Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-24
ONLY A BAD BULL RUN.

of Prohibition Will Rally ns the Union
Did-Some Very Striking Statements Of
the Situation,
Rev. B. f. Beazell, of the Oakland NJ. E
Church, preached last evening on GA Bull
Run Defeat" it being a discourse on the re-
suit of the amendment campaign. His
text wasI. Samuel. xiv, 90 Among other
things, he said:
Defeat always stings. Men like to be on the
ultimate success, as there are victories that
defeat the victors. This is far from being a
| Waterloo defeat. 1t is our Bull Run, which
means that rallying from it we shall come to
| our Gettysburg; then to the exhausting
Wilderness contest, and finally to the Apo
mattox of assured victory.
1t is surprising how many gentlemen of the
pulpit, the press, and of politics who before the
election couldn't find time to even formulate
an opinion, much less express it. are now fa-
| voring us with formulas on the lesson of the
| hour. They knew exactly how it would go,
| and they know what the status of prohibition
| is to be in the future.
have made and make no claim to superior
wisdom. 1 have, however. had much to say
and do throughout the contest, and specially
want to say word at its close. Many foolish
things are being said by both sides in the heat
of the excitement of victory and defeat "The
Brooks law must be wiped out" say the liquor
men. "Our defeat is chargeable to the
treachery of political leaders," say some Pro-
| hibitionists. Nonsense and worse. In truth
the Republican party has dealt hnnorablv with
us in this whole matter. Men of all parties
have been free to follow their own inclination.
SADLY HANDICAPPED.
Conservative Prohibitionists felt that we
were handicapped from the start. We would
not have waged this contest at this time if we
could possibly have avoided it. High license
is just being tried, and is by its friends thought
to be very effective especially in our two
large cities. ] believe it to be stupendous
fraud as a temperance measure, and it will
soon be so demonstrated. But tens of thou
sands of sound temperance people believe in
it, and want to see it fully tried. These would
otherwise have been for prohibition in this
contest. Then think of our mixed population.
Our State is cluster of nationalities. More
than % different languages are spoken. The
habits and tastes OF the vast majority of those
naturally array them with the drink traffic.
Again. not only has the daily press of the
State been either neutral or covertly or openly
with the saloon, but the pulpits of only two or
three of the chief denominations have been
n,
amendment.
Notwithstanding these difficulties we fought
courageous fight and are in prime shape for
gaining the final victory.
Have you analyzed the system No. You
were daZed with the figures and never thought
to look at the meaningi
There are 81 counties in the State. Of these,
% gave majority for prohibition of over
$4,000 Seven counties viz: Philadelphia, Allie
gheny, Berks, Lancaster. Schuylkin, Montgom-
0rd hT0h rrTr- 70 Tnrffr
against the amendment of 1856 0O0in round num-
bers. In other words, seven counties of the
State overbalance the other 90. Figures, it is
said, will not lie. They will, if you let them.
They need to be watched closely. The result
as applied to the State seems overwhelming. As
interpreted by counties, it is seen to be highly
encouraging. 1t is 60 for, z against, Some say
this points to local option as our only hope. l
do not so read it. Local option is too narrow
and transitory in its scope. 1t is selfish. 1t
says: "We will take care of ourselves. You
may 20 to ruin if you choose" "They that are
strong ought to bear the infirmities of the
weak" is the scriptural method. The country
must help the city, else there is no help for it.
The country boys make the city men, and the
fathers and mothers must not neglect their
children. Cities, towns, villages, counties have
mutual interests. They are as Longfellow's
bow and cowl: useless each without the
other"
CONVERSION PREDICTED.
As sure as there is conscience in man, and
sympathy with God the 80 counties of this
great Commonwealth can be aroused and rallied
to blot out the shame of the other seven. What
a splendid record our neighboring counties
have made To the south. old moss-backed
Democratic Greene is on the list for pure
whisky, and none of it. Fayette outdoes her.
self. and Washington as well. Old Westmore-
land, "the mother of us all, that used to love
strong drink SO ardently, is in line. Beaver,
with her cluster of hourishing towns, declares
strongly against rum. And so on and on north
west. with hardly an exception, until Erie is
reached, which joins the opposition by only
light majority. Courage. neighbors; we must
have your sympathy and your help One of
these days old Allegheny will stand upon her
feet. sober and self-respectful
But, gentlemen of the opposition, the victory
of the hour is yours. The appeal to the ballot
is in your favor, and, judge, fairly. Let there
be no whimpering among the defeated i de-
spise overgrown babies. Have your Jubilee
over your success. If we had carried the day
by even light majority, we would have rung
the bells. gathered in churches and halls and
groves for speeches and songs and thanksgiv-
ing. The children would have been with us,
for our struggle was and is chiefly in their be-
half. Anxious fathers and mothers would have
Joined us. The inmates of homes from which
hope has now fed would have been there. Men
anxious to break the bonds of dreadful habit
hOuiO nave lcdpOu JO1s
THE CONTRAST ALLUDED TO.
The companions of your rejoicing we all
know. The maker, the seller, the man power
less to quit drinking and the young man Just
learning. That most pitiable object, the man
who excuses his connection with the traffic be-
cause his bread and butter is in it, will be glad
The thoughtless who Graves money, regardless
of how it is gotten, will rejoice together with
the inmate of the house of shame. But ito the
victor belong the spoils" The spois of this |
triumph and of the business which won it are |
yours, not ours. With success comes also re- |
sponsibility. The amendment advocates |
dreaded more than defeat the responsibility |
of success. They believe in the prohibition of |
not as an easy solution of difficult social and |
economic problem but as the right and ulti-
mately the most effective solution. Ours was
the appeal of society against the saloon The
saloon triumphs The voice of the seven
browns out the voice of the sixty. The saloons
appeal to voters was to vote down the amend
ment on behalf of personal liberty" '1ower
taxation" "sobriety," and such like desirable
things. The appeal was granted The author
the opposition. Your policy is to prevail
You are our lawgivers Of the next few years.
We submit gracefully. The majority must
rule. We will DO more. We will help you to
fulfill your golden promises. Then, when our
lease of authority comes-as it certainly and
speedily will CONCEIVE shall confidently expect
your submission and cooperation. For as
Bishop Spaulding, the eminent prelate of the
Catholic Church. strongly says: "Whatever re-
stuctions may be thrown around its manage
ment, the American saloon is, and must con-
tinue to be as long as il is tolerated