The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-04-03


help men escape from the temptation
of drink. do not care who kills the
liquor traffic. Whoever or whatever
agency undertakes the work can count
on my support"
This is the'platform upon which John
G.. Woolley, one of prohibitions fore
most workers and most popular agita-
tors, has taken his stand. 1t is scarcely
the Platform of the prohibition party,
and might not suit the views of those
who believe that prohibition is a politi-
cal issue to be fought for with machine
tactics. Mr.. Woolley holds other views
on the temperance question for which
he alone is responsible, and which
have, no doubt, contributed largely to
his fame as a successful worker in the
cause of reform. He is known all over
the country and has thousands of ar
dent admirers in the ranks of the old
parties. His acquaintance with the ris-
ing generation is especially wide-reach-
ing through his activity upon the lee
ture platform in behalf of the Young
Peoples Society of Christian Endeavor
and temperance reform. He has been a
resident of Chicago since the early part
of 1898.
Party is a secondary matter with Mr..
Woolley so long as the temperance cause
is advanced. He considers his work
to be the education of the consciences
of young men that they may lead right
lives, and believes the best way to do
this is to avoid partisan methods. He
is satisfied with simply urging all per-
sons to refuse affiliation with political
parties that refuse to deal frankly with
the liquor traffic.
Much has been written of Mr..
Woolley's life, his success, his fall
through drink, his conversion, and his
devotion to the cause in which he is
now working. His fathers family were
among the early settlers of this coun-
try, coming from England in 1853 and
settling at Newport, R. 1. Mr.. Wool
ley was born at Collinsville, Ohio, his
father, Edwin G. Woolley, being a
prominent physician. Early in the Cos
the family moved to Paris, ILL.,, and at
the age Of II the young man held a
prominent position in the public
schools. Mr.. Woolley was graduated
from the Ohio Wesleyan College in 1871,
went abroad, and on his return entered
the law department of the University
of Michigan. He was admitted to the
bar in 1873 in the Supreme court Of Illi-
nois, when the chief justice pronounced
his showing on examination the most
brilliant of all he had known. After
practicing four years in Illinois he
moved to Minneapolis, where he entered
Supreme court practice, becoming
states attorney and a leading lawyer
in criminal cases. In 1885 he was called
to the Supreme court of the United
States. He next engaged in civil prac-
tice and conducted to successful issue
one Of the most important commercial
litigations in the northwest, in which,
as the representative of a New York
syndicate, he attacked transfer Of
property on the ground Of fraud, and
by one argument recovered 100000
for his clients.
Mr.. Woolley became known as one
Of the most successful lawyers in the
northwest. He is said to have received
the highest fees Of any lawyer in Min
nesota, having once been paid $500 in
gold for a speech of five minutes in a
successful plea for mercy for con-
victed criminal. In 1888 Mr.. Woolley
was offered by General Fisk and others
associated with him a large salary to
take up the practice of law in New