The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1906-08-04

Hot Springs, Ark, July %, 1906.
Editor Tribune:
A short time ago had the pleasure
of viewing the famous Carrie Nation
at short range and it was such a
revelation to me that l thought your
readers might be interested in 1t.
1t was sultry Sunday afternoon
that | learned she was in town and
finally located her under large avn
ing in vacant lot where she was
speaking. The awning was crowded
with men, but ! managed to get To-
Gated where | could get a good view
ly believe that this was the terrible
woman we hear so much about, In
stead of the aggressive, masculine
creature | had pictured to myself,
saw a motherly old woman of sixty
who looked and talked very much
like the average farmers wife
The first remark that | heard her
make was that there was big diff
ference between man and a two
legged animal She said, IF a farm
err was to see smoke comm out of
a hogs mouth he'd kill him; he'd
say, There's hell in that hog!' That's
what's the matter with some of you
men. You've got hell in ye"
The men laughed good naturally
and she went on talking about per-
sonal purity. She boldly declared
that the majority of men are diseas-
ed, and tol dhow these diseases are
communicated to innocent wives and
children. She said Now I'm going
to talk plain because l want to make
sure that everybody understands me. +"
And she certainly did talk plain. She
called spade spade with an honest
frankness that made men hold their
breath and look at one another. New
er before did l hear such plain talk
from platform as was used by Car
rie Nation and l caught myself run
ming my eye over the audience to see
IL there were any women present
There was just one and she proved
to be a religious worker and was
seated right near the speaker. Car
rie talked on this subject for half
an hour and the manner in which
she handled it showed that she knew
what she was talking about The
men were not laughing now: on the
contrary there seemed to be a silent
admiration for the fearless women.
She read extracts from her magazine
called THE Hatchet," touching on
the subject of purity, and said that
even now there was a warrant out
for her Arrest for sending such mat
ter through the mail. She spoke
and, in conclusion, said that she was
starting a school in Guthrie, Oklaha-
ma, called the Purity Farm" where
young people will be taught to lead
pure life, and she wanted a sub
scription from every man present to
help pay for it. She then produced
a stack of her magazines and said,
with a suspicion of egotism, Every
man who gives me a subscription will
get a copy of THE Hatchet" with
my name written on il with my own
hand" AS the meeting closed the
men crowded up to hand in their
subscriptions, some doubtless out of
curiosity to see the book, but others
out of desire to help a good work
Some gave dime, some two-bits, and
others a dollar. and the pile of maya
zines was gone in twinkling. AS
the crowd dispersed the men walked
away in little groups conversing ear
nestly and on every hand could be
heard such remarks as THAT woman
talks sense" She knows what she's
talking about" etc. 1t was plain to
be seen that Carrie had made a favor
able impression and | guess more
than one fool who came to scoff re-
manned to pray.
In the evening she spoke again on
why ! Smashed the Joints in Kan
sas." There were great many wo-
men present and she confined her
talk to the evils of drink and tobac-
co. In leading mp to the joint-smash-
ing she made the explanation that
she had been opposed to liquor ever
since her first husband had filled a
drunkard's grave. She said that the
saloons she smashed were all running