The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-07-26
VOICE OF WICHITA
MEN WfO MADE THE CITY KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT.

Four Thousand Good Citizens and Tax
payers Call a Halt on Disturbing Agita-
tion--Mass Meeting Presided Over by q
Member of Don Colts Church, Who
| Stands SquareIy with the Eagie--Gover-
nor MorriIrs Commissioners Enthusi-
astican Indorsed--Eckstein aud Amidon
Make Hot Speeches.
The largest public meeting ever held
! in southwest Kansas, and one of the
largest ever held in the state, was that
at the Auditorium last night under the
auspices of the business men. resident
householders and taxpayers of Wichita
to give voice to their sentiments rela-
tive to the disturbing and unsettling
agitation of the prchibitory law recent
~ precipitated upon Wichita.
1t is said that fully $500 persons pass
ed through the doors of the Auditorium
while the crowd that could not get in
but stood around the open doors and
windows numbered from / 900 to 1,500.
The meeting was probably more rep
resentative of the community and peo-
pie OF Wichita than any other held in
the Auditorium since it was built.
1t was impossible to think of a bust
ness man who was not there. 1t was
non-partisan and non-sectarian in its
character.
The cha irman, Colonel Nicholas Bird.
is not only a leading Populist, but a
member of the First Methodist church,
whose pastor is probab bly, more active
III the agitation that disturbs the COM
munity than any other man.
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER.
The doors of the Auditorium did not
open until promptly O'Clock AT that
time nearly 1000 people were in waiting
and both sides of Fourth avenue as far
south as the Carey hotel were crowded
with people, nearly all of whom were
men.
AL the doors of the Auditorium were
opened simultaneously and it was like
the breaking down of river dam. a
torrent Of humanity rushed in and
every seat in the house was filled in
less than two minutes by actual time.
All the space around the side and
front aisleS was damned full while bun
ches of heads stuck in through every
window and door with hundreds stand
ing away out on the sidewalks.
Ex-Mayor John B. Carey and Hon.
w. r. Savage, the present mayor OF
meeting, held seats on the platform
with Major George w. Bristow, who
was the temporary chairman and one
OF the organizers of the movement that
developed into such a grand success.
When the Second Regiment band had
concluded lively tune and another one
in response to an enchore Major Bris-
tow placed Colonel Nicholas Bird in
nomination. seconded by eX-Mayor ].
Is. Carey The nominate was receiv-
ed with applause and unanimously con
firmed.
Colonel Bird thanked the audience
heartily for the honor conferred upon
him for he deemed it a very high honor
TO be called upon TO preside over the
most representative meeting of bust
ness men and citizens he had ever seen
in Wichita. He referred to Mr.. Colt as
being the distinguished pastor of the
First NJ. +. church and the leader OF
the agita ton against which this meet
ing was protesting. He said he was
one of the sheep of Pastor Colts flock
and hence that me was somewhat en-
barrassed. He spoke about going TO
hear his pastor preach Sunday night
and in the audience he observed the
Maid of Erin, the distinguished Wichi-
ia woman, Mollie Lease. He was gaz-
ing at her when she looked into his
blue eyes and then he thought of her
immortal saying that the people should
raise less corn and more hell. He then
thought that too much hell was being
raised for the business interests of
Wichita.
He paid a glowing tribute to Colonel
Murdoch which was received with
great applause from the audience. He
spoke about the time he first came 10
Wichita and Unidentified himself with
its business interests and the cordial
reception he got through the kind no
tice in the Eagle concerning him. lie
had read Colonel Murdock's articles
ever since and always regarded them
as being on the side of the people and
great factors in the up-building of the
city and its material and social inter-
ests.
Colonel Bird discussed the prohibit
tory law for a half hour and then in
dulged in the observance of laws in
general. He quoted history-the early
history of this nation-to prove that the
early fathers protested against the OBJ
of laws that were not in llar-
mony with public sentiment. naming
such distinguished patriots as Jeffer-
son, Hamilton and Adams. He then
proceeded with an analysis Of the local
proving at every point
that it should be in harmony with local
sentiment-in other words-that the
of home rule should prevail in
q government by the people.
Mr.. Bird. while moderate in his re-
marks. was very pronounced. His was
a spirit of Cancellation. He gave 10 the
opposition right to express their sem
but demanded the right of his
side to be heard also. Concluding his re-
marks he spoke as follows, the Senti-
ments thus expressed being afterwards
made part Of the resolutions:
COLONEL BIRDS PERORATION
Heaven forbid that one OF US should
think, say or do anything that would
tend TO destroy or endanger the fair
name of our beautiful city, but at the
same time. in our zeal. let US not forget
that the question of temperance. like
charity. is a moral one; in this country
has assumed the form of a
quasi religious question. If so. let il.
like all moral and religious questions
be inculcated and developed by moral
suasion. II il belongs 10 the sphere of
religion let us remember that religion
does not belong to the sphere of politics
or % the state. State and church be-
ing separated. II is characteristic that
the design Of the clergy of some denomi
nations IS TO make the state instrument
tai for the enforcement Of moral and
religious questions. Religion or morals
cannot he enacted and the blending Of
them even remotely or cpNeEuy with
political questions or political parties.
instead Of accomplishing any good pur-
poses has more 10 do with existing poll
teal decentralization and corruption
than many are able 10 perceive
Wherever and whenever the question
enters into politics and parsakes some
what Of HE issue the result and conse-
quences are almost certainly peruicious
and diSaStsrouS.
~. - - 80 -
Major Bristow offered the fol-
n r.s-.nitrt Inns.