, 1891-03-17
WHAT He SAID
Rev. DR.. RAIDER Makes a Public
Statement.
He Tells of What His Remarks in
Laramie Consisted.
IntOxicatiOn Among Men and Women
in Wyoming.
Laramie Republican.

ALS ANNhApAANhAs
CHEYENNE, March l3.-Owing to the
many that have been made on
your report of a speech l made at the
temperance meeting held in Laramie the
evening Of the 9th OF March, | hole
YOU will allow me to state nv own case.
In that speech l may have assumed some
things as understood that were not GEAR
to some who heard the speech, and to
more who only read vour epitome Of it.
My position briefly stated is this: |
rave travelled over the state of Wyom
ing as much as any man In it. | think
there is not on unusual amount of drunk
euncss among our people; but | have on
my journal more instances of women than
men being drunk-seven women to six
men. SIMPLY state what | have seen
myself. | think no one who knows me
will be ready to say that l am opposed to
oma suffrage, or that | am not a friend
to the WOman's Christian Temperance
Union. | have been for years in favor of
woman suffrage and have so SAID in pub
lie and private. | have not hesltated to
help in every way in my power to ad-
vance the cause of the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union. l may be mistaken,
but it has seemed to me, and | see no
reason yet to change my opinion, that
since the admission OF Wyoming to state
hood the women have become increasingly
careless on all moral questions. l shall
be glad to find this opinion incorrect.
My main argument III favor OF woman
suffrage has been not merely to increase
the number of votes, but to add to the
moral forces implied in the ballot. To
my mind this is the argument that will be
most potent In giving the women of this
nation the privileges our women now
enjoy. On account of this opinion l
have been most anxious that the women
of Wyoming should arouse from any
lethargy and justify the highest ex-
pectatlon. Another thing of special
importance to me, being a minister
of the Methodist Episcopal church, is the
fact that we are now, in our annual con-
ferences, determining the position women
should occupy in our church councils. If
admission to these councils would diminish
their interest in the work of our
church and the extension OF the king
dom Of Christ in every possible way, it is
something to be avoided. Hence l would
have the women of Wyoming using their
utmost efforts to converse, maintain and
extend the best interests OF our state,
that there might be no seeming indifer-
ence OF this kind.
If it is a crime Tor me to desire our
women to bestir themselves and use their
Influence to destroy social impuuty,
drinking lntoxiclnts of all kinds, and to
Danish gambling in all its forms from
our young state, then | am a criminal. l
think Christian people are guilty of great
folly when they admit by act or utter
ance that those who Indulge in gambling,
drinking or any of the kindred social
vices belong to the best society.
am not a politician, nor do | ever ex
pect to become one. | have no time or
inclination for such a life; but | am
anxious that all our people who are in IA
vor of the highest living and the most
wholesome laws should band together IN a
''non.partisan prohibition League to pro-
mote these interests. So far as | am con-
cerned, | care not whether they are Re-
publicans, Democrats or Farmers ALI
ance IN their party affiliations. Il want
to form a league offensive and defensive
with every man and woman who Is or.
posed to the evil influences about us, and
in favor Of the highest good. But l am
in no sense the lea Ter OF this movement
only an humble advocate of it. In this
service, by the help OF the Almighty, and
the assistance of the good people of Wyo-
ming. | shall continue.
DANIEL L. RAIDER.