The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-11-12
Reform Takes Il Mighty Stride
Toward Victory.
Hon. l.. p. Padgett and DIR. d. e.
Kelley Speak in Words of
EIOquence for Reform.
Sam Holding Answers Mr.. Webster''
Speech at the Court HOuse-Dr.
Kelley Also Addresses
Card to the Public.

The Reform movement took mighty
stride forward last Tuesday night, and
left the Peepul and their allies strag-
Cling along in the dim and dreary dis
lance. $4,000
At 1880 o'clock the Circuit Court room
was literally packed, and large num-
Der were unable to gain admittance.
Hon, L. p. Padgett and DR.. D. G. Kelley,
had been announced as the speakers
for the occasion, and proved to be great
drawing cards, both of them making
eloquent, earnest appeals for Reform,
and their addresses were greeted with
rounds of hearty applause.
Mr.. Padgett
was the first speaker He said he had
been citizen of this place for a num-
Der of years, and had taken part in
numerous campaigns; but he had
never felt 20 interested and thoroughly
aroused to a sense o; duty as in the
present municipal campaign. There
had been doctrines preached and
utterances made, the like of which he
had never heard in his life. When
men stand in this Temple of Justice and
deride every sentiment that is holy and
pure, it is time, If man loves his coun-
try and his family, to call halt. "Isn''
it sad" said Mr.. Padgett, "that the time
has come to pass when man will
stand and say that it angers him
makes him m;d-d-when the court
house bell rings at the MONDAY hour,
calling the business men from their oc-
equations to devote a few minutes in
worship to their Creator?' He had
never before heard it said that because
man was Christian, he was a hypo-
crit. 1t is time, when such things
transpire, that men who love their
home and children, should enter their
protests and look to their interests.
There was never such an issue pre-,
scented as in this contest. What were
the declarations that had gone forthi
Several days before, speakers for the
"People's ticket" stood in the court
house and declared that the best ele'
ment of the town should sink in he'll
for thousand years, aud derided mer
who attended the MONDAY Prayer
/ Meeting; and last night speaker fol-
their cause proclaimed for that per
sonal liberty which logically led to un
/ bridled license. You must not throw
restrictions around the saloons or the
gamblers, because it is an abridgemen
of personal liberty. He had only kline
feelings personally. for the saloon
keeper, but he had no sympathy FOL
the saloons. avery saloon in Colum
7 bia," he said, sis way station on the
road to hell, and every saloon-keeper I
ticket agent on the road"
Mr.. Padgett said that it wasn't his
fault that none of the opposition sid
were there to answer him. He had sen
them a request, asking them to NEE
them in joint discussion, but they haC
declined.
continued. "The gentleman who wa
speaking said that the church produced
defaultlng bank presidents, embezzlers
thieves and hypocrites." Was tina
said for the purpose of raising tn
standard of morality or sowing see
that would spring forth and produc
better, purer manhood and womanhood
No! 1t was said for the purpose of de
stroying the influence of the church
that the saloons might have stronge
influence"
Mr.. Padgett defended the purity c
the church. While it was true tina
some members of the church turned on
badly, he supposed that they would 9
, least admit that there we've some goo
! church members; but he knew of no in
stance where the whiskey or gamblin
influence had ever taken a boy up an
made gentleman of him, or lifted
poor, hayward girl from the slums {
sin and elevated her to better, pure
, womanhood.
The Reformers had said, "Come GU
and stand on the side of morality an
womanhood," and the other side ha
said, "Come out and stand on the sid
+ of the saloon and with the gamblers
, and one of their speakers declared tbs
I the call to prayer and praise to Go
made him mad. The doctrines the
have been declared by the oppositio
party would undermine every home
they were allowed TO be put in force.
Mr.. Padgett appealed to the voters I
come out and stand by their homes an
loved ones. "No longer" he said, saI
the speakers for the enemy prOclaimin
virtue, but they now declare that relil
ion is mockery and morality but
. sham"
Notwithstanding the protest froI