Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1911-04-05
THE TEMPERANCE
QUESTION
How a Noble Woman De
feated License in This
County.

was greatly interested in the con-
test. | did not know until FRIDAY |
that there was to be an election. !
You may be ready to esk me VIII, |
should be interested in an eiec- |
ton in Wayne county. In as
brief manner as | can | WILL tell |
| you.
First, | have been on the side |
of temperance ever since | was
ten years old-sIx y-three years.
Second, | had sister who mar
ried, lived and died in Wayne
county. During her life she
made q record in the county
which reaches from earth 10
heaven, and when | heard there
was to be an election in Ceredo
between The "wets" and "drys".
fell upon my knees and lmplor>
ed heaven TO honor the memory
of my dear sister by helping the
temperance people to defeat the
saloon element in every nook and
corner Of Wayne county. Just
after the close of the civil war
my SISTER started a Sunday
school in a barn. While this
little band OF women and children
met both winter and summer to
be taught Gods eternal truths, an
election was held in the county to
elect court supervisors. The
question of license or no license
was one of the Issues. License
won by majority of one man
| The woman that was at the head
of that school but now walks the
golden streets, made a motion
that her school would send q
petition or prayer as she termed
1T, to the court asking them not
to issue liquor license. Some of
her best friends reproved her up
on the grounds that no power
could prevent the issuing of H.
cense, as majority of the court
was on that side. She said, 81
insist on my motion" A second
was heard and the vote in favor
was unanimous. The petition |
was drawn up and signed by
every one of the school beginning
with the adults and ending with |
the smallest children. Early on
Monday morning one of the as
slstants conveyed the petition to
the court house and delivered it.
according to the instructions of
my sister, to Col. ]. NJ. Fergu-
son with her request that he would
present 1t to the court, which met
that day. The Colonel read and
re-read the prayer or petition and
tears flowed freely down his
cheeks. He replied, 81 will
offer this with the best efforts of
my life" The court convened
and the house was crowded with
people who had come from vari-
Gus parts of the county to ask for
a license to sell spirituous lionors.
The court announced the results
of the election and asked if there
could be any objections to issue
license to those who might de-
maDd the same. The Colonel
arose and stated that he objected.
First, upon the grounds that the
smoke of the civil war had scarce.
~ blown away. There existed
much bad feeling among the peo
pie on account Of the war. To is
sue saloon license throughout the
county would destroy the peace
and prosperity of the countv and
war would be resumed. He said.
land In addition / hold in nv
hand a prayer or petition from n
little Sunday school: M
court can afford to issue licen 40
IN the face of such a document"
He then proceeded to read the
petition. At the end of the read
ing the whole house was in tears
Strong men broke down. One Of
the court arose and stated that he
was elected as one favoripp IL
cense and bad defeated GOOD
man and be felt duty bound To
favor the license; but in the face
OF that petition he never could
get the consent of his mind 70 do
so and his only way out was n
resign and whereupon he tender-
ed the court his resignation. The
Colonel arose and stated that the
officers constituents were present
In large numbers and that he ven.
tured to say that since thew had
heard the petition they would be
willing to relieve him from all
MS obligations to issue license
and II they relieved him he need
not resign. The Colonel stated
all that are in favor of RELIEVING
this man will say "Yea." The
yeas rang ont as never before in
that court houee. Coptrorr IN,