The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-23
THE CAUSE OF TEMPERANCE.
In Eloquent Address Delivered by Colonel
ID. Hickman.
he FIGHTS NOT KEN, BUT MEASURES.
ae Believes that Every one Ought to Ass's'
in the Overthrow of tho Liquor
Says lie VIII Not isc Personal

Ov;nc ~ the inefficient car service the De-
GINNING Of the lecture was considerably CO
isved Cor il was after $50 o'clock when the
I;',;no,;sbed apeaker reached that part OF the
CITY although he had started out 10 reach d.
most any point within the city MINUS VIII VI
binary means Of transportation.
After the singing of a hymn Dr l.. a. Cut-
ler of Marshall street Christian churcn VI
fered fervent prayer on DehaI VI 'i'0 VIII
peTance cause. 49,, .,no Paw
Mr.. George A. Luuey introduced 10 lew
appropriate remarks, Colonei .. a. I11Chln lI!
as q distinguished son OF one 9i .uo GI" L;n
daughters of Virginia. He added thet IA his
presentation Kentucky saluted oiu 'ns'N'"
COLONEL HICKMAN.
Colonel Hickman next stepped Toward
and although he excused his inabillty 10
49, LENGTHY address with his failing
health. he suoke for nearly an hour WIN q
Iervor and earnestness that deeply impressed
bis AUDIENCE His address was highly lnter-
estipo and frequently interviewer WIN mus nus;
tratiOns taken from everyday ne nc laiu
great stress on the fact that lac did not mean
r. harm anyone He did not intend TO deal
In personalities. for he did not hght
men int measures If he did step on any
ones toes. however, that person should not
saw that be the speaker was personal, but
that he the hearer) was guilty. r.,
Colonel Hickman then cited the dreadIu!
plague that visited Egypt IN the angel OF
death. who slew the first born AS terrible as
this affection was, he continued, yet there was
some comfort in the fact that 1t came nut once;
But how different IL was with the plague OF
drunkness which returned with every genera
ton TO the same household TO clam It's We
tins. The great trouble was that people
were not honest with themselves. II drunk
ard died without money and influence no one
hestated 10 admit that drunkness had been
the cause of his premature death. However
if the man happened 10 be IN well 70 DO cir
cumstances. they would call 1t BRAIN feye1 or
heart disease.
LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
To talk plainly on the subject he could say
but one thing that liquor traffic was either
right or wrong. IL it should make the home
happv and bring man under the REACH OF the
GOspel then he would be willing to admit
hat some good was derived from the sale OF
liquor. However. as long as 1t had the opposite
effect, everybody ought % assist III It's over
throw. IN was a well known TACT that the
liquor traffic never created any moral lniu-
ence in Richmond nor elsewhere. 1t never
did any good. and yet II was SAID that The
traffic was licensed in order 20 secure
revenue About eighty or ninety millions per
annum were in this manner gathered 10y the
Government but this tax OF 10 cents per
gallon was solely paid by the consumer and
Tot one cent of It came out of the pockets OF
those who were engaged III producing the
liquor.
sOME FACTS.
IL certainly was a sad spectacle TO see
great nation like the people Of the United
States pay out about fifty millions per year
for the spreading of the gospel and ninety
FIVE millions for educational purposes while
nine hundred and thirty-fve millions were
spent for drinks No matter how high the
foo ~ a aortici0 Of IL " maid
by the producer, but II was contributed by
the consumer Money was the only object IN
the liquor traffic; If there was no profit III It 1t
would be very easy TO stop It. Judas be
trayed J Jesus for money. but he final lyrepented
and threw the money away and hung him.
self. and it might be a good thing for this
world if a good many more dld the same
thing.
He new very we'll that this subject was not
q popular one. but he did not seek popularity.
He only wanted to show up the liquor traffic
in its true light Some persons had an idea
that if this traffic was licensed it would be
regulated, but this could not be done, for 1t
would be Just as easy TO regulate lot OF
hyenas.
Everywhere the Legislature, City Councils
and other officials were regulated 10y the
liquor business and 50 were the consumers.
He did not blame any man Cor wanting AL the
protection possible, but in the instance o. the
liquor traffic there was no protection at ali.
THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE.
The people themselves were responsible for
IT, The liquor dealer was only one party n
the bargain, while the people were the
other party. Those who had helped 70 get
the liauOr traffic into the world under the
statute Of law. were morally guilty and had 70
be considered accessories 10 the crime.
The only remedy against the evil was
prompt and decisive action. IL might seem
strange to some that Kentucky should talk
prohibition. but thanks To cod there were
great many tetOtalers III that state at present.
II WAS true that IN former years a decanter
could be seen in every household, but now.
if one should be found there always would be
an excuse IN readiness.
HIS FIGHT.
Colonel Hickman then introduced in vivid
cOlOrs the numerous difficulties lie hal TO
contend with when ne first started out to
fight against the liquor traffic. After he had
been elected Grand Chief Tempiar of Ken
lucky he thought that II would lie compare
lively easy for nm 10 secure some legislation
in the interest of prohibition. lie went 10 lis
friends IN the Legislature Of his State, and be
had many OF them butas soon as he explained
ms object they tried tOayOd him and made the
excuse that they did not nave time. Then lac
changed his tactics and he began TO organize
Good 1emplar lodges All over the State. A
little later on. after he had succeeded 10 OBJ
tain 10000 signatures TO "A petition for local
option law, the pOnuclans began 10 listen %
him and measure was pa sed 10 submit the
matter 20 q popular vote.
At the next general election ont Of 239 diff
ferent places. 2O7 decided ia favor Of local OPP
ton. and IA the next election l15 out of 10.
Then. again. the politicians endeayOred to
put stop TO tins movement and one nudge
declared the law uncOnstItutio mai but he W $
oyerruled by the higher courts and to-day
one-half II the counties OF kentucky was with
out Dar-rOOms
OVER THE CAPITOL.
The samo results could be obtained else
where, but very often people said they 4, Md
not do a thing because they did not want to
do it. He hoped that lie would live to see the
banner OF prohibition float from the dome of
the Capitol at Washington
If It was wrong L. sell liquor il was GER
tainly just rs wrong 10 drink it, However.
the people who drank liquor always said that
il did not hurt them, and he had never met a
liquor drnker yet who was willing 20 make
that admission. The saloons were not kept
up by the drunkards. but by the modefa'e
dram drinkers No man who drank however
moderately. was safe. for il he drank he
might become drunkard while if he did not
drink he would not have such fear
After referring briefly 10 the rapid growth
OF the order OF Good Iemplars Colonel HEX
man asked those presen for their cooperation
and pointed out what could be attained by
organization
AZ the close of the address quite a number
81 tie audience signed the pledge Colonel