San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-02-18
A Quaker Lecturerer ON Prohibition.


cidentally, that the preachers, of a
denominations, are there publicly er
listed in the Temperance cause. Whe
shall we have it thus in San Marcos
On last Friday night rather larg
audience assembled at the chapel q
the Southwestern University to hea
Il lecture by d ,vid Tatum. of Chicago
Prayer was offered by Rev. Geo. X
Scott, pastor of the First Presbyter
ian Church. Rev. w. G. Connol
pastor of the Methodist Church, thel
introduced the lecturer
Mr. Tatum is a Quaker, and h,
spoke with that frankness which is
marked characteristic of hi
people. His lecture was philosoph
ical, instructive, novel in style anE
largely so in matter, well intersperseC
with humor, and having an admixtur,
of sarcasm. Mr.. Tatum's argumen
regarding the rightfulness of prohi
tion of the liquor traffic was this
The perpetuity of republican insttu,
tons depends on the virtue of the
citizens of the republic; all laddable
efforts to render the people virtuous
should be encouraged; everything
which tends to destroy the virtue OF
the people should be controlled or
prohibited; the most important place
for promoting virtue is the home
the liquor traffic is the fruitful cause
of idleness, poverty, disease, insanity,
vice and crime, and is the greatest
enemy of the home; efforts to regu-
late this traffic have proved unsuc,
cessful; hence, it is right to prohibit
it altogether.
Mr.. Tatnm strongly denounced the
licensing of the liquor business by
either the general government or a
state government. He stated that
Investigations by man in New York
city who is prominent in charity
work, show that 50 per cent. of the
criminals in the various prisons of
New York state were brought there
by whisky. Mr.. Tatum also stated
that 60 per cent. of the pauperism
and 40 per cent. of the insanity of
the country was attributable to
whisky, to which was directly trace
able an immense amount of destitu.
ton, idiocy and disease. The lee
turer charged tho continuance of the
liquor business directly upon the
voters OF the country, who, he claimed,
should elect legislators who would
legislate against this continuance.
The prohibition movement, however,
the speaker said, was not intended to
break up any party, but only to break
up the liquor business. Mr.. Tatum
mentioned the argument that the
prohibition of the liquor business
would throw workmen ont of employ
ment, and claimed that the argument
was fallacious, because only very
small proportion of the immense
amount spent for liquors went to the
of the laborers engaged in
the manufacture of liqnors, while a
arge proportion of the amount spent
or useful manufactured goods went
20 support those engaged in the man.
lfacture of these goods, and that ii
;he liquor business was prohibited
;he vast sums annually spent for
liquors would find their way into
,ther industries, giving employment
% great many more persons than
ire afforded employment by the man
fracture of liquors, thereby enabling
hem to become purchasers, or pur-
,hasers to much greater extent, OF
Useful manufactured goods. In this
the lecturer claimed that
he trouble with the country was not
but under consump-
ion and that the diversion of the
sums now spent for liquor
nto other channels would change the
PRESENT situation, and cause the sur
,lus stocks of goods to be sold. AS
N instance of the advantage which
is to manufacturers and
people, Mr.. Tatum men,
ioned the town of Millville, N. j.,
7here the manufacture of glass is
arried on, and where prohibition
,revails, where there is thrift and
prosperity amongst the employees,
nd where the proprietors of the
lnnufactory say that prohibition is
,orth q vast deal to them. The
peaker then mentioned another
lace in the same state, and where a
imilar industry exists, but where
does not prevail, aud
here the working people, although
hey receive good wa. :, are the re-
erse of prosperous. Other matters,
'orthy of thoughtful Consideration,
-ere brought TO the attention Of the
ndience.
Mr.. Tatum was listened to with
reat interest and pleasure, and his
allies Of humOr we're very much en-
,yed q
After the lecture. DR.. J. W Heidt,
sgcnt of the university, made some
smarks on the great need Of prohib-
ion here. Tie doxo.ogy vas sung,
I'll toe audience was dismissed with
be benediction, pronounced by DR..
Teidt