The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-05-13
An ELOQUENT Lecture.

The lecture delivered on Friday
evening by Hon. j. G. Wooley repre-
senting the third party Prohibition
cause, was one of the most eloquent
and forceful addresses that has been
heard in Denison for many day. Mr..
Wooley's word painting was vivid; his
illustrations pointed and refined and
his argument forceful one. There
can be no division of opinion as to the
evils of drunkenness and the many
crimes, the suffering and the poverty
attributable to this cause. The only
division of opinion among honest men
can be as to how best to combat this
evil. The only remedy which Mr..
Wooley proposed was that of voting
the third party ticket. We do not
agree with Mr.. Wooley on this matter.
In the first place, there are many
other important moral, social and
political questions involved in the gov.
eminent of this great republic beside
that OF prohibition. These great
questions can only be settled by united
action on the part of those who hold
the greatest number of views in com
mon.
To some, undoubtedly: prohibition
appeals as the most important question
OF the day: to others, protection. to
others, monetary questions: to'others,
the security of the rights of suffrage;
to others, the control of industrial
combinations: to some, socialism ap-
peals as the greatest issue: to others,
anarchy is the needed panacea: some
hold that the only salvation of the
Government is in government owner
ship of public utilities.
New, if each man. or group OF men,
acted and voted simply for the princi-
pie which he regarded as paramount,
there would result such chaos of
government and representation as
would resalt in absolutely nothing be.
ing accomplished along any line.
Again we would point out that in
this state, at least, the cause of pro-
hibition has received severe setback
chiefly for the reason that the prohi-
bitionists of Iowa followed Mr..
Wooley's advice and voted third
party ticket. 1t is matter of history
that, at one time, the temperance ele-
ment of the state obtained control of
the republican organization. Pursu-
ant with their wishes, the people were |
allowed to vote on a constitutional |
Amendment. which was carried and |
afterward determined unconstitutional |
on technicality: however, in pursu
ance of the expressed wish of the peo-
pie, the prohibitory law was enacted
by the legislature At this time, in
stead OF showing any degree of appre-
citation OF the act Of republican party,
the prohibition leaders of the state, |
followed by thousands of voters. de-
liberately smote the hand that had !
helped them and the third party pro.
hibition vote was larger than ever, and |
this. together with the liberal repub |
lican vote, which voted with demo-
crazy, lead to verepublican de-
feats. II was this act of political in
gratitude together with the practical |
Illustration of the inability of the law
to successfully control mems appetites
that led to thu enactment of the mulct
law.
Had the prohibitionists of Iowa re-
NAMED part OF the republican or
ganization, they might still have con-
trolled its policies, but they deliber-
ately withdrew from its counsels and
set themselves up as an 81 am a holier
than thou party. We have no quarrel
with their honesty but we do not ad.
mire their judgment, nor applaud their
political course.
Like all reformers, Mr.. Wooley may
be presumed to be really more radical ,
than he would expect of those who are
not professionally in the reform bust
ness. After his lecture and in CONVEX
sation with number, Mr.. Wooley put
this hypothetical question: he said, II
have three boys at home: suppose, on
my return. these boys should come to
me and say that they had fully dis.
cussed and Investigated the liquor
question, and that after deliberation,
they had decided that they were de-
termined to drink Now, suppose that
! knew that no argument of mine could
reach them: that it was settled fact
that my boys were going to drink and
these boys say to me, We have further
decided that if you will allow us to
drink at home, we will agree not to
drink at any other place. We wish to
do our drinking in the home circle
without any communicating influences,
but when we feel like it we are going
to drink. What should | say? l would
tell those boys thai l would pray for
them that they might never drink:
that my tongue should never cease