Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-22
CENTENNIAL SERVICES.
ANENTHUsIAsTIC 4 ENIPERANCE
MEETING.

exercises. Nearly $50 members of the
temperance organlzations-St. John the
Baptist +. A. and b., st. Patrick's 7. A
and b., Good Templars and Sons Of Tenn
perance were on the stage.
Mr.. y. f. Thompson presided. On the
platform. besides the orders, were Rev.
Father O'Hara, OF st. Patrick's church,
Rev. II. r. Christian, Of Trinity M. f..
church, Rev. Thomas Boone, Of Christ
church, Rev. Father Shadwell, OF
Macon, and Mrs. Webb, OF the Women's
Christian Temperance Union.
Father O'IIara was to have made the
opening address, buta few minutes before
the meeting was called TO order he was
summoned to attend sick parishioner.
Rev, 4. T. Christian was introduced by
the chairman, and made the first speech.
I'VE are GeOrgians assem- bled in the in
/ terests OF temperance, Of our homes, and
families" said he. Georgia was the
first prohibition colony IN America"
In 1898 the trustees OF this
colony enacted a law which authorized
the pouring out OF any rum that might be
| landed within its limits. According
to the spirit OF that law every barrel OF
rum WAS 10 be Immediately STAYED
IF this policy had been continued how
much of evil, of distress, of tears, OF ruin,
and OF death would we have been saved
from? But the day Of redemption draweth
near. Georgia will get back to the anti
rum position of the colony. The battle
cry has gone forth and it will not cease
until this State Is protected
against the greatest evil that can come
| against it. The cry will not cease until
our homes, wives, families and children
are saved from the curse Of liquor. We
need not be in doubt as to the hnai issue.
Already every county in the State Of
Georgia has prohibition in some
/ form. Every week will add other
counties or towns to the already long list.
This temperance movement has in it such
/ life and vitality that nothing can stay it
until we are given by the Legislature pro-
hibition in every county and town, Sa-
yannah included. Applause.
Il cannot understand why it IS that
such strenuous efforts are made by many
Of our leading citizens, and sometimes by
our journals, to exempt the indiscriml-
nate sale of ardent spirits in our cities
and towns. II there is spot on earth
that needs some professionalism licence,
prohibition or local OptiOn-it IS the large
cities. The most intemperance is in the
cities.
"The fight I'M which we are engaged Is
one that should receive the hearty CO.
! operation Of every man and woman in
Georgia. We are not looking after an
Gus, noble and grand as the one in which
we are engaged, let US organize. Those
whom we are opposing have organized.
| They feel that their business is at stake.
They are solid, and have treasury from
/ which they can draw sufficient amount
to calm down the zeal OF the ordinary
/ legislator.
ave have organizations in this city and
State. l have joined the most Of them,
and would Join the st. Johns and st. Pat
rick's If l was good Catholic, for / think
every good Catholic should join them.
/ Applause. This is a cause in which we
can ask the Almighty God above US for
help"
The speaker continuing, alluded to the
many persons who take an interest in the
| temperance movement, but have not the
courage to take sides with it. He sug-
gested the organization OF an alliance,
and the distribution of temperance lltera-
ture among the masses, literature that
would show how prohibition diminishes
taxes. 'FOr every dollar that you re-
ceive from the liquor dealers You have to
pay out so for damages done by
the sale of liquor, he stated. The speaker
declared that out OF IA murder cases in
| Macon. Il Of them were directly attribu-
table to liquor. and out of 613 cases
brought before the Mayor of that city, 603
were for drunkenness or crime com
United under the influence of liquor. The
speaker concluded:
Last Saturday night the third murder
that has recently occurred was commit
ted by colored man who had just come
out Of grocery where liquor was sold.
May the Almighty God grant us success
in this grand cause"
MIR. b. H. Webster, w, C. T. Good Tenn
plers, followed Mr.. Christian. "There is
no calling under heaven that is not affect
ed by this miserable traffic." Mr.. Webster
began. He said that moral suasion Is
good enough in its place, but he would
advocate a prohibltory law. "The Uni
ted States mas no right to issue a spe-
cial license for this business" MIR. Web
ster remarked. "lf the liquor dealer
has a right to carry on his business
at all he has right to do il as the gro
ery man and dry goods can conduct theirs.
"Rum shops are the toll-gates to hell. The
toll is the blush Of the wife, sorrow, ruin,
and the souls of the little ones lett to life
OF misery" Mr.. Webster spoke at some
length and was frequently applauded
s. Il. Adams, Esq, of the Savannah bar.
made a short, but interesting, speech on
temperance and the general welfare. lie
quoted from a statement signed by 1900
physicians IN which they declared that a
very large Part OF human misery is in
duced by the use Of alcoholic liquors as a
beverage, and the total abstinence from
alcoholic beverages would greatly con
tribute to the health, morality, and hap.
piness of the human race.
"Let IT be told with bowed heads that
there are 25S licensed saloons in SaYan.
nah. city Of 5000 male adults" Mr.
Adams remarked. He estimated thai
nearly Sl0OO.000 is spent annually in this
city for liquor, an amount many times
larger than the total expended In reli
giOus, benevolent and charitable matters
Mr. Farley Cunningham. of the Sons Of
temperance. was next introduced. He
discussed prohibition and the ballot OF
those who vote for prohibition. The
speakers conclusion was that votes cast
for prohibition are not thrown away.
Mr. n. B. Catherwood's address con.
cluded the exercises. He spoke elO-
quently Of the great temperance worker
Father Mathew, Of Ireland, who % years
AGO visited Savannah in the cause OF
temperance, and concluded with this
glowing peroraton
at is we'll that all considerations oil
creed or race be lost sight OF on an occa.
sion such as this, but, concentrating the
sublime character OF this man, pride O
race will assert itself. and Catholic, as
am, lrlshman. IA ] am, ! lift up my face
towards the East, and all my heart leaps
forth 10 that dear isle beyond the risiug
sun. Oh. Ireland, fair Ireland, prolih,
mother Of great men; who hast nurtured