The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-08-09
PROHIBITION REMARKS.
Mrs. Clara Hoffman Speaks on
the Public Square
FOR THE THIRD PARTY CAUSE
She Goes for Both the old Parties
but Especially for the Rcpubli-
considerations CIeycIand's
Temperance Record,

was fired last night on the Public
square, and on behalf Of the
party. The orator of the
evening was Mrs. Clara Hoffman, OF
Kansas City, Mo-, and considering the
amount of advertising done in advance
OF the meeting, the audience was ofvery
fair size. 1t was certainly unusually re-
spectful for an outdoor meeting, the
only interruption noticed being shout
by somebody, "Chestnuts! Hurrah for
Cleveland"
The meeting was called to order by J..
S. Fuller, OF the South Side, who called
upon Presiding Elder Jones to lead in
prayer. After prayer Mr.. Fuller
presented the orator in brief address,
in which he accused the Republican
party OF neglecting the great question Of
prohibition, and said the charge was met
BY evasion; while the Democratic party
simply pleads guilty to the charge.
Mrs. Hoffman, in opening her address
spoke OF this government asa Govern;
ment OF the people, by the people and
for the people," adding that she
never quoted this household phrase that
she did not reflect how unjust it was,
since half the people were not allowed
to take part in it. A little later she
quoted the language OF the constitution
that government is inherent in the
people," and commented that women
we're not yet people; she did not know
what they were, but they were not
people.
She contrasLed this country with Eu-
ropean lands, spoke OF the composite
character of the people here, and said it
was right that they should be here. The
people OF the United States would be
false to the ideas OF the fathers il they
had refused to open the doors OF this
nation to the oppressed victims OF
tyranny everywhere. But to the adopted
citizens, the American born should say:
You must bring up your ideas OF GOV
eminent to those which prevail in
this land, for this land cannot de-
scend to the ideas you hold. Ameri-
cans had not done this; they had been
derelict in their duty; they had con-
scented to and abctted Dissertation Of the
Sabbath and other national sins. When
the monarch OF any country becomes de-
graded and corrupt and neglected. OF his
duty, we say the lines have fallen in hard
places for that country; but when a mil
lion sovereigns become careless and cor
rupt and degraded the places are harder
and the lines draw tighter. So it is to-
day in this great land. The people-the
goyereignsS have sold their birth-right
for mess OF pottage. The ballot is de-
graded, corrupt, debauched.
How did it become so? Through the
tooch;r -s Of the pulpit? Nayl Through
t&s Iasseus e;;5ran III the public school,
Nay! In the colleges. Nay o,.
How, then? Through the influence
and the teachings OF that great gov
school OF this country, the So
loon. The saloon was power in poll
tics. Even in Wheeling the liquor traffic
exerts power; those engaged i'll it go
on the bonds of city officials, and on the
bonds of retail dealers, and thus exert
an Influence and power.
For eighteen years the temperance
people Of the country have asked Con-
gress to pass Il law establishing COM
mission to inquire into the liquor traffic,
but the law was never passed prior to
1884. Since thut time it has been passed
hv two Seuates. In u late report Mr..
Schade, attorney OF the National Liquor
Dealers Association and editor OF the
Washington iSentiael, that associations
organ, said:
$50 far have succeeded in prevent
ing any legislation by Congress pref
judicial to your interests"
How did he prevent it? He said to
Congress, with the united brewers and
liquor dealers interest of the country at
his back: pass this bill, or that bill,
and we will turn you over and turn YOU
out" And they did not dare pass the
She arraigncd the courts Of justice for
being run in the interest OF the saloon,
Of the liquor traiIic-the greatest mo-
nopoly in the land, which was daily
the laboring classes OF their
hard earned money. Did she hear
laugh at this statement? 1t
was true. In this city OF Wheeling
there are spent annually for liquor $780,
300. How much Of this comes from the
rich? l tell you nearly all OF it comes
from the men who toll for livelihood.
Mrs. Hoffman reviewed the history of
agitation and organization
from beginning TO date, and said it was
Inefficient for good. Why? Because it
III dealt with the evil in the realm Of
morals, and there is no drink traffic in
he realm OF morals. 1t is legal, Il polit-
cal question, and should be dealt with
n the realm OF law, the realm OF politics.
Moral suasion does no good. By it per-
laps one man in twenty is induced to
break of the drink habit, and it is adj
nitted that ofthose who do profess tore
orm not more than one ortwoin ten stick.
Il used to be that good temperance people |
would go to church and pray to the Lord,
THY Kingdom come, and then go out
md vote for the DEVILS Kingdom to
,ome; and then they were surprised that
moral suasion" did no good.
The Republican party had been in
power twenty-four years, and in that
,wenty-four years the drink traffic had
been allowed TO grow into the gigantic
it is to-day. That party
ignored and spurned all our approaches.
do not say much OF the Democratic
party, because, as your chairman said in
opening the meeting, tint party has
atready plead guilty OF having befriend-
ID the acCursed traffic. 1t now only |
waits execution. Why offer evidence
against seli.Convicted criminal? But
when we hesought the Republican
party to do something for the protection
If our homes, they answered US evasiye-
v and did nothing, Their policy OF in
iiherence-and all the liquor people
want is to be Jet alone; that is all they
lsk-the Republican policy Of letting the
,vil alone, made it possible for it to ac-
luire the power it has to-day.
When i say "wc," do so because
mi w. G. I. U. woman, and we, you
lnOw, are a hali sister to the Prohibition
party, and | am not sure but that ere
ong we shall be adopted into the family
md taken into full relationship.
Fonryears ago the prohibitionists caus,
1 ~.