The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1909-12-03
Union MEETING
SUNDAY NIGHT
Large Crowd at Opera
House. Liquor Oues-
ton Discussed.
LOCAL SPEAKERS HELD SWAY
Hon. Il. f. Heckert, l.. III. Titus and
VIM. C.. Mosier Held Close At
tention of Large Audience.

Last Sunday evening the usual ser
vices of the several churches of this
place we're cancelled and all united with
a union temperance meeting held at the
Longwel opera house which, we under
stand, was placed at the disposal of the
people free of charge Speakers from
abroad had been expected bat for some
reason none put in an appearance and
it was just as well they did not, as Paw
Paw aud Van Buren, county are perfect
~ able to fight their own battles over
this important question without outside
aid, just as they have so successfully
and 50 frequently done in the past. The
local ministers were on the platform but
none of them addressed the meeting at
large, although Rev. Maurice Grigsby
acted as master of ceremonies.
The first sneaker of the evening was
Hon. g. +. Heckert who reviewed the
history of the prohibition movement,
explained legislative matters of the last
! legislature and of the constitutional
convention ia reference to prohibition
of the liquor traffic. He stated that a
prohibitory clause would most certain
/ " have been placed in the new consti-
tuition bad not some members of the
convention feared that such action
would jeopardlze the success of the en-
/ tire instrument.
In conclusion he said that IN his pub
/ lie life be had tried to represent his con-
stituents and 10 whatever public posi-
/ ton he might occupy hereafter he
should continue to act on that princi-
pie, and everybody knows that Judge
Heckert's votes as a member Of the leg
islature were cast OF the right siue when
the liquor traffic was under considera-
ton.
Tho next speaker was ex-Prosecutor
/ Lincoln H. Titus. His official expert
ence in enforcing the local option law
renders him peculiarly fitted to discuss
the LIQUOR business and its demoralZ-
ing effects His talk was very practi-
cal and interesting. He argued that II
the liquor business is right, then no
special restrictions should be thrown
around it and that if it is wrong then
no license, restriction or regulation
could change its evil tendency and
make It right He believes with good
many other people that the saloon is a
public nuisance and hopes that the time
will come when our courts will so decide.
The last speaker was County Clerk
viii G. Mosler. He showed from the
official records that more money had
been received from fines and costs im-
posed upon convicted violaters of the
law than it had cost to convict. lie
also showed most convncingly by the
number of cases prosecuted and the
percentage of convictions secured that
the local option law had been most
effectually enforced by the officers and
courts Of the county. He did not want
To have the probable approaching con-
/ fict between the "wets" and the "drys"
complicated with drug store discussions
or any other outside matter; the ques-
tion and the only question Is, shall
Van Buren, county return to the era OF
the open saloon?" To this like every
other county official and, we believe, II
majority OF the voters of the county,
Mr.. Mosier is unaterably and uncom-
promislngly opposed.
The services were enlivened with vo-
ca music rendered by a male guartette
consisting of Messrs Blaine Warner,
Harry Spicer, w G. Mosier and Duane
Mosier, Mrs. Mamie Shaefer. accom-
paniest.
The meeting was a great success, at
tended by large and enthusiastic au-
dieuce and ought to be frequently re-
peated with addresses from other of our
local people of whom there are num-
Der well qualified to discuss the matter
at issue