The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-13
Bishop CandIer Addresses lm- mense Crowd at First
 M. E. Church
QUOTES LIQUOR MEN TO SHOW HOW THEY ARE HUNT
Says Flight Would Be Worth All the Force Put Into 1t If 1t Saves One Boy, Yours or Mine,"
 From Whisky.

Here is the editorial taken by Bishop Candler from the Ear and Buffet" an around which much of the orators logic is grouped and which he calls ''wail of despair"
 What shall we do to be saved?" Geor- gia has gone dry Another great state has placed the ban upon the liquor traf- fic Furthermore, those who profess to be able to read the handwriting on the wall say that all the rest of the south ern states will follow suit.
 That is the condition that confronts us. There is no theory about it. It Is an undeniable and concrete fact. The pro hibitionists are gaining ground steadily anu rapidly.
 While our ranks are torn by interne- cine strife, while the straight whisky people and the rectihers are fighting each other, while the wine men are pulling one way and the brewers another. the cohorts of total abstinence are marching steadily on
 "In their ranks there Is unity, we'll defined aim, singeness of purpose. en- thusiasm and they all work together In our ranks there Is none of these. Instead, all is confusion. We are not only doing nothing to oppose the enemy, but we are playing into their hands by fighting among ourselves.
 Every thinking man of the liquor in- terests knows that this is true. The pie ture IS not overdrawn. Prohibition is no longer a remote possibility. But menac- ing probability. The movement is gather ing strength like a prairie fire and spread ing almost as fast and as relentlessly.
 And 1t is our fault. We have been blind. We have refused to see. We would not understand. We would not believe. Now we have to. We cannot longer evade the issue. We have to look the facts in the face and we have to do it now-at once'
 What's he goin' ter be saved fer if nothin's a hurtin' of him? And yet you talk to me about prohibition don't pro- hibt. If prohibition didn't prohibit and they could sell just as much whisky with out lttIst, WOulu lne WIlbIeSdle dealer be bowling like that?
 Bless you, he knows what's hurtin of him.
 These words formed the climax last night of the address by the Atlanta bishop to one of the largest audiences that ever crowded the First Methodist church. standing room, and all. The speaker, with the full force of his oratory im- pressed the importance of the fight which involves more money than the tariff, more life than war and which, as he said in closing. would be worth all the force that you put into it if it saves one boy, your boy, or mine"
 He began by presenting three alterna- tives, First. if it is a legitimate business we should cease to burden it with enor- nous taxes and license fees. Second. it may be an exception. and should bear the. great burden, Third, it is illegitimate. and If so should be wiped out
 In arguing the three questions he de- elared that more than 10000 600 in the United States are already under prohbi- ton, nto being able to sell whisky, that all are under prohibition one-seventh of the time, on Sunday and that we are under prohibition on election days.
 If the ballotboX needs to be so care fully guarded, to keep whisky from de- bauching it, how much more should we guard our homes to keep whisky from de- bauchng our boys and girls" he said.
 ''I ask you whether the whole country has the right to get down and pray. Lead us not into temptation,, and then vote tp lot a 1abattaI fc n ,.bf p Why. that's prayin' on one side of de fence, en' votin on de- udder. De Lawd won't know which side to drap de answer on"
 The speaker further fixed the crime of allowing the saloon upon the whole com munity, just as much as one thousand men who stole a pony would be hoYse thieves. He appealed in the name of the whisky men, their families. that they be saved from their low place in society, and he appealed for the mechanic whose prop erty is ruined in value by a saloon next door under terms and color of law. You have no right to put on the poor. to im- peril their children with what you would not nave yourself,' he exclaimed
 "Once you've registered the conviction. at the polls that prohibition don't pro- hibit, allow men to say to you that If you pass Il idW they VIII not ODeN IL, you've got to go backward: you can't stand still. will you give up your Sun day law, your election day law, your minor law?
 Further on he said "But If a law didn prohibit. if it was broken as often as murder. you as q people are bound to let your law register your incorruptible moral conviction"
 In reply to the charge that saloon build ings would be empty, he said: When you drive rats out, don't you expect to leave the holes?" To the question: What pro- duces wealth." he answered: Men And he alleged that men debauched by drink were ruined as producers. "If there are any capitalists or if there are any laborers who are detained fin Birming- ham by drink you can well spare them"
 At the close he called upon all the women who opposed prohibition to rise None did so Then he summoned those favorIng to their feet. and then called for the men. What shall he do to be saved?' cried the orator as every man rose in q body.
 DED onNYAT