The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-03-24

Seldom since the court house wa
! erected in 1896, has that building cor
!. tanned a larger audience than that whic
greeted Mrs. Mary q. Armor, president G
the Georgia Women's Christian Temper
ance Union, who spoke on the liquor ques
: ton and for local option yesterday after
noon. Dozens of extra chairs were sup
piled, and with this added facility man.
people were crowded into the limite'
standing room space. Seventy-fve pc
cent of those present were women, VIII
came to hear one of their own sex talk
and that they were not disappointed wa
attested by the deep interest and frequen
applause given the speaker, who vii
make her presence felt again in this sec
ton, as she has promised to return tt
New Jersey and take part in next fall'i
campaign.
The meeting was opened by the au
dience rising and singing Onward
Christian Soldiers" it being christian
meeting. Scripture was then read by
Mrs. Henry l. Budd, and prayer fol
lowed by Rev. James 81. Durham.
In introducing the speaker Mrs. Ella
Thacher, president of the County
Women's Christian Temperance Union,
said that In the morning Mrs. Armor had
addressed hundreds of toil-begrimmed
mechanics at the Florence iron works,
who became so interested in what they
heard and crowded so close, that the ladies
in charge had their dresses smirched. 1t
was the first time in the foundry q
history, said Mrs. Thacher, when the
great wheels of industry we're stopped in
the cause of temperance. She felt
satisfied that many of the employees were
! touched by the appeals which this
brilliant woman had made for the sup
preston Of liquor, the greatest curse on
earth.
Quoting from the Bible, There is a
strange and terrible thing committed in
the land" Mrs. Armor referred to this
message left by God, declaring that the
iegalized liquor traffic aptly applied. She
deted any educated man to give an ex-
cuse Tor the existence OF this curse, which
robs the merchant and deprives man of
his reason.
With q feeling of patriotism the speaker
referred to the manner in which this
country whipped spain for blowing up
the Maine. This cost the government
"a, 900, 900 and $50 good men. The liquor
traffic COSTS this country that much every
day, without creating an excitement.
That the speaker was woman OF bril-
liant attachments was apparent from her
first utterance. She spoke rapidly, using a
flow of language that was captivating.
Her illustrations were pleasing and her
facts convincing, and the speaker was
roundly applanded at times.
There is no bigger fool in the land
than the man who drinks whiskey," she
declared, why don't they stop it The
legalized saloons in this country make
900, 200 drunkards every year"
Mrs. Armor, who has been in the state
few days, said there was different state
of things in New Jersey than when she
got here. II think some fellows are GO
ing to know something about it when they
want to go to the Legislature next fall,
intimating that those who voted against
the local option bill will have to reckon
with her.
The assertion was made that the liquor
interests had control of a handful of men
who call themselves politicians. They
had a bit in their mouth like horse and
could be driven at will
In making an illustration Mrs. Armor
said: IF the revenue of the saloon was
placed on one side of the scales, and on
the other side was placed the happiness
of human souls and blood of wounded
hearts, the almighty dollar would go up
every time. This diabolical traffic has
grown to such an extent that 1t can
dictate its own terms"
The speaker became very earnest In re-
ferring to the freedom of the press, and
then she burst forth with this: 'They
even tried to muzzle me in Bristol be-
cause was only little Georgia cracker,
but they found was too much for them.
told them to their teeth that they were
the most cowardly crew that Gods sun
ever shone upon.
Referring to the manner in which local
option has spread throughout the country,
Mrs. Armor said that with the exception
of four states and one or two territories
it was possible for voters to go to the
polls and say whether they want liquor or
not. I'VE want the right to vote for or
against liquor in this state, and we are
going to have it. If the people want
prohibition they ought to have the
right to say SO. That is the whole
situation. Any person who opposes
this measure is traitor to his country
and disgrace to his family. If you
want the state to wipe this blot from its
escutcheon, you cannot get it by sitting
around and thinking. You might just as
well wait for cow to back up to your
lap to be MIXED.
Organize Christian men to battle
against this element. Jesus will go before
US. Your children are going to hell and
you must get up and work. God has
never been defeated since the world was
created. Don't sing Hold the Fort, sing
Storm the Fort, and the gates of hell
will not prevail against you. The reason
we haven't conquered before is because
the world is filed with sap-suckers.
''The words made famous by Paul Jones
when they demanded that he surrender:
Why. gentlemen, we have just begun to
fight, is our answer to the defeat Of the
local option bill last week"
AS the result of an appeal made by the
speaker for funds to assist the county
union in prosecuting its campaign, nearly
800 was raised.
On behalf of the local union Miss Ray
Oatman presented Mrs. Armor with a
handsome bouquet of flowers in token of
her appearance in Mount Holly.
Mrs Armor closed her whirlwind tour
of the county by speaking at Burlington
last night.
"a ID 30