The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-16
,,tod +o He said in North Carolina

wanted to- He said in North Carolina
all he had to do was to take pottie
of corn LIQUOR In one pocket and q box
of cheap cigars in the other anu give
them out to prospective customers and
he would get big orders; that the people
of the South didn't know good whiskey
from bad or a 3-for-5-cent cigar from a
Decent one. / listened to this as long as
| could. then l told the fellow he was
not telling the truth. and that he should
not sit near me and mallSn the people
among whom lived.
"He assumed defensive attitude ana
said: you are a preacher, amt you!
"'Yes, I'm preacher, but can
shuck off this preacher coat for 10
minutes and settle YOU.
"No, my friend. I'll not take refuge
behind the sanctuary of God, don't
have to.
I'm sorry, and have charity enough
for Mr.. Nichols to believe he's sorry he
sent that letter to visitor IN your
city.
I'm sorry that gentleman who has
occupied the exalted position Of Grand
Master Mason in North Carolina would
make such threat against another
Grand Master Mason.
81 have never slandered Mr.. Nichols
personally and don't mean to. But |
do mean to say that the late State
Fair was a disgrace not only to North
Carolina, but to the men who conducted
it, and whoever is responsible for 1t
must bear the accusation"
Here he read editorial criticisms Of the
Fair from the Biblical Recorder of No
vember 3rd and 10th, and said he en-
dorsed every word of them. He asked all
in the hall who endorsed them to rise.
About half rose. Then he asked all who
endorsed the Aldermen for opening the
saloons to rise. Three rose.
With this the minister began his lee
ture on the saloon power. He said
he was not there to abuse the saloon
keepers-its their business to keep open
and sell as much Of their stuff as pos
sible.
1.-The saloon sits supreme in the halls
of our legislatures; it rules some of our
highest courts, it sits on the tripods
of many of our leading newspapers, it
makes our public officers lackeys and
slaves.
1T is the mother of woe and death
and hell, the source of crime, the enemy
of man and the foe of God. 1t is a
vulture and feeds on the vitals, buzz
gard that hunts for carrion, a louise that
feeds on the head of families.
'I've got nothing to say about the sa-
loon men-most of them are good-heart-
ed fellows--except that they are in such
a devilish business.
MIR. Saloon man: Suppose a young
man. high IN social circles in Raleigh,
should spend good deal of his time
and money at your store for the next
five years. At the end of that time
could you honestly say you had made
him better man, richer man? Could
you say you had made him a better son,
better husband? Could you honestly
say you had improved his condition in
this world or his prospects in the next?'
When asked yesterday what he had
to say about Mr.. Lees lecture Sunday
afternoon, Mr.. Nichols replied: "In the
language of the diplomatists, 1T is a
closed incident"
Mr.. Nichols said further that it reached
him on Saturday afternoon that the
Rev. Lee had said on the evening before
that on Sunday afternoon he intended
to show the pictures of the ''Big three, -
meaning the three saloon keepers,
with one of the city alderman and him.
self in the background. This was more
than he could stand, and he Immediately
wrote his letter and mailed it without
consultation with any one.