The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-30
-e-@s~-e---------- REVOLT AGAINST SALOONS.
Most Remarkable Election Day in tb
 History of Knoxville.

I aStSAS OA AA40&NlIhes
 Knoxville, (Tenn.) Special.
 For the first time in the history of the city. Knoxville, city of 50,O0O fnhab- itants, voted on March II, by a decided majority of 1900 out of a total vote of 6,4o0--which Is 2.000 more votes than ever before polled--to eliminate the saloon. This was the issue, but the direct question before the people was to abolish the char sr or not to abolish the charter, the abolition of the charter being the first step toward the elimination of the saloon.
 The election was ordered by the State Legislature, and is the result of the agitation against the saloon which has been going on at intervals in the State for fifty years, but which was renewed three years ago when what is known as the Adams law was passed by the Legislature, giving to towns under a certain population the right to vote on the question. This re- suited in nearly all of the smaller towns in the State abolishing the saloon from their borders
 Five Cities Still Have Saloons.
 Subsequent legislation freed other towns from the saloon, and now there remain but five cities in Tennessee with drinking places operating in them and the decided victory in Knoxville, it is believed, will eventually result in running saloons from every city in the State.
 Never was a fight more bitterly waged in Knoxville. Arrayed against the liquor interests were press and pulpit, public schools. fraterna1 organ izations, and last, but not least, the united women and children of the city Knoxville had the sympathy of all of East Tennessee in the hght and del- | egations from It's towns appeared in the city in the day of the eelction to do what they could toward winning the fight.
 | The day of the election was a mem- orable one. Officers arrested many for | bribing voters and broke up the sa- l loon organization, which was expected to capture the floating vote and nine- | tenths of the negro voters. Wet strong holds gave dry majorities and only two precincts in the city gave wet major | tiles.
 Church bells tolled frequently dur ing the day to call attention of all citizens to tho fight that was on. One | large bell was tolled continuously by volunteer boys during the day. Impressive Parade.
 The parade, two miles in length, was the most remarkable in the State i history. Tottering old men, somo wearing their civil war uniforms; wo- men who have buried drunken sons, fa- thers or husbands; pretty young girls carrying banners: rich bankers in car riages; society matrons at the head 1 of the columns of boys and girls, and young men from all walks of life. Bands played stirring marches, child ren gave the temperance rallying cry the ladies sang hymns and temperance songs. ..
 It was a sight to see gray haired women marching with the rest and ,s, xl,f l man witnessing the parade suddenly began to weep, and, turning to friends who were with him, said q can't fight those people today. I see my wife and little children there in the parade" Free Lunches Provided. If the parade had been spectacular the scenes about the polling places were doubly so. Women and children gathered at all of thes polling places and remained throughout the day, many of them without even resting a min ute Booth weher hot cogee and sand wiches were served free to all were near each polling place and were fiber ally patronized. Children swarmed about the voting stations. They carried flags, and in some of the wards the voters were compelled to run a gaunt- let of Old Glories and expressions such as Vote dry" Vote out the saloons" Give the children a chance" from two solid lines of little folks.
 Ladies tagged all of the voters with badges and buttons on which was printed the words, "The saloons must go." A cartoon which appeared in d local paper during the campaign show ing a hungry. ragged mother and her little children anxiously watching Q bulletin board and labelled "Wating for the returns" had been sketched on canvas and placed in every ward in the city and was very eeffctive
 Miss Vesta Jett. a pretty little girl elocutionist, accompanied a travelling band which rendered a number of hymns. and then waited while Miss Jett recited temperance speech. Miss Vera Smith, young lady possessing a beautiful voice. with a friend to ac- company her on tn eviolin. drove from place to place during the day and sang hymns and temperance songs,
 The Legislature will vote to abolish the Knoxville charter at an early date an dthe saloons will be ordered away within a few weeks.