying so mucl
for the support of education for? Was it t.
educate the youth and then license saloon
to deprive them of all their responsibility anC
manhood? Such was the occupation of al
saloon keepers"
He was followed by Mrs. DIR. f. j. French O
Philadelphia, tho organizer of the women's on
slaught on the saloons of Philadelphia in 1877
She held her audiences closest attention
while she depicted to them the evil results Of
having saloons in our midst, and predicted
that the day was not far distant when TIT
District of Columbia would be able to boast O
a local option law and the provisions of thu
same rigidly enforced.
One hundred and nineteen people signe
the alliance pledge.