The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-15
KENTUCKY GETTING SOBER.
A Temperance Wave IL Sweeping Over the
Blue Grass State.

A Temperance Wave Is Sweeping Over the
Blue Grass State.
LEXINGTON, KY. Jan. 14.-The temperance
wave now sweeping over Kentucky seems to
be more deeply rooted than the usual biennial
wave of reform hat attacks the people OF the
Blue Grass state. The encampment OF the
volunteers at Lexington and the wide-open
manner In which Lexington was run dur
ing the oncampment caused the religious
element here to take notice of what the
preachers called the "sinfulness Of Lex
ington," and they turned their pulpit
batteries loose on the saloons and their
kindred businesses and have made unwaver-
ing war on them ever since. At first the saloon
men paid little attention to the red-hot SER
mons. and even when the religious people
formed an association for opposing Sunday
opening OF saloons the dealers in liquor did
not believe 1t would amount to much.
When at the recent term OF the Circuit Court
101 saloon mel we're indicted by the Grand
Jury for keeping their places OF business open
on Sunday. the dealers began to cast about for
relief. They found that the W. {. T. U. of Lex
ington was instrumental in having the indict-
ments brought; that young men belonging to
the several Protestant churches. and some who
were students Of the Bible College Of Kentucky
University. had visited the saloons on Sundays
and had bought liquor In them. They Dur
that the religious element was not willing
to stop at these indictments. but intended
to keep tho work up Of indicting the
saloon men. As an evidence OF this a number
OF the young men who caused the indictments
last month went around to thirty-four saloons
last SUNDAY and obtained facts enough to in
dict thirty-one OF them Tor selling on sunday.
The saloon men, seeing that their Sunday
business was at an end. unless they do some
thing to counterfeit the work of the W.. &. L. u,
determined to stop dealing with the merchants
NrhN mn n NI1n n In N nVIIfDnnh
against the saloons. One large shoe dealer
employed such a man as salesman. and
store and paid Off their accounts and told the
merchant that they would never buy any more
eN1sS fo Of the Rt ew;it I'D rave Mo Of trade se and as H OUT
merchants seemed TO treat the boycott with
equal indifference. the saloon men met and
gave out u statement that they did not intend
to boycott the men who indicted them: that
they intended to allow all the members OF tAa
Liquor Dealers Association to deal where to-
pleased. The w. Q. T.. u, however. does / )
intend to let the saloon men oil so easily. a!,d
evidence to the Grand Juries from court to
court. and ask that all saloon men who sell
liquor on Sunday be indicted.
ington a similar movement is on foot in Louis
vile and other cities and towns Throughout the
going on quietly for two years. Mrs. Frances
L. Beauchamp OF this city. who Is President of
shs s5as1 W. 9rSa r ntl has a Been an all 0 oHer the Y st 5he
within eighteen. months. and has organized
local branches OF the order until there is not
now q village or town in the State which does
not have its W. {. II. u. AS a result of this
quiet work there is a feeling all over the State
in favor OF enforcing the local option law wher-
ever 1t is possible. 1t is confidently ex-
pected by the friends OF, temperance that
option even in Lexington. In Richmond,
Paris. Winchester. Mount Sterling. Gym
thiana. Nicholasville, Georgetown, Lam
caster. Lebanon. Williamstown. London,
Manchester. and other towns the women will
try to keep whiskey from being sold. Local
option already, prevails in. Winchester. Will
liamsburg and London, and II came near carry
ing recently at Richmond. Nearly every coun-
try precinct in the State has local option. so
that the sale OF liquor in Kentucky can only be
conducted legally in the towns and cities, with
many Of the towns against 1t. This is true in
the case OF Danyille. the home of Centre Col
lege. 1t has been twenty-one years since
liquor was sold legally in that city. save on a
physicians prescription, and as its tax rate has
gone down to 80 cents on the 500 for munic-
ipal expenses. many other small cities are con-
sldering the advisability of abolishing the sale
OF liquor. as the Local Option law gives them
the right to do.
In addition TO the crusade against the sale OF
liquor. the religious people have started. re-
vivals all over the State, and the evangelists
say they never saw the people in the country
districts more enthusiastic on religious ques-
tions. There Is a great religious and temper
ance awakening in old Kentucky.