Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-05-22
Commonwealth May 4th.

Commonwealth May 4th.
THE TEMPERANCE CONVENTION.
The temperance convention which be
pan at half past one o'clock on May 5, il
the Grand opera house, Topeka, brough
large audience of men and women, VIII,
gathered to listen and be benefited by
the eloquent, profound and learned
speeches that were made.
Hon. r. B. WEIGH, President of thu
Shawnee County Temperance Union
called the convention to ord r, Jt.ted it,
object and introduced Rev. F. S. Nc
Cabe, who offered the prayei His sup
plication to the throne was 8 touching
earnest effort. 1t called upon the pow.
ors of Divine Providence to assist the
temperance people in their fight and
struggle against the whisky traffic, OF
that awful enemy, whisky, and against
the men who so audaciously Lt-nd up in
defiance to law and order. All these in
duences fer bad must be surpassed, and
give way to the better, the el waiting,
the happier and purer influence of the
home ahd the fireside. He called upon
the public speakers, the editors and
publishers of newspapers to direct their
voices and their pens to the supremacy
of prohibitory temperance over drunk
enness aid crime; over the wrecks of
lives and the privations of family cir
cles. The blessing Of God was asked
tor our Governor and for our State offic-
ers; for our city, Mayor and Councilmen,
and their administrations; for the offic-
ers of every city in the Union, and es-
pecially for men who are possessed of
those faculties which influence, WELD
and conduct the Affairs of our coun-
Try.
Following the prayer, Mr.. WEIGH ad-
dressed the convention as follows, pre-
facing his remarks, however, with the
announcement that Judge Thacher
would deliver the principal address of
the afternoon, and that Mr. Van Bennett,
editor of the Prohibitionist, had been sub
stituted to take Ex-Governor St. Johns
place on the programme, to speak after
Judge Thacher.
Mr.. WEIGHS WORDS:
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Constitution of the Shawnee Coun-
ty Temperance Union provides that
meetings shah be held as often as once
per month, and declares the object of
the Union to be the enforcement of the
prohibitery liquor law and the dissent
mating of such knowledge and the teach
ing of such principles as will persuade
tho drunkard to abandon his cups and
prevent the youth of of our county from
forming the pernicious habit.
In accordance with these provisions
Of our Constitution, we are met to-day.
Notwithstanding the loud pretensions of
the saloon interest to the contrary, the
Temperance advocates never had more
substantial reasons for rejoicing than
they have to-day.
70 the braggart declarations That "pro-
hibition is failure" and there is more
liquor sold now than under the license
system" we can answer that the highest
statistical authority shows that the rev.
enue from alcoholic liquors received by
the United States from the district of
Kansas is but $3.50 per capita, while that
from the entire Union is SLIP
per capita. The revenue received from
the district of Maine is but $046 per
capita. OF the eighty organized counties
In this State less than fifteen counties
tolerate open saloons as schools of drunk
enness and crime. While liquor is being
Iold in the remaining sixty-fve counties,
It is sold in the same manner and largely
nit other crimes against the peace and
dignity of the State. The dramseaIer
aares no longer to advertise his traffic
Ind ply his trade upon the princlpal
Jtreets of our cities, and under the full
Icrutiny of An enlightened public, but
ike the gambler, the counteSfeitsF and
he sneak thief, he is forced to seek the
cellar, the garnet and the secluded back
.oom, where old customers only are well
,ome.
When we consider the large amount
# money invested in the liquor traffic,
md the powerful political influence
welded by and through the
aloon, and that this prodiglous power
las been met only by such force as EN-.
mated from disinterested desire of the
people to elevate the common plane of
backed by such contributions
'nly as this self-sacriticlng spirit prompt
ID, well may we wonder q our progress
md take new courage for future con.
quests.
The story of the growth of people in
utilization is its truest and best HISTORY.
n this we are making history faster
han we know. One of our dangers is
hat in our rapidity of growth we may
,lunder. As to the devastating eff cts
# the liquor traffic there are no maternal
differences of opinion among the friends
# temperance. Even our enemies join
70 in deprecating the terrible products
f intemperance. The brewers, distill-
rs, and even the low-down doggery
,eepers vie with the most ardent tenn
'erance advocates in regretting and de-
the results of immoderate
but from very different stand
'oints. The former regret the results
'ecause they lessen the profits of their
the we'll finished
runkard reflects discredit upon the
sctory which produced him. The latter
lot ONLY deprecate the results of intem.