davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-12-01
EDITORIAL.

"A merry Christmas to us all, my
dears. God bless us every one."
There is a growing purpose in our
ranks to capture townships and coun-'
ties This is good movement.
Thanks to those subscribers who
have recently renewed their sub
scriptions! It helps.
Yes, we know the Prohibition party
is too small" That's why we are
at work making it larger.
The church which does not keep up
hot fight against the saloon, local,
state and national, is not fulfilling it's
mission.
Bimoralism is the significant term
by which one of our exchanges des-
ignates that double standard of mo-
rality which allows good man to
help to vote bad party into power.
Congress is abolishing the canteen
and lowering the tax on beer. The
same old game-keeping the bishops
and the brewers, deacons and distill-
ers, Sunday school superintendent
and saloonkeepers in line. And the
game works pretty well to date.
A Prohibition ballot would have
been an appropriate Christmas pres
ent to every child in the land who is
suffering because of drink. If you
did not cast one, the best thing you
can now do is to VOW in the name Of
the child Jesus who came to earth
to make happier the lot of every
child born upon it, that you will never
again vote with a party which, when
in power, makes the life of millions
of children accursed from birth by
perpetuating the damnable saloon.
Calling at 8. Dodge county home
early in November in the interest OF
our cause, the lady expressed sur.
prise that we were still at it. .'Why,'
said she, II thought that the election
last week settled everything" We
assured her that it settled moth
ing However pure their intentions
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-12-01
PITH OF THE PRESS.

North and West: The canteen wrongs
the soldiers as it dishonors the entire
country.
Chicago News: II Mr.. Woolley keeps In
training for the next four years, the poll
ticians would better keep their eyes %
him.
State Leader. Mo-: How can a man be
true to his. church and true to his party,
when his party favors the saloon and his
church denounces the saloon?
New York Observer: The great need Of
the hour Is united, common-sense effort eA
the part Of Christian people everywhere
to make their religion tell at the polls.
Ogden Standard: There could not exist
a saloon without the consent Of the citizen.
The curse rests no more heavily upon the
seller than on the consenting voter. Agi-
tation is good, but the ballot is better.
Union Signal: In neither party was
there the slightest intimation that the
American voter was to bring to the polls
higher concept of citizenship than that
which could express itself through the
medium of dollars and cents.
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-12-01
Cloudy Teaching.

One Of our religious exchanges says
that there are times, although rarely,
when Of two evils one must choose
the lesser. The following instance is
given: "A bridgetender was swing
ing his bridge shut SO that the COM
ing express train could pass safely
over, when in horror, he saw his own
child on the end of the pier, where,
with the closing Of the bridge, her
life would be crushed out. There
was no time for rescue, he must
choose between the life of his child
and his duty to the scores Of lives
on the train, entrusted to his care"
The point, especially when appear
ing in such place, is misleading.
The bridgetender was not called up
on to do a moral wrong. To sacrifice
his child was exactly the right thing
to do. It is never wrong to do right
nor right to do wrong.
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-12-01

Many old Prohibitionists voted with
the Populists. The Referendum, and
nothing else, will wipe the rum trafic
out, is what they think l think 90,
too.-A correspondent.
But prohibition, without prohibit
ton party behind it to enforce 1t,
would suffer the same fate as It en-
dured in Iowa, South Dakota and other
states where the people outlawed the
saloon but failed to elect party 70
carry out their will
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-12-01
A Call to Work.

The campaign Of 1900 is a thing Of
the past. Without stopping to take
breath, the Prohibitionists Of the ma
ton have sprung into the field for
the state campaigns Of 1901 and 1902
and the national campaign Of 1904.
Jollification meetings have been turn
ed into conservation meetings.
State conferences and conventions
will be held this winter, to which
delegates are already being elected.
Clubs are being organized. The pub
LEGATION and distribution of literature
on larger scale than ever before is
being planned. Never was SO much
money pledged for the work SO soon
after election as national and state
chairmen are now reporting. It is
evident that the Prohibition party is
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-12-01

may have been, the American people
who voted for Mckinley or Bryan
voted for the pertetuation of the sa-
looms, and the saloon is here. But
as long as one remains there will be
"a Prohibition party, and it will be "a
live party.
Mayor Gray revoked the liquor
license Of the West Hotel when
Leonard Day was murdered in it's
bar-room. Tim Hennessy, the stew
ard, quickly made application for the
privilege of supervising the murder of
other citizens at the old stand, and
it may be depended upon that despite
all legal difficulties and the protests
of good citizens the bloody business
will go on. If the West bar were a
this heightened groggery must at all
hazards be allowed to continue it's
beautiful work.
The state saloon organ is in tears
because saloonists and blind piggers
are so often put into the same class.
1t insists with quite show of sim
cerity that "a saloonist is one who
pays a heavy license to do a legiti-
mate and lawful business, and should
be as much respected as any other
merchant. A blind pigger is, and al
ways was breaker of the law, who
pays no license, and resorts to just
about the same sneaking methods in
selling liquor as the prohibs use in
trying to put the saloonists out of the
business"
Justice to the saloonkeeper requires
us to admit that he does pay his
license fee and obey the law-when
he can't help himself.
The Republican party is again in
full control of the government. If it
uses that power to cripple and de-
stroy the saloon it will receive all
honor, but If it continues to do obedi-
ence to that diabolical institution,
greater odium than now attaches to
it will be heaped upon it's head. Let
the party's defenders not plead the
baby act. The party is big enough
to do something. Let it stand upon
it's record. If it does it's duty, there
will be no Prohibition party. II it
continues it's time-serving policy on
the burning issue of the hour, the
Prohibition party will be very much
alive; it will tell big chunks of truth
about the party which is bigger than
it is great and it will continue to
draw from the ranks of that party
many of it's truest and most fntelli-
gent members.
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-12-01
BACKBONE.

about to put forth nerorc effort to
give the saloon its death blow.
How successful that effort is to be
will depend largely upon how large a
proportion of "our folks" consecrate
themselves to the accomplishment of
what the party as whole has I'M
dertaken to do. Heretofore too few
have borne the burdens and paid the
bills. This is true of all good move
ments but that is no reason why we
should be satisfied with present con-
ditions AS matter of justice mere
", the few should not be left to do
the work Of the many. Not infre-
quently it happens that a worker,
placed in responsible position by his
fellows, a position requiring large
amount of time which he can spare
no better than they, Is also compelled
to pay three, five and ten times his
share of the bills. This tends to dis
courage and drive from our ranks,
or at least out of active service,
some Of our ablest, and most loyal
men. But it is not SO much in their
behalf that we speak as for the
works sake. Our undertaking is an
immense one, to arouse the people
of this great nation to the enormity
of the saloon curse, to convince
them that prohibition is both right
and practicable, to persuade them to
leave the settlement of issues Of
lesser magnitude to others and to
line up at the ballot box for the
righteous settlement of this para
mount ISSUE Ignorance, appetite
and greed are arrayed against us.
Parents, who ought at least to doff
their hats as our splendid army goes
by, hiss at us. Business men, who,
even If they have no conscience,
ought from motives of self interest
to at least bid us God speed, oppose
our progress with "the revenue" and
prosperity" for their battle cries.
Even great majority Of the Chris
tian church, which on. Sunday says,
Seek We first the Kingdom of God
and His righteousness" on Tuesday
"begins to make excuse" and too
nearly with one accord" cries out
for any old issue which has to do with
dollars and cents rather than with
one which pertains to manhood and to
the betterment of the condition of the
millions of women and children for
whom Christ died, but who are well
nigh crushed under the heel of the
saloon.
To RICH, sucn wrongs, to win
against such odds is no child's play.
Not one life can be spared, whether
influential or humble; not one purse,
whether fat or lean; not one prayer,
not one ballot. Would that we could
cause everyone who reads these
words to say, II must and will find
my place in this conflict and fill it to
the best Of my ability. I must and
will find some work to do to further
this great reform and do it with my
might" Depend upon it, no one will
do less than he has done because you
do more than you have done. Rath-
er will the addition of new recruits
to the advancing army inspire new
heroism and even more perfect self
forgetfulness than have been shown
by the veterans heretofore. Neither
will you find difficulty in determining
your place. AS said Fighting Joe"
Hooker to a soldier who in battle had
lost his regiment, Jump in any
where! There's beautiful fighting
all along the line"
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-12-01
BRIEF AND BRAINY.

Public houses can only be regarded
as schools of niquity.-British Par
lament Committee on Drink, 1890.
If every rum seller in the state of
Maine were in jail today, the state
would be ten thousand times better
of than it is now.-Hon. William P.
Frye.
He that would save his vote, by
saving parties that will save the sa-
loon, shall lose it; he that would lose
his vote for Gods sake and humanity's
the same shall save it.-C. N. How
ard.
To ignore sin is not to conquer sin
by any means, and silence and false
modesty on the part of parents is sim
ply aiding and abetting the Evil One
in his work Of destroying boys and
girls.-Mabel L. Conklin.
Every church ought to be an ar
senal of power against the saloon.
Every attendant should come forth
from the House Of Prayer with his
soul filed with righteous Indignation
against that which s.smells to Heav-
en."-Rev. G. B. Burns.
q
One who has access to our exchanges
lately mentioned having seen smut
ty story in one Of them. We express
ed our surprise, If not doubt. Investi-
cation showed that he was right. It
was in liquor organ, and could have
appeared in no other of our ex-
changes. Comment is unnecessary"
The Washington Sentinel, leading
liquor paper, says:
We question whether with present
conditions a man can be Christian
and successful politician at the
same time. To be successful he must
at least be silent concerning the "sum
of all political villainies," and silence
gives consent.-Penn. Methodist.
II hear so much said about Backbone.
Kindly send me a sample copy."-J. &.
Butz. 1--WE could hardly get along without
L n rN..~r ~
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-12-01

Why is it that saloonkeepers are
barred from secret societies Both
Sides, liquor paper.
Well, it isn't for fear that their In
nocent natures will be contaminated
by association with the members Of
those societies.
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-12-01
TIT FOR TAT.

Mr.. Woolley will utterly fail in his
attempt to make religion and politics
walk hand in hand to the polls-Wine
and Spirit News.
He did fail and the saloon remains.
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-12-01

To assist a person in finding the
keyhole a V-shaped guide is being
made which is attached to the door,
with it's apex at the top of the key
hole, the key sliding up either side of
the guide until it reaches the top,
when it can be pushed into position.
News item.
A better scheme is to 60 home so
Der.
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-12-01

II hear SO much said about Backbone.
Kindly send me a sample COPY. Z.
Butz. I'VE could hardly get along without
Backbone. Julia A. Morton. Rucker. Cal
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-12-01

= for one year, (new or renewaD, to any
person sending US his or her subsc1ip-
tiOn for any paper or magazine puD-
iished which costs dollar or more.
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-04-06
JAMES j. M'BRIDE.

Honesty, sobriety and industry have
marked the unstained career of James J.
Mcbride. who is the choice of the people
of the First Ward. He is regarded as
very strong candidate. The ward is
Democratic one and he will not only poll
its full Democratic vote, but a large num-
ber of Republicans will cast their vote
in his favor. His first step in politics
was taken in the year 1898, when he was
elected to the office for which he has
been renominated. He has been always
on the outlook in the interests of the
people in his ward and the city in general
MIR. Mcbride is a well known figure in the
First Ward, having been born in the
lower section of the city on April 49, 1869
He has resided in the ward since his
birth.
At present is the manager of the
Excelsior Clothing Company on Newark
avenue, position he has held for five
years. He was educated in the parochial
and public schools of the city. When he
left school he received employment with
the old Bergen District Telegraph Com
pany, and later was connected with the
New York and New Jersey Telephone
Company. He is member of the Robert
Davis Association, the Order of Redmen
and the Foresters.
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-04-06
PETER EHRHART.

Alderman Peter Ehrhart, the Seventh
ward Democratic candidate for Alderman,
was born in Germany forty-two years
ago. He came to this country in 1880 and
settled in the Greenville section. He dis
played a taste for politics and Joined the
Democratic party, for which he has ac-
lively worked ever since. Even when the
ward was strongly Republican, Mr.. Ehr-
hart, with few of the faithful, fought
steadily on against great odds, and two
years ago had the satisfaction of seeing
the ward change into a Democratic
stronghold.
In the spring of 1888 Mr.. Ehrhart was
honored with the Democratic nomination
for Alderman. He made a hustling cam
vass and succeeded in defeating his Re-
publican opponent (Peter Buss) by over
two hundred votes. He represented the
ward to the satisfaction of his constitu-
ents, and last month received the Seventh
Ward Democratic Clubs hearty endorse
ment for a denomination. He is popular
with both Democrats and Republicans,
and should win by a handsome majority.
Mr.. Ehrhart is the proprietor of two
saloons in the Greenville section. He is
a member of the New Jersey Schuetzen
Society," the Red Men, the Pioneer Society
and the Greenville Rifle Club. He has
been instrumental in obtaining many
much needed improvements in the Green
vile section, a fact which the residents
annreciate
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-04-06
SAMUEL j. WARRIN.

The people of the Fourth Ward for the
Second Time have nominated Samuel j.
Warrin to represent them in the Board
of Aldermen. In 1896 he was nominated
as the only Democrat in the ward who
could successfully carry that section of
the city and when the returns were made
known on election day he had polled one
of the largest votes every known in that
part Of the city.
Mr. Warrin was born in this city April
IS. 1858. He received his education in
Public School Nos. and 2, this city.
He began his business life as cooper,
when he was IA years of age. After
learning that trade and saving a little
money he followed in the footsteps of his
father and started in 1879 in the milk
business, which still occupies his atten-
ton. Honesty and fair dealing have made
him prosperous. Mr.. Warrin's manner is
such as to convince those with whom he
comes in contact that honesty is his
motto.
1t is a certainty that he will be elected
to the office for which he has been
nominated and it is only question of
how large his majority will be-
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-04-06
SHARP PRACTICE.
Western Man Swindled Out
Of His Savings and Nothing
to Show for Them.

William Birch, of Butte City, Montana,
came East a month ago with his wife
and infant daughter. He brought his
small fortune of $500 with him in the
shape of a certified check on the Butte
City National Bank. Two weeks ago he
located in Hoboken and started to look
for small business. In response to a
newspaper advertisement he was directed
to call at a New York saloon exchange,
conducted by a ann named Keller. There
he was informed that a saloon at No. 81
Leonard street, Jersey City Heights was
for sale. The place was owned by Mr.
ard Mrs. Henry Wagner, of Hoboken
upon whom he called. He was taken to
the saloon where he learned that it was
run by third party, who had leased it
from the Wagners. They told the western
stranger that the place was a veritable
gold mine and that the third man could
be induced to move for $50. For $140 extra
they agreed to lease the place to Birch.
A mortgage of 500 was held on the saloon
fixtures by the Peter Brewing Company,
it was subsequently developed. The Wag-
ners said nothing aobtu this, however, and
Birch went about cashing his check to
settle the transaction.
The First National Bank of Hoboken,
refused to cash the check unless it was
endorsed by someone who would identify
Birch. The Wagners agreed to do this,
if Birch after receiving the money would
deposit $500 in an account made out to
them for security. Birch agreed to this
and after the money changed hands went
to take charge of the saloon.
TNo hic crr1114ica ba found ba cstora 1nnIr.
ed. The glasses and all the bar stock had
been taken away by tile Wagners. The
mortgaged fixtures were the only things
left. Birch through his counsel, Lawyer
John Skelly, had the couple summoned
before Recorder Edward Stanton, We'd
nesday. The magistrate characterized the
affair as a sharp business transaction,
but said fraud could not be proven and
refused to entertain the complaint. Birch
learned yesterday that the $500 deposited
in the Hoboken bank as security to the
Wagners had been drawn by them. He
appeared before theRecorder a second
time.
A warrant charging the Wagners with
grand larceny vas issued at once.
Counselor John Marnell appearing for
them offered to return the $500 to Birch
if the latter would consent to reason
able fee to compensate the defendants
for the trouble caused them" Prosecutor
Van Wrinkle has been informed of the en-
tire transaction and is investigating it.
The Recorder viii deal harshly with the
Wagners, he declared. He refused to
listen to their counsers proposition and
adjourned he~hearing.
Arc T2iroh or;a5 biffnr1u in a011rf ssFFha
entire $500 is now eaten up she sobbed,
''and we have not another cent in the
world. We have been living like beggars
ever since we came East My husband
has been outrageously imposed upon and
will have to apply to the Poormaster un-
less we can get our money
The Recorder has extended the family
temporary relief.
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-04-06
JAMES s. NOLAN.

It is doubtful if there is a man in this
city who has gained greater popularity
during the past three years than Street
and Water Commissioner James S. Nolan.
His name is household world in the
Hudson City section where he lives. That
thriving and rapidly growing section of
the city had been sadly neglected until
Mr. Nolan, thrifty business man of
property, was induced to accept a Demo-
cratic nomination for Street and Water
Commissioner. He was elected by a
handsome majority, but if the Democrats
of other sections of the city will do as
well as those of the Hudson City section
at the coming municipal election, his ma
jority will be one of the handsomest ever
received by a Democratic nominee.
His popularity is due principally to his
work as a Street and Water Commits
sioner, working in the interest of the city
as a whole. But he lost no time in secur-
ing for his neglected section of the city
the improvements needed. And it is that
which makes him so popular up that way.
In that section there are several pro-
gressive business mems and ward i'm
provement associations. These were par
TALLY the outgrowth of dissatisfaction
Z over LDe manner III Which ttle1t oCStAVll
was neglected by the Republican munich
pal authorities. They are non-partisan.
And yet there is scarcely ever a meeting
held that some high compliment is not
passed on Commissioner Nolan Such
resolutions are always unanimous, and it
would always seem that he has wiped out
party lines and converted his ward into
a solid Democratic organization Mr.. Mo-
10, fer TvieI
composed largely of thrifty Germans. All
they want is good government.
Mr.. Nolan manages to attend the meet
ings of a number of these organizations
and listens attentively to the discussion
of all improvements. He then sets about
the work of securing them He is in per-
sonal contact with everybody. in the
ward It is amazing how he gets around
to so many. Almost every gathering, So
cial, political or Of business character
Is graced with his presence. He will at
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-04-06
ANTHONY HAUGk.

Anthony Hauck, Democratic candidate
for reelection to the Street and Water
Board. is one of the most popular poll
tleians and business men in Jersey City.
His well-known integrity as a business
man makes him popular among business
men and there is about him that subtle
magnetism that attracts personal friend
ship.
The taxpayers have watched his career
as a Street and Water Commissioner for
three years and are perfectly satisfied.
His principal charm is his modssty,
coupled with a desire to benefit his fellow
man. He was pushed into municipal poll
tics. It required no effort whatever on his
part to get on the Democratic ticket three
years ago. As a Street and Water Com
missioner he has ever acted in accord
anee with the wishes of the taxpayers,
who gave him their hearty support ire
speetive of politics.
He was bo-n in 1856 in what was then
known as Long Common, now the city
of Berlin, between Camden and Atlantic
City. His father was a wood chopper,
hewing his own way through the forests
of that vicinity OF New jersey. He was
born in q fogScabfn. Three years later his
parents came to this city. He attended
the public schools and in the winter
months attended the night sessions. He
left No. School to work for his father.
who had established a wood business at
Halliday street and Pacific avenue. With
brother he is still conducting that busi-
ness along with that of coal, ETC., and his
reputation in the business word is such
as should make any man feel proud.
He has been a Democrat all his life. and
had served his Lafayette constituents for
a term in the Board of Aldermen when
he was chosen almost unanimously as a
nominee for Street and Water Commits
sioner. He is a member of a number of
social and political organizations and is a
Past Chancellor of Lafayette Lodge, No
79, K. of p. When elected to his present
position he declared he would put an end
to the Street and Water Board being
made a hospital for broken politicians
He also declared that he would bring
about reduction of public expenditures.
He has served a term as president of the
: Street and Water Board and in that
capacity earned the gratitude of taxpayers
throughout the city.