Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-06-07
LOCAL OPTION CLARK
Addressed the Convention Wednes.
day Night.

lie npdNN rain VI W CuhtSuuS ui'Ni
noon and evening failed to dampen the
ardor and enthusiasm of the great ar
my of Sunday school workers now ell
camped in this city.
The evening meeting was at the
verge of overflow, SO great was the at
tendance. The large audience room
and galleries were literally packed.
Chairs were placed in the aisles and
around the chancel rail. Wherever
room for one more could be found the
space was proptly filed. In interest
and earnestness, the meeting was
equally great. The speakers were fire.
uuently interrupted with applause.
and Prof. Bilhorn's half-hour song ser
vice was one of the bess of the conven-
ton. The program stated that 1t was
"Everbody's time to sing" and it seem
ed that everybody was there for that
purpose.
=. Promptly at s o'clock, Rev. G.. u.
Miller, vice president of the associa-
ton, assumed charge of the meeting.
Mrs. +. A. Seiberling sang Il solo and
was literally applauded. The invoca-
ton was made by DR.. NJ. b. Pratt of
this city.
The principal speaker of the evening
was Hon. Thomas H. Clark of Colum-
bus, author of the Clark Local Option
Bill, which was defeated at the last
session of the Legislature. His sub
ject was, 1.-THE Relation of the Sunday
School to the Present Day Temperance
Movement In Ohio"
Mr.. Clark Is a young man, small of
stature, but large of intellect. His ad-
dress was notable for the intensity
with which it was given. Repeatedly
he was cheered to the echo by the vast
audience.
The speaker was introduced as the
worthy author of a worthy bill. In
part, he spoke as follows: You, as
Sunday school teachers, get hold of the
boys before the politicians do. You
have chance to form his character,
before the work is forestalled. be-
lieve the Sunday school teachers OF
Ohio can settle the temperance ques-
tlon if they only will. What Is the tenn
perance movement in Ohio? Today it
Is a movement in the direction of de-
mocracy. The bill which bore my
name did not seek to close a single sa-
loon. 1t simply sought to submit the
question TO the people. The measure
was this. The present township local
option law permits the voters to pass
upon the question of whether the sa-
looms shall be closed or not. We
sought to extend that privilege to the
smaller municipalities and also to the
wards of the larger cities. think 1t
was democratic movement. and as
such, it so appealed to me. contend
that If the temperance question can be
used to develop the principles of de-
mocracy, that 1t is a good thing for the
people, as we'll as settlementSof the
matter. The best thing about our dem
ocratic system is the discipline we get
out of it, by dealing with great public
problems. Out of our struggle with
such questions, the highest type of
manhood, known to the world, Is devel-
oped.
II could give you many horrible sta
tstics about the great evil of the liq-
uor traffic, but you would simply listen,
and then forget them. You are anti
liquor people by spurts. You do not
think about it. But we will
nag at you until you do think
There has been n Haskell bill,
and Clark bill, and there will be IL
John Brown bill, or Joe Smith BILL
or a bill by some other name.
''There are certain relations which the
church ought TO sustain TO the move
ment, which 1t does not. 1t Is the duty