The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-29
MRs. NArIoN woULpN,T sPEAK
Attended Evening Meeting of State
Temperance Union.

temperance Union.
About $500 people assembled in the
Auditorium last night to attend the
meeting of the State temperance union
Most of the delegates from over the
state seemed to be present, but some
of those who were to have appeared on
the programme were absent Mr. T. A
AIcNeal was to have given the welcome
address, but was unable to do so on
account of a severe cold, and Mr.. James
A. Troutman, president for the evening
spoke a short welcome to the delegates.
The Washburn college orchestra rem
dered several excellent musical num-
bers. r. W. Gleed, the president of the
union, was called to washington a dav
or two ago, but a letter was read from
him by the secretary. Referring to the
was as follows:
Formerly the battle cry of the enemy
was resubmission- Beaten in that they
adopt the slower policy of notification.
This is their programme. And its sue
cess has been great in spots. Wichita
for example, selects such portions of the
law and constitution as it chooses to
obey. and If the dispatches are to be
believed. the so-calIed officers Of the
law go in droves and posses to each in
coming train, armed to the teeth with
guns and warrants, IN order to protect
their masters, the chief criminals of the
city from one poor, weak, little Womani
At the mere rurnOr that Mrs. Nation is
coming to town the owners of Wichita
joints cover and tremble, and the call
to arms echoes up and down Douglas
avenuel
Il express no opinion as to the wisdom
or expediency of Mrs. Nations course.
express no opinion as to its legality
/ notice that they don't dare try her:
and as fine a lawyer as A. l. Williams
has said that where there are no Off
GERS or when officers deliberately re-
fuse to do their sworn duty then any
patriotic citizen may lawfully proceed
to abate a nuisance. which is what Mrs.
Nation did. But without expressing an
opinion as to the wisdom or legality of
her course. / want to say this: Her
courage, her earnestness, her high pur-
pose and pure motives are beyond ques-
ton: and no man or woman who goes
comfortably on his way seeking only
his own pleasure: no man or woman
who has been standing idly or indif-
ferentIy by seeing the law despised and
the constitution trodden under foot
without lifting a hand; no man or wo-
man who has not been in earnest on
this question, but only half in earnest;
nc such man or woman dare criticise
her judgment in the matter 1t doesn't
lie in the mouths of any Of us to criti-
else her, from any point of view unless
we are as much in earnest on the side
of the law and the constitution as she
is
'I am not endorsing Mrs. Nations
courage nor seeking to have the union
do 50. There is, in my judgment. no
occasion for that. She doesn't ask it.
All she asks is the conclusion of some
court. If the courts say she is violating
law, then I shall condemn her policy;
but meantime the incident is interesting
IS showing us what real earnestness is,
and the extent to which nullihcation
has gone in some quarters"
Following the reading of Mr.. Gleed's
letter, Rev. Chas. NJ. Sheldon was in
troduced, and read an original temper
ance story entitled ssXVho Killed Joe's
Baby? ~ The plot is evidently laid in a
Kansas town Joe Lane, a reformed
drinxer, falls into bad company, is
tempted and yields. After much disst-
patton he returns home drunk and in a
stupor crushes the life out of his child.
He is arrested, is taken away, the wife
becomes a sufferer from brain fever, and
Joe himself finally ends his own life by
strangling. The first part of the story
did not call forth very close attention
on the part of the audience, but when
the climax was reached people almost
hung over the seats in front of them to
catch the next word, and a few times
applauded literally. The story was al
ready printed, and was placed on sale
at the door. Rev. Mr.. Sheldon agree
ing that the proceeds should go into the
treasury OF the State Temperance union
At the close of the meeting there were
cries for Mrs. Nation. She was present
but refused to respond
The devotional exercises were con-
Quoted by Rev John Morehead, chap
lain of the state senate.