Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1889-12-06
TEN FRANCE.
SPEECHES AGAINST LIQUOR
DRINKING
LIT The PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,
Under the Auspices OF Good Tenn
pIars Addresses by Capt. John
Gray, Col. George w. Carter
and Rev. +. VI. Edwards.

Scores OF gas jets, clustered together
in large chandelier, cast a flood Of
brilliant light over goodsized audi
ence which filled the Presbyterian
church last night and listened tc
speeches on the temperance question
The meeting was held under the
auspices of the Grand Lodge of Good
Teinpiars now in session here, and
the red badge of the order was con-
spicuous both Oh the platform and in
the audience.
j. r. Miller, grand chief templar
presided, and introduced the speak.
ers. He wore the red reSalia, which
is the insignia of his Office, and to the
rear of the pulpit were a dozen OF
more choristers who sang selections
suitable to the occasion during the
interim between the addresses.
Capt. John Gray, of Loudon
county, Va, representative of the
grand lodge and past chancellor OF the
Knights of Pythias, was the first
speaker He referred to temperance
as the handmade of Christianity, and
spoke at length of the good effect OF
both moral and legal suasion in bring
ing about sobriety. He also paid
special attention in his remarks to
the moderate drinker, and the
danger of drinking at all with
out becoming an habitual
drunkard. He concluded by referring
toa beautiful picture by one Of the
old masters, representing a siren
and a good and true woman. and the
power women could exert in abolish
ing alcoholism.
The next speaker was man who
has lived in thirty-two states, who
commanded a Confederate brigade
during the civil war, and who ut one
time was lieutenant governor OF
Louisiana. He was Colonel George
w. Garter, formerly of Ashland, Va,
but now of Washington City. He
did not think, lie said, that people as
a whole Intentionally did wrong, but
that wrong-doing was frequently due
to misrepresentation. Many people
failed to understand the evil of liquor
drinking They placed it either in
the category of light. trivial offenses,
or considered it as relating wholly
TO the individual. Intemper-
auce was not an individual
ofrense. 1t was an offense
against society. In any government
it was necessary for each person to
make some concession and the best
government was not the simplest. as
claimed by some, but that which was
nearest perfection. The Russian gov
eminent was the simplest and that OF
the United States, though complex,
the best.
There was a time when people OPP
posed public schools, both rs an in
frlngement of parental and individual
rights. new eXigencies required, new
laws TO meet them. Referring to wo'
men. he said, that though they did not
vote they were still "bosses." Their
influence was silent but constant. In
conclusion Colonel Carter related a
very interesting incident in his own
life in regard to the good effect the
women whom he loved had exerted
owe IllIll III min ~ uiSN ~
the drinking habit.
Hn was followed by Rev. T. III. Ed
wards, pastor of the Methodist church
in Portsmouth, Va. He referred good
naturally to some personal remarks
that had been made about him by
the preceding speaker, and then
touched upon his opposition to
women voting. There were two
kinds of women, he said, whom he
feared. The one was those who drank
themselves, and the other was those
who would sell cakes and other things
at the polls. Both of these. he
thought, would be against loca
option and temperance. The
speaker also spoke of the great
evils of intemperance upon
community and the bad effect o.
moderate drinking. he also showed
by illustration how the liquor traffic
injured the business activity OF Q
town. The incident used for this
purpose was that of countryman
who had gone to town ladened with
orders for purchases of clothing foI
his wife and children and who had
met boon companion and the two
had spent the money in drinking.
After the speaking the pledge was
circulated.