The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1904-03-02
ANTI-SALOONISfS
Held Enthusiastic Meeting in
Court House Sunday.
Room Mas Crowded and Much Interest
Eyinced- Mr.. Martin Presided
Prof. Hodges and Mr.. Sturgiss
TaIk-Latter Answers Anonymous
Ouestion-Money Contributed.


The Temperance rally held at ths
Court House, Sunday afternoon
under the auspices OF the LEGAL branch
OF the Anti-Saloon League and thu
churches Of the city, was probably ths
largest In the history Of the city. Tht
| Circuit court room was crowded. Al
the seats were occupied, many stood
10 the rear and along the walls and
many went away who did not care Il
stand or could not fnd room to do SO.
Mr.. j. Ami Martin, president d
the Anti-Saloou League, presided and
stated the purpose Of the meeting
1t was In no sense for the purpose OIL
rejoicing over what had been done, OIL
exploiting the work OF the League, a.
made evident during the term OIL
court just closed 1t was for the pur.
pose Of marshalliDg the anti-salooE
and speak-easy forces for an unreleDt-
Ing fight. In explaining the work Q!
the League, Mr.. Martha read seperal
letters, among them being one from a
liquor lobbyist To Detroit brewipe
company, ordering cases OF beer End
other beverages sent to certain mem
bers OF the legislature.
| Prof. Thomas e, Hodges was lbC
first speaker. His address was notable
| for its frankness, fairness and evident
sincerity. He said, in introducing
his talk, that he desired to avoid
falling into an error charged, and
occasionally justly SO, to temperance
speakers, namely, that Of making an
Incorporate speech on the subject OF
temperance. All who heard him feel
that he did avoid this error, and speak
in the highest terms OF what be had
| to say.
The purposes Of the league were
two, Prof. Hodges said. First, to
prevent the coming of licensed sa-
Icons to Morgantown, with the com
ing Of large and ever growing ele-
ment of the city's population; second,
t. prevent, so far as practicable, the
So Of whiskey by the so-called speak
easies. There was nothing personal
in the fight; it was not directed
against any man, or set Of men. 1t
was for the two principles involved in
the aboye statement.
Morgautown, he said, was more
widely known than any town in the
state, for the reason that the Univer-
sity is located here. This latter fact
was the special reason why whiskey
should not be sold here. In addition
to this, all other reasons applied as
well to Morgantown as 10 any other
city. The league had taken up the
work after due consideration, and
would continue 1T determinedly.
Hon. George G. Sturgiss was the
second speaker In addition to the
general trend of his talk on temper
ance aud the fight against speak
easies, some Of his remarks were OF
special interest. Some one, whom he
characterized as poltroon and a
coward, bad posted placard asking
him to answer the question why he
gave his check for 500 to pay for
whiskey used in the election on lssu-
ing the bonds for the M & X. rail-
road. He answered that he had
never done so, that he had not sane
toned the use OF whlskey, and that to
his knowledge none was used When
down in the southern part OF the
state campaigning for governor, some
of his friends told him he would have
to furnish whiskey or money to buy
it, in order to get certain votes. He
replied: 81 would rather be defeated
than TO be elected by the use of
whiskey.h This remark called forth
round Of applause, and his arraign-
ment of the attorneys for appearing
in defense of persons indicted for
liquor selling caused quite a stir
among the members Of the legal pro-
fesslon present.
At tae close of the addresses, DR..
Compton arose and stated that no
Methodist meeting was complete
without a collection, and he did not
think this one could be. Small enve-
lopes were distributed and over sos
was contributed to the Anti-saloon
League cause.
The meeting was enthusiastic, and
is the subject of much comment in all
quarters today