The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-13
Suburban News
I'm General
DUNMORE DOINGS..
Interesting Debate Between D. M. vii.
liams and Victor Pinkney in
Boyles Hall.

Resolved, That the advocating of
prohibition and total abstinence has
done the temperance cause more harm
than good"
This was the subject which was de-
bated last evening by ID. NJ. Williams,
affirmative, and Victor Pinkney mega
tive, at Boyle's hall, Dunmore. The
victory was accorded Mr. Pinkney.
Mr.. Plnkney is a young man of II,
while Mr.. Williams is past middle age
and the author of Williams Sound
Money Theory" The circular which
advertised the debate referred to the
two warriors as David and Goliath"
and history repeated itself. Mr.. Will
Jams brought about the debate by is
suing "a challenge in The Tribune.
Boyle's hall was prettly draped with
American flags and there was an as
semblage of probably one hundred per-
sons. In the place of Attorney Chas.
l.. Hawley who was not present, Jacob
Easterline was made chairman. The
speakers We're given fifteen minutes
each in three divisions. Mr.. Williams
led, followed by Mr.. Pinkney. Mr..
Williams last night advanced several
new arguments. one was his idea of
the Scriptural parable of turning wa
ter into wine.
Some say" argued Mr.. Williams,
that the change was in the color
alone and that there was no taste
then why was ii changed at al?'
Again Il believe that the prohibition
party is u failure because the Divine
Master sanctions the right and for
fifty years the party has struggled un-
successfully, showing that the cause is
not right
Mr.. Williams likened the Prohibition
party to a horse hitched to a wagon.
| The wagon is the idea, Prohibition.
And they can't bulge the load" He
advanced ideas of his own on the way
to defeat intemperance. Take the
brewing of liquor from the hands of
the few corporations that now control
1t and allow everybody to brew it
then" but he switched off into dis
| cussioh of corporations and for the
time rum was lost sight of.
The right way, according to Mr. Will
Jams way Of thought, was to teach
moderation not total abstinence. Con-
cerning the breaking of a pledge Mr..
Williams was Interesting. He averred
that the system of pledge signing was
sinful. when you get q man to sign
a pledge you only give him an oppor-
| tunity to break it, hence he sins"
The blame for intemperance is not
at the door of liquor; it is caused by
the Prohibition party" "All crime is
not born of strong drink; some muir
derers do not drink rum" It's time to
give up when your weak; l know I
would. The Prohibition party has lost
it's position, it is weak. They should
try some other way" There is no pro-
hibitton in the Bible" These We're Mr..
| Williams ideas.
When young Mr.. Pinkney spoke he at
once won the symnathies of the audi
ence. He defended prohibition in a re :
markably eloquent way, tearing the OPP
position to tatters. He made q very
good temperance speech, and for his
years, showed wonderful familiarity
with questions of the hour and With
the divine truths of the Bible, The au-
denCe was left to decide the case
which it did in favor Of AIr PinEney,
who was applauded to the echo. Only
one person stood up for Mr.. Williams.
The affair was gotten up by the Dun
more Loyal Legion. Ten cents was
| charged for admission, the balance af-
ter paying expenses to go toward the
Legion treasury. The committee in
charge for the debate was Jacob Easter
line, Daniel Powell, Amos Washer, lir.
| q. j, Chamberlain and Lawrence Brand,