The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-04-12
RAKT0N TRAINED FULL
ARSENAL UPON BOOZE
Hot Shot Fired at Saloon: Blows
For J. Barley Corn.

night. "Old King LOoZe was pune
tured frightfu'ly.
The Presbyterian church was
packed again last evening for Mr..
Ranton's temperance lecture. Twelve
hundred tickets had been given out,
the full seating and standing capac-
ity of the church, and from the
appearance OF things every ticket
had been used. About fifty boys
sat with the ministers on the plat
form for a chorus. They did good
work, too.
The speaker was introduced by
Rev. r. loss Ioaden. He said an
introducli0n was hardly necessary,
after these three weeks. He simply
wanted to see angus Hugh Ranton
spread himself. like the hen who
was trying to hatch thirty eggs. Mr..
Ranton was greeted with hearty ap-
plause, AS he rose 10 six feet four
inches to begin his address, and
there was a good deal of enthusi-
asm throughout the meeting. The
lecturer frequently brought down
he house by The humorous stories
which he old u illustrate his
points.
Refers 20 Himself.
"This is CUES Ion of worldwide
interest" said Mr.. Ranton, zone
which concerus your home and my
home. No doubt added interest has
come from The fact that worded
the topic, From The Barroom to the
Pulpit will justify that announce
ment by some brief reference to my
self. I was born in the city of st.
Johns, New Brunswick, forty-eight
years ago. Ny father was boiler
maker, with large and growing
business, and reputed to be one Of
the wealthy men of the city. But he
was only on the way to be wealthy.
My mother died when I was seven
years old and my father when I was
eight, leaving four children. My
grandfather, Highland Scotchman,
brought me to Aurelia, near Toron-
to. He expected to raise me. The
old Gentleman raised me too often;
I an lutte sure he stunted my
grCr:h. When ten years of age /
ran away to my mothers brother in
the country. He said if I would
stay and work for him he would pay
M wages. I worked for him four
mCIt!. and never got any pay. My
gra-Lia her told me if would come
back he would give me a suit of
cloths. One of his own suits was
made ever for me. My grandfather
IVES net very large north and south,
but lie was large east and west, and
when I got that suit on you couldn't
tell whether I was going or coming.
The Children made so much fun Of
it th@t / ran away from school at
recess and haven't been back to
that school since.
The Grub Was Good.
From twelve years old until !
vas seventeen l worked for farmers
near Barre, going to school for two
winters. I also helped in the hotel.
At seventeen ! decided that 1 want
ed to see more OF the world, so /
for big pay. The grub was good,
but what I objected to was the
sleeping accommodations. Sometimes
there were as many as two or three
hundred in {. bed. l knew l had to
scratch for living but l didn't
want to scratch night and day. Then
the proprietor of the Seldom house,
Owen Sound, approached me and
asked me If ] had ever tended bar.
I told him 1 had little, as a sub
stitute. So he, gave me a job at
$50 month. I stayed with him for
year, drinking all the time. By
the time I was twenty it was re-
ported that I could punish more
liquor than any man in the county.
Then I left and went back to Barre,
and the proprietor of the Vicoria
hotel offered ne job to tend bar
if I would promise not to drink
any myself. ! worked there until
I was twenty but | did not keep
my VOW. Then willie in charge of
camp Of choppers I went with
company of men into the log church
at Ore, where they were having
revival meetings
When He Vas Converted.
81 rose for prayer with others
and was blesselly converted. l at
once began to study and went first
into mission work, then into evan
gelistic work / never completed
my study course and am simply
an ordained layman in the Metho
dist church. l have been preaching
and lecturing ever since. l have
done great deal of lecturing on
temperance, taking part in many To-
cal option campaigns, and have a
standing offer from the National
Anti-Saloon league.
Il am to talk to you tonight on
the licensed saloon. ! wish first
to speak of its social aspects. This
has not had a. fair discussion. The
licensed saloon stands in every