Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-31
ON PROHIBITION
Mayor Of Omaha Debates at Bellevue
with W. G. 7. U. Leader.
GREAT CROWD OUT TO LISTEN
He ia Denounced ms Exponent of
Anarchy in standing UP IOr
personal Liberty"-Sends
shot Back.

Shot Back.
IF 1 am elected governor of Nebraska,
and I expect to be, l will never sign a pro-
hibition bill and will oppose all laws
against Sunday thesters and base ball. l
think prohibition strikes at the very foun-
dalton of this nation of ours and robs the
individual of his personal rights"
This was Mayor Dahlmsn's challenge to
Mrs. Mary Harris Armor at the Bellevue
chautauqua Wednesday night.
Mayor Dahlman may not be governor
after his speech tonight" was the respons
of Mrs. Armor, when she spoke in answer
to the talk of Omaha's executive. Mrs.
Armor lie president of the Women's Chris
tian Temperance union of Atlanta, Ga.
There was a huge crowd in the giant
tent and people were standing many deep
about the sides as the debate went on. The
rgument was many times heated and car
ried a vein of sarcasm, but the takers
were good natured, though intensely In
earnest and when the end was reached,
though Mrs. Armor had decidedly the bet
ter Of her antagonist in the number Of sup
porters and the warmth of their expression
of enthusiasm, 1t was evident the mayor
had many sympathizers in the company,
WHO, IL lHtN uiu hOl luC nv ilii PVAANA
cally, applauded his views on prohibition.
Mrs. Armor commented on this in her
speech.
The program included two vocal solos
by Miss Elizabeth Hamling of Omaha, a
| clever talk by George r. Stuart of Georgia
on the subject, rs Fun Divine or Devil
Ish?" and a moving picture exhibition.
Not Hair-PuIIinE Match.
The vast crowd was most orderly and
appreciative, and incidentally full of fun.
Judge A. l.. Sutton in introducing Mayor
Dahlman took a sly look at the mayors
bald head and remarked, This Is not to
be a hair-pulling match"
II was generally known that the mayor
intended his talk to he his first speech In
his campaign to lasso the governorship,
and so It was of double interest. At the
outset he remarked that he didn't know
how the debate would turn out, but ex-
pressed his belief that he would at least
be able to get home after It, even II he
| could not go to his office the next day.
Then he made his pledge to veto all meas
ures aiming at personal liberty.
''why do people single out the saloon
for their opposition, when there are lots
Of other things that merit it?' asked Mayor
Dahlman. People who wear diamond
rings when they ought to wear plain gold
ones, and men who ride in automobiles
when they ought to walk. are not touched
by law because popular opinion says, Mind
your own business nut a mans right to
drink what he wants when he wants it
is denied, although It is strictly his own
business and within his own rights.
Teach the Duties of the Home.
Teach the girls the duties of the home,
- = al tl,y,, no rnAa tho street
with prohibition banners. AS for the
young men. I can do more for a youth who
has been arrested for drinking too much
by pardoning him and giving him a talk
in my office than any preacher in Omaha
could do in the same case.
my home is a Christian home" de-
clared Mayor Dahlman, land my wife
and children join in their prayers to God
every day OF the year. But l want TO
say that my children are given perfect
freedom in such matters as INDUCING theiI
appctites. My own experience teaches me
that with proper teaching and REASONABLE,
liberallty of views children become edu
Gated to avoid overindulgence.
The mayor took up the practical sid
of prohibition, referring to the states
where 1t has been tried, and declared it
failure. He said statistics would bear hin
out. In Omaha. he said, the record
would show there are more DRINKS Il
Omaha every Monday morning since tn
new closing order has been enforced urol
the people than before the Sunday closin
began.
, Takes a Left Handler,
The mayor said there are many evil
worse than the liquor business. II tn
. reformers would turn more of their at
! ~tention toward correcting evils against tn
/, unborn babes Of the land and less to TEN
perance fights, the world would be bet
ter for 1t. The mayor subscribed here t
the R~ooseveltian theory Of the size o
families.
|, THE mayor did his best, and that wa
= all he could do" remarked Mrs. ArmC
: as she advanced 10 the front of the plat
K form. II am disappointed in his speed
for l had expected that he would give u
. something new, and he has only use
arguments that are twenty years old.
answered everything he said in my tai
last Sunday.
Mrs. Armor denounced personal iii
erty," as used by the mayor, to be III
beginning Of anarchy, and to be in direC
\ opposition to the ten commandments. mir
, OF which say Thou shalt not"
Adam and Eve believed the devil,
8 the mayor does, but God is a prohio
K ZIONIST, and so am l. II Mayor Dahlmd
- knew the liquor question better, he wou
be a prohibitionist. too. Liquor wi
wreck the cities II you give it time,
N God bless the mayor OF Omaha and col
vert him"
IS Although she spoke fast. Mrs. ARM
took all the time allowed her ana us,