The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-09-08
THE LAST SPEECH
Mr. Wright Makes Strong Temper.
aace Appeal To Men.
PROF. RUSSELL ALSO SPEAKS, ETC.

was with Hon. SeabOrn Wright, of
Georgia, Monday night at the court
house, as he delivered the last speech
in the local option campaign. Mr.. G.
w. Jones, the dry goods man, with his
usual love for his fellow-man, had pro-
vided an abundant supply of palm leaf
fans, which materially added to the
comfort of the crowd.
Rev. James S. Keene led in prayer.
Mr. Richardson explained the ballot
and then exhibited the original petition
from our country citizens asking for
mo saloon" in Fredericksburg. This
petition was unrolled amidst great en-
thusiasm and measured 20 feet and over
Mr.. j. f. Cooper, president of the
Winchester Anti-Saloon League, was
present AMI brought greeting from
Winchester. He stated that in his city
a prayer meeting was being held for
the success Of the dry cause in Freder-
icksburg tomorrow.
Prof. Z. II. Russell spoke with great
force on the duty Of the voter to con-
slider the interest of the entire cOmmu-
nity. He also read some letters from
prominent Charlottesville men showing
the splendid results of mo saloon" in
that city.
He introduced Hon. Seaborn Wright,
who said in part:
The spirit Of sacrifice is what makes
big men and women. The saloon
system is prominently selfish. The
average man who drinks has been usu-
ally made TO do so under the influence
of a legalized business.
The responsibility for the drunkard
is not so much on him as on the man
higher up. The saloon-keeper is just
as good as the man who votes him into
the business. The responsibility is on
"the system" The thing that is hold
ing the liquor traffic in its place is not
appetite, but avarice The men vino
drink will some day find that they are
being specuated on. In fighting the
liquor traffic the fight is against the
most audacious, heartless. robbing trust
IN America.
The drinking man is a heavy tax
payer. OF the $4,000 that might be
paid the city for license, the saloon
man would not pay a nickel. Ii is not
honorable that the taxes should be paid
by the weak and helpless.
The proportion Of laboring men is
about 5 TO and the burden Of Federal
tax falls on them. The 'interest"
plumbers the laboring man and would
have him believe that they are his best
friends
There is not a prominent labor lead
er in our country who is not opposed to
the saloon. The eyes of the laboring
men are opening and the traffic is being
outlawed The doom Of the traffic is
at hand. 2l,OOO, 600 Of %, 600. 900 of the
people in our SOUTHLAND are in saloon
less territory. What did the average
laboring man ever get out of the sa-
loon? Never dollar. The only inheri-
lance that the man of little
means may certainly give to his child is
a virtuOus manhood.
A great trouble with the average
American is that he does not live for
the future.
The South "toted' the saloon for
long time and il was found that the
problem was not a race problem, but a
liquor problem, the saloon system be-
ing at the bottom Of race trouble.
Nine-tenths Of the race trouble IN
Georgia came from the saloon licensed
by white men.
God has placed great responsibility
on the white men Of the South. The
negro is not going to do what
the white man tells him 10 do, but what
the white man does. We must take
away the temptations from negro boys
to make useful negro men.
Cairo and Springfield, ILL.,, with their
terrible riots, had the saloon TO blame.
Saloon is to be properly judged by the
places where il has most power.
In Chicago with 5000 saloons, the
Sabbath laws are pulled down, the gam
bling bells are run, the sarlet woman
is licensed; Pittsburgh and San Fran
cisco reek with the graft and corrup-
ton fostered in the saloon.
When the saloon is strong enough II
will show its hand. Unless the system
that destroys citizenship is destroyed,
there can never be good government.
No city in America has finer historic
memory than Fredericksburg. There is
every Indication that the wheels of in
dustry will hum. What is the need? A
great, strong, clean manhood. God
help the men to realize that real pros
perity rests in the childhood Of the
city. Let the men turn out and fight
for the home and freside as did the
boys Of '6l-65. The saloon is a menace
to every home in the city.
In the name Of God give not another
generation to il. IF man will let
liquor alone, it will let him alone. "
There was never a greater lie uttered.
Millions and millions of helpless women
and children have let it alone.
God save Fredericksburg from the
iniquity Of the system.