Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-07-21
HUNDREDS HEAR
CAPTAIN HOBsON
Spanish American War He
70 Delivers Address Under
Auspices Staunton aDrys'
IMP RESsES AUDIENCE
IMP REssES AUDIENCE

INF KESSES AUDIENCE
Alabama Congressman Advances
Strong Arguments Against Re
turn Of Saloons to This City
Arriving in Staunton on the 1926
train from Washington Hon. Rich
mond Pearson Hobson barely had
time to clasp the welcoming hands
that were extended to him by Staun-
ton temperance leaders last night and
to deliver an address at the Beverley
before he rushed out again, leaving
at 1921 for Chicago. In the short
time that the congressman from Ala
bama did spend here, however, he
managed to make one of the most
powerful arguments ever heard in
Staunton in support of the no-liquor
cause. He was heard by an audi
ence that fairly filled the theatre,
and was given the closest attention
from the beginning of his address to
the close.
The exercises of the evening were
opened with a prayer by DR.. Kern,
beginning on the arrival of the west
bound train. He was followed by
Mr.. R. E. Tyler who announced that
a collection would be taken to help
defray expenses and who appointed
coterie of gentlemen to assist.
While singing the national anthem,
MY Country IT'S of Thee" Prof.
Jordan entered followed by Capt.
Hobson, Messrs. Herbert Taylor and
w. D. Hoge. In a few words the
speaker of the evening was intro
duced by Prof. Gordon.
Capt. Hobson was attired in an
unconventional black suit, tan shoes
and white negligee shirt. He is
possessed of striking stage
presence and his lecture was listen
ed to at all times with the closest
attention.
His discourse covered the scienti-
fic, economic and moral question in
volved with practically no attempt at
going into the local status of the
case except in SO far as what was
true of the country in general was
applicable here.
Capt. Hobson began by telling how
he came to take up the subject. At
ter explaining that he had inyesti-
gated it from cold scientific basis
such as he had learned to do through
rigid naval training, he launched in
to talk straight from the shoulder.
Statistics fell in showers. His COM
mand of scientific allusion was re-
markable.
Investigation by the British gov
eminent beginning twelve years ago,
France and Germany, established the
fact that the decreased efficiency of
these country's troops was due to
the widespread use of alcoholic be-
verages. Great nations of the past,
he says, were not destroyed by war
but by a decadence due to alcoholic
poisoning. The statement of the in
vestigating committee showed that
alcohol was dehydrated protoplas-
mic poison, that it's effect was de-
generating. The question he looks
upon as settled. Alcohol is of no
food value, instead it lowers the eff
cheney and, instead of stimulating.
its effect is depressing. 1t is not an
ordinary hydrocarbon, but can only
be produced by the fermentation of
living Organisms. 1t is the waste
matter from working yeast germs.
What is toxic to one form of life is
poison to higher forms. This led to
the matter of white corpuscles in the
blood. The little warriors who con-
stantly fight disease germs are made
drunk by alcohol and consequently
fail to do their duty.
Statistics of the government and
lie insurance companies, he said,
show that about A per cent of all
deaths were due to alcohol. The
toll aggregates 100000 deaths year
ly in the United States, or 1000
every day. A total equal to the en-
tire number killed by war in 1900
years. Many other figures were given
to show the destructiveness of the
drink habit.
A little touch of war brought ont
the speakers opinion that the United
States was unprepared for war. 3D.
100000 armed men are ready for
US just across the water. But he
would rather see every military ma
ton declare war against us than the
continued ravages of the great in
ternal destroyer. He pointed out
that war kills, but that alcohol kills,
wounds, degenerates.
Evolution he believes in. In the
case OF man, evolution at present is
tending to produce men of greater
mental and moral character rather
than a race physically altered. Al
cohol,zhe claims, will wipe out the
evolution of thousand years. White
corpuscles, the defenders of the sys-
tenn, turn against the very tissue
they are designed to protect, work
ing greatest havoc on tile tissue of
the brain. Not only human life but
all forms of animal and vegetable life
were degenerated and poisoned by
alcohol. What she cannot develop
she strikes. He recited instances of
actual experiments made with ami
mails and showed that human beings
were affected the same wav