Mexico weekly ledger., 1888-03-22
SMITH & CHINN, Vandalia, Mo.

N, Vandalia, Mo.
appealed to Caesar on at least two
occasions to protect him from
harm, we are in good company
and mean to remain.
But in conclusion, we are led to
think that Democrat" believes
that Senator McGinnis made a
temperance speech, nonsense. /
have before me eleven printed
copies OF secret and private cir
culars and letters to the trade from
distillers, brewers and liquor
dealers-big houses. They do not
hint to the trade that Local Option
and other prohibitory laws are
failures. They say such laws
can be enforced, cite Kansas and
Iowa as States, and the Local OPP
ton counties in Missouri to prove
that they can be enforced and beg
the trade to see that they are
not adopted, but to work for high
license. Let Democrat and Nc
Ginnis prove to the liquor trade
that Local Option, such as the
Wood law gives. does not prohibit
and it will give each of them
an enormous revenue. Fellow
citizens, I well remember the first
temperance speech, so called,
against Local Option, / ever heard.
1t was near twelve years ago.
Princeton, Ky. where | was preach
ing, was about to vote on Local
Option the second time, it having
been the law for two years. The
saloon men secured the services of
a brilliant, rising, young lawyer to
come up and attack Local Option.
I remember ] wondered what kind
of a speech he would make before
the large, intelligent and cultured
audience that greeted him. He
made a McGinnis, Democrat"
temperance" speech. Local OPP
ton was beaten, for he proved that
more liquor was used under it than
through licensed saloonsl Several
months afterwards he begged per-
mission to come to Princeton. and
in the Christian Church-the
church I think he had joined-he
wanted to make another temper
anee speech. This request was
granted, the time came and he
dragged himself into the pulpit, a
ghost of his former self; he said in
substance he had a disease which
would soon take him hence, and
that he could not die happy until
he came back and asked pardon of
the good people of Princeton for
having made such an address. He
had been insincere, and now being
convicted of sin he wanted to con-
TESS the same. Noble soul that he
had become one night.
A certain leige lord having come
home-so the story goes-it being
some somewhat past bed time, he
proceeded to disrobe and retire in
as steady and cultured a manner
as the circumstances would per-
init. Having gently laid himself
down, he had neglected to no.
'tiee that he was turned his mouth
towards his wife; but upon seeing
his danger-that is, knowing she
would soon become aware of his
intoxicated condition-he rapidly
proceeded to turn oyer on the other
side. No sooner was this accom-
plished than the shrewed wife,
nudging him with her elbow, cried
out: 30, John, you need not do
that, you can't fool me you are
drunk clean through These
Temperance" efforts of the Hon.
Senator and other alcoholic at
attorneys r drunk clean through.
Once more are we reminded Of
the devil, quoting Scripture /:
2 Cor. 11:14, 10, says Satan has
power to transform himself into an
angel of light, and his ministers
can appear as ministers of right
e~ousness.
And Shakespeare says:
"An evil soul producing holy
witness is like a william with smil.
ing cheek; a goodly apple rotten al
the heart, @, what a goodly out.
side talseheod hathl'
Ifmy partial review ofthe Hon.
Senator did not injure the whisky
side, what has SO stirred up5aDem.
ocrat." Perhaps he just wishes to
give me a friendly lesson in logic.
Many thanks, but -
Now, we have no wish to drive
the saloon-keeper outof county, for
we have no enmity for him, though
we violently oppose his saloon.
We say to him, DO reasonable,
think over the matter, change your
business, remain among rs. To
the county at large, We say The
saloon must co.
Rsspectfully, !. ". HIosSE.