The Iola register., 1901-03-01
W. c. 7. U. COLUMN.


mute, gave very interesting talk
about Frances f. willard. AS the
latter was personally and well known
TO Mrs. Grubbs the remarks were OF
double interest to US. Many were in
attendance and good collection was
taken to swell the National Memorial
Fund.
DIR. COMBS DISCUSSES THE NATION
CRUSADE AT LENGTH.
X. c. Journal: Rev. DR.. George
H. Combs, of the Sixth and Prospect
Christian church, devoted his sermon
last night on twentieth century prob
lens to "The Kansas Problem" deal
ing at length with the Nation crusade.
He likened Mrs. Nation to John
Brown, and declared that her crusade
though it might end as ingloriously
as did that of the man of Osawatomie,
yet heralded the downfall of the
saloon. DR.. Combs said
Said a newly made.senator from the
state of Kansas, smiling and debonair
to the representatives of the Eastern
press: 81 am surprised that you
Eastern people are making such an
ado over Mrs. Nation, We, of the
Sunhower state, are not taking her
seriously at ALL" And yet, three
weeks after this deliverance, this wo-
man, who is not TO be taken into ac-
count, has closed up saloon after sa-
loon, has raided the Topeka joints,
has bearded the governor in his den
and given him a castigation as unfor-
getable as it was humiliating, has
made the capital city dry city, has
caused to be introduced into the legis-
lature temperance legislation drastic
and far reaching, has become "a ma
tional character, has caused more
discussion of the drink question than
all the temperance talks and pam
phlets of half dozen years. Right
or wrong "Nationism" is to be reck
oned with.
What does it all mean. This stir,
this tumult of wrong deeds, these cru
sades ofthe latter day, this movement
convulsing sister state?
Others see in this movement only
lawlessness. Now, to those who so re-
gard it and have small patience with
this crusape let me say, it is hard to
sustain your charge of lawlessness
against a whole people. twas Burke
who once said "You can draw no in
dictment against a nation" Now,
this movement has back of it, at this
late hour, the brains and the con-
science of Kansas. 1t is movement
of crowds. If this were lawlessness
other breaches would follow in its
train But is it so? Have more theits
been recorded in Kansas since the
reign of Nationism began Have
murders more abounded ? Have for
geries been more numerous ? Look
well to this.
Nor will the character of the state
permit of such aspersions. Kansas.
despite Atchison notoriety, is law
abiding state. Its people are noted
tor their intelligence and sobriety.
In average intelligence and culture it
is in advance of Massachusetts, in
the frequency of crime second to no
state in the land. IL takes a brave
man to fame this indictment-and a
foolish one.
"Well," 1--WE hear, 'it isn't exactly
lawlessness, but "A spasm of virtue. p"
Now that word spasm seems quite in
appropriate in this contention. Virtue
doesn't bring on spasm, it's vice;
it's not wholesome ripe fruit that
causes the spasm, but green apples.
But waving the fitness of the figure:
isn't IA "spasm'' even "a good thing ?
There is encouragement, | think
even in "a spasm-for is it not an evil
dence of life Woe to the man, woe
to the state whose conscience knows
no "spasm, " for that man, that state,
is dead.
What means this movement then =?
For one thing, and obviously, it
means agitation. This is not local,
but universal. The echoes of Mrs.
Nations hatchet have been heard in
San Francisco, in Charleston, in Bos-
ton. The liquor traffic is under the
searchlight Questions are being
asked, plans are being formulated
inventories are being taken. Let her
detractors say what they may, this
odd looking old mother in Israel has
dragged this drink question before the
public and the saloon must give reas-
ons, if reasons it has, for its ex-
istance.
Deep going questions are being ask
ed. Can vice be legalized? The
saloon is licensed we hear and en-
throned by our suffrages it may ruth
lessly rule. But men are asking, aud
with deep meaning-can ii wrong be
legalized? Can theft? Can murder?