Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1886-07-23
SAM JONES ADDRESS
Delivered at Kirksville,
Friday July 18th
Globe Democrat.

Friday was Sam Jones day and
o large audience greeted his ap-
pearance. The great evangelist
was introduced to the audience at
2 o'clock and spoke as follows:
We can all meet on one propo-
sition to day-that intemperance
is an unmitigated curse, and tenn
perance and sobriety are blessings
to any community and any family
in the world. Now, if there is
person here that doesn't believe
that intemperance is curse and
that sobriety is blessing, let him
stand up. 1 want to see him.
Laughter. Or if you are stand
ing up, hold up your hand. Well
now, nobody stands up, and no.
body holds up his hand. We are
all agreed, then ON this one prop
osition, and l believe that it is al
most the only proposition you can
unite the two parties of America
on to-day. But when l attempt to
put out intemperance and the
cause of intemperace, l am met
with a column with three ranks
marching right in front of me.
| The front rank of that column is
composed of the liquor men and
those who are interested in the
liquor traffic of America. and their
name is legion. You would be
astonished if you could See that
vast army of men standing togeth-
er ON some one of the prairies of
Missouri-The men who are inter
ested, who have their money, their
business, their bread, all centered
in the liquor traffic.
Now, when l carry forth the
banner of prohibition and sobriety
this column meets me and with its
front rank tells me, Il will oppose
you, and I will fight you to the
bitter end" Why? Self-interest
my bread, my business, my
money are all involved on the
other side of that issue. And old
Nose Stegau, in my country, in
: the State Of Georgia, said: "When
/ you touch my pocket book, you
3 touch the tenderest chord in my
nature" :"
There's a great deal of truth in
that. And now / will be kind and
: just to the liquor men. 1 will say
3 this much: Ii you will strip them
of their business and their avarice
there Is not cleverer, nobler sci
of men living upon the face of the
3 earth than the liquor men of the
United States. And [ will also
say this: That I will frequently
!. go to them to get money for {
good cause quicker than [ woule
n go to some members of the Church
l tell you these old deacons ant
stewards and elders brother maj
a awhile until they think you belong
y to them, and after that they have
S no favors for you. That's th'
4 truth about it. [ have very little
patience in this work with tha
8 sort. [ have nothing to sa,
n against the liquor men so long a.
v we license them and pat them OF
the back and tell them, $50 it, = i
you will divide with us" I vii
u never open my mouth against tn,
1 liquor men while God lets me live
e but | tell you what l will do
d 1 will stand up and give you ex
o actly what you ought to have.
: : will give you part of it, and yo,
d will get the rest of it in hell here
It after. Laughter and applause.
d Well, [ want to say now Their
s are two sides to this question
y You know when they wanted t.
, free our negroes down South, w
Il Southern people said: "We hav,
II got all our money invested, ant
e we don't want to free those slaves.
u Well, our Northern brethren said
You have worked those slave
100 years and they have paid fo
themselves over and over again
and how long do you want to keel
part of your race, your brethren, il
slavery, in order that you ma,
], make your money back off o
II them?"
/ ! And just that same thingI say t
e the liquor men of America to-day
- > Every dollar you have got yo
= made out of liquor, and how mucl
u longer do you want to debaucl
. this nation and damn this countr
Z with whiskey in order to get ou
~ clear, SO you won't lose anything
!, i That's the way to talk it. I say
- how many more husbands an
g fathers do you want to butcher
:, - How many more plantations, ant
u banks, and Government bonds
:. and railroads do you want to swal
e low up before you are satisfied
iS y That's the way to talk it. VII
u y you come to an agreement with u
= prohibitionist people that in fft
= years from to-day you will go on
u of business forever? l expect yor
T. would sign just such an agreemen
and then pitch in and hedge fo