Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1909-03-27
Enthusiastic
"Option'' Rally
Meeting at Opera House, Sunday
Well Attended.

uC hOiN oS "hS OPS'N
house Sunday afternoon in the inter-
est of local-option was most success
ful affair, judged not only by the
throng that attended but by the good
evidently accomplished
The meeting was called to order by
w. e. Malpass. who served as chair
man. The curtain arose, revealing a
large chorus of boys upon the plat
form, supported by the young men OF
til OJordan Glee Club. These led the
congregation in singing the new bat
tie hymn of the temperance refOrma-
tion: The Whiskey Shops Must Go"
sung to the tune OF "Old John
Brown" It's swelling chorus formed
the keynote Of the gathering:
Rally! rally! o ye freemen.
Rally! rally! o ye freemen.
Rally! rally! o yc frecmen!
The whiskey shops must 60"
This was followed by another cam
paign song, "Save the Boy" sung by
Tom Lalonde, Homer Maddox, Bert
Dole aid II. Sloan. The platform
was then occupied by e. A. Lewis
and w. p. Porter OF the campaign
committee and by the gentlemen who
were to take part in the speaking.
We. Malpass. who had been slated
for tue opening speech, talked upon
"The Value of Man" Americas
greatest asset, he said, is her men.
That which destroys our manhood is
our greatest curse. The liquor traffic
cannot continue TO exist without boys
to feed it, and girls TO supply its ad-
junct. Mr.. Malpass drove his point
hose forcibly when he told how he
had taken his little boy on his knee
and asked the question, "Shall it be
my boy? Shall it be my grip" 1t
must be somebody's.
Attorney E, N. Clink was ntroduc-
ed. Mr.. ClInk thought the problem
of the liquor traffic was one Of the
greatest the American people were
ever called upon to's0lve; yet we are
capable OF solving it, and will settle
it right. The people are awakening
as never before. Referring to the ris-
ing, nationwide tide of opposition,
he said the saloon keepers have
brought it upon themselves. They
have not been a law-abiding crowd.
When they buy license they buy it
with the idea of going outside the law
TO do business. No sooner do they
take out license than they
prqXide a gambling outfit also, and
the work man until his money is
gone. During his term as county at
torney every saloon keeper arrested
for violation Of the law said "Why
don't you arrest the other fellow also. !"
Nor is the saloon keeper alone to
blame. Every man who stays at
home from the caucus instead Of 60
lug to see that the right men are put
in office is to blame. The man who
stays at home, is no better than the
Russian serf and should be disfrau-
chised. Mr.. Cink illustrated his re-
marks by several references to local
and county history-criminal and
other cases due to drink, that have
brought heavy burdens of taxation on
the people. In taking up some Of
the excuses for voting wet he men
toned the subject of boYcotting, and
said the man who is going to vote wet
simply because some oveT-Zealous per-
sotOes fit TO boycott somebody would
do Nell to reconsider the matter and
see if so small an act of retaliatioD
is worthy of consideration beside the
tremendous evils of the saloon bus!-
ness.
Frank Severance drew in contrast
the conditions in Jonesboro, Arkansas,
and adjoining cities that are wet.
II conditions as he had studied
them on the ground were greatly In
favor OF prohibition.
j. ii. Milford discussed the saloon
as he saw it from the standpoint of
the county commissioner of schools.
He referred to his expert ence in deal
ing with cases Of non-attendance, es-
pecially cases where he was asked to
excuse pupils because they had insuffi-
cient clothing He thought that, in
nea0 every instance, IL the father
could he followed on his next trip To
town he would be found to visit one
or more of the saloons, where Inc
would spend fifty cents or dollar Ia
drinking aud treating. Now he
might not GO home drunk, but he
would soon leave in the saloon a sufii
cient sum to clothe his children fit Il
90 to school again. That is what the
saloon is doing for lot of our other
wise respectable citizens. 1t is q
standing menace to the welfare of the
community and should be banished