The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-04-10
WORDS FROM The BENCH
Judge Whiting of the Ninth Circuit
Discussed Temperance Cues
ton Sunday Afternoon.

NaS WIN w
present an important parsonage
to the citizens of Mitchell at it
temperance meeting held in the city
hall Sunday afternoon. 1t was Judge
Charles S. Whiting, who occupies
the bench on the ninth judicial
circuit.
%-Incldental to the address the boys
and girls from the sinh, sevenlh
and eighth grades OF the city schools
Lead the singing with Miss Jessie
Walrath at tine piano. Virgil Boyles
sang a sclo that was very much
appreciated. He was accompanied
by Mrs. A. e. Hitchcock.
Lewis Shustar presided during the
exercises and introduced Judge
Whiting in a good speech. In lead
ing up to his subject Judge Whiting
gave an interesting statement
relative to the origin of government,
the improvements that have been
made during the ages past, and what
the future has in. store for a more
perfect government. He referred to
the fact that there was a necessity
for law, which he described as the
bond which held society together.
He said that in erecting a structure
that a bad piece of timber could be
thrown out, but in society the ma
terial all bad to be taken into con-
sideration and the man of bad traits
had to be reckoned with, had to
be trimmed and made possible to
live in a community. II a person
Should come into your community
and ask for "a license to murder,
he said, you would be startled, or
asked for a license to gamble or to
start a bawdy house, you would not
listen to it for one moment. Noti
withstanding that the saloon is per-
mitted its doors are barred
against woman, and why? because
it is an evil, and what is bad for a
woman is just as bad for a man.
Under three heads he discussed
the temperance proposition. First,
Is the use of liquors an evil: second,
is it a civil wrong; third, If so,
what is your duty in the premises.
A %drunkard, he said, is not a subject
for contempt, but rather for great
pity. 1t is a disease and not one
man in 10. 200 ever started out to
drink with the idea that he would
become a drunkard. Judge Whiting,
to illustrate the force of the heads
OF his discussion made them very
PLAIN and very forcible, by relating
a great many incidents which have
come under his observation since
he has been 90 the bench and before a
practicing attorney. These incidents
showed just where the liquor drink
ing brought a man and to what con-
ditions other people were subjected
to because of that mans indulgence.
Many of tue incidents we're pathetic.
some of which occurred 10 this
state. AS to the duty imposed upon
the people, he declared that the
people should go out and try to help
save the men who have fallen deeply
in the liquor habit. 1t was too
often the case, Judge Whiting said,
that a person picked up the affluent
man instead OF the really needy one.
He gave several incident covering
that point. The judge referred to
the great number OF students in the
University and high school who
should be protected from the evils
of the saloons. and held that a GER
tain per cent OF them would be
dragged do.n.
He touched on the personal privi-
leye idea. that a man has an inherent
right to asst or drink What he likes.
To displnve that idea he read the
ouiniou Of Justice Field of the
United States supreme court, holding
thar u man did not have the right
tn use liquors which did an injury TO
himself and to all with whom he
C me in contact. Further than that,
the pune food law of the United
States was a perfect contradiction
Of the idea.
He believed that the financial part
of the proposition Was what in
hnerced men in voting for license.
In Mitchell, lie said, Sc 5000 was
brought il to the city treasury. but
tnat it took an immense amount Ut
liquor to 81 down the thfoats of
the liquor drinkers to q t that
money all back to pay for tie license,
to paw for the rents. the hired help
ana to bring IN the profit to the
~aloonkerper. Referring to state
ment that there is as much liquor
drank I'm prohibition as their is ia
license, he declared that IL men were
put in Office who would enforce the
law it would be found at once that
such was not the case.
Judge Whiting was very frequently
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