The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-10-17
sEABORN wRIGHTs ADDRESS

SEABORN WHIGHTS Address
The opera house was we'll filled last
night to hear Hon. Seaborn Wright OF
Rome. Ga. talk on good citizenship
and the power Of the rum trust. The
only seats not occupied were those in
the left section OF the balcony set
aside for cOlored people. There were
probably several dozen of them.
Attorney L. W. Duva1 presided On
the stage were Rev. w. Fl. Coleman Of
the Christian church and DR.. W. Fl.
Dodge Of the Presbyterian church. The
former invoked the divine blessing
In the choir. which sang three selec-
tiOns. were members Of the various
churches. namely: Messrs. Cole. Little.
Moore. Taylor. Gates. Marsh. Nash and
Blalock and Mesdames Hampton. Lap
ham. johnson. Taylor. Martin and Miss
Smoak. Mrs. Hampton sang solo.
the choir joining in the chorus. Mrs.
A. L. Izlar played the accompaniment
at the piano.
In a few terse and expressive words
Mr.. Duval introduced Mr.. Wright. who
before he began said after his talk a
collection would be taken. not for him
but for the Florida Anti-Saloon
League. He said he would not lecture,
for he didn't like that style, but would
talk quietly. but with reason, but be-
fore he finished he got warmed up and
did some vociferation that made his
big audience sit up and take notice
that he had something to say and what
he said could not be gainsaid.
His preliminary remarks were about
good citizenship and without it there
could be no clean, honest government
and from this intimated that without
this quality Of citizenship, all govern
ments that have preceded ours have
went to ruin and decay. He laid down
the broad proposition that there never
was a city dominated by saloons that
was not rotten to the core.
He said Chicago. the wonderful. was
STEPPED in sin and misery. He asked
the question whether Ocala citizen
ship is good or bad. Didn't know per-
sonally The greatest thing In Ocala
was not her fine buildings and beauti
full homes and surrounding rich lands
these were not her assets land III
paid the city a handsome compliment
but her men and women OF character
He spoke of the rigid honesty ant
pure patriotism Of our forefathers
much Of that had departed, for graf
ran riot In all great cities. even thu
smaller cities. Jacksonville Initiating
1t. He said saloons controlled in thi
county. That he never discussed thu
moral and religious aspect OF THU
question. The ministers attended t.
this and did 1t well. Tammany, thu
great and good and patriotic Tamman!
was the organized power Of 1000 sa
q ~
man offers for office. this power imme
diately sidetracks him, because the.
have no use for men with a conscience
and who desire to serve the people AM
not the whisky trust
You are not fighting the saloons, yo1
are fighting the whisky trust of tn
Middle West. Forty years ago tn
saloon man was an independent fac
tor and in most cases a good, homes
man. who served pure, unadulterate
spirits. These have gone. Who own
the saloons Of the day. Why the dis
tillers and brewers own 95 per cent O
them and control them. Even in you
little town the saloons are the agent
of the whisky combine. The Illinoi
legislature two years ago compelle
the distillers and brewers to name tn
owners OF 5000 saloons in Chicago
The trust owned $500 of them. At
lanta. when under whisky, was domi
mated by the whisky trust and tn
same conditions prevail in Florida
Georgia fought them to a finish II
said the whisky trust was the mos
arrogant and law defying institutio
that ever existed.
He took up the question of tn
the millions Of dollars it paid to tn
whisky trust of the Middle West. Di
they leave any money in the Soutl
Not a dollar. 1t all went to enric
them; never made a man. never mad
a woman happy. but stole the ros
from the mothers cheek and robbie
the child Of it's sweet smile.
He then spoke graphically Of wha
made a town or state in a materis
sense: why, home production. He too
turpentine and lumber, the raw pre-
duct and 1t brought wealth into
community. Half went to wages. Fl
took Tampa with it's great cigar in
dustry; home industry. Every Satu,
day night labor received 100000.
a day 20 saloons closed their doc,
and circulation Of money stopped
home industry ceased. The none
that through home industry stayed &
home. how about money spent fc
whisky. Seventy-five per cent wer
straight as a rifle shot to the ives
Florida is sending millions OF i,
wealth created by the industries nan
ed to same cOnspiratOrs. He said a
the Southern states. before they 81
onto the water wagon. paid 25 to :
millions to this monster. but the oil
South is coming in great against III
whisky trust
How is Ocala going to do witho,
the whisky tax. That Is what me
don't or won't understand. Ten So
looms in his town. Rome. Ga, paid s12
600 into the city treasury. People a,
crazy after money. If they can onl
believe that some one else pays tn
taxes they will go to any extreme
have some one do it. Some fello
come along and said why let the So
loon men make this money, create
dfspensary and let the town have
1t went like wild fire. The dispensar
was set up and paid Rome $4,000
year profit, instead Of $4,000 but
man came along one day and said no
much did you sell OF whisky The lii
tie old dispensary disposed Of $3.50 OF
and said he 100000 Of this money got
OF and you never see its color agai
That aspect OF the case has never q,
into Wright's noodle. Who got
why the middle west We grow vii
about liberty and taxes. but to who
are we slaves and who are our tryant