Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-06-26
DR.. DENNY'S VIGOROUS
SPEECH ON TeMPERANC &c
Addressed Citizens of Tuscaloosa in
Mass Meeting

give accounts OF an enthusiastic
mass meeting OF the citizens Of Tus-
caloosa county, Ala, June 10. 1912,
who oppose the return OF saloons to
that county, in which is located the
University of Alabama. Among the
speakers was DR.. George H. Denny,
, president OF the University. His
address was referred to as "vigor-
Gus, exhaustive and scholarly, with
no effort to dodge the ISSUE"
Among other things, DR.. Denny
is reported as saying:
MY credentials for my appear
ance tonight are my loyalty to
great trust and my duty to the
young manhood of Alabama. When
l came to Alabama at the beginning
Of this year, my heart was deeply
touched in view of the overwhelm-
ing assurances that came to me
from the citizens OF Tuscaloosa that
l might count on their cooperation
and support in the great task OF
building here an institution Of learn
ing that should deserve and com
mand the respect of every man, wo-
man and child OF this common wealth.
] come to you tonight and ask you
to redeem that pledge. come to
you and ask you to refuse to legal
ize in this community the conscience
less traffic in whiskey.
Ten years ago Washington and
Lee was small college, located in
a community that tolerated the whis-
key traffic. The community rose to
the situation and banished the sa-
loon. Since that day it has grown
from o small college OF 200 students
to great institution of $50. q"
My friends, have you ever known
a great colossal figure in human his
tory that ever pronounced the whis-
key traffic safe for the people? Call
up William E Gladstone and ask him
whether he considers the liquor
trade safe for the people. Hear his
answer: 1t has done more injury to
England than war, pestilence and
famine-all combined
Call up John Morley. his great
est lieutenant, and ask him whether
he considers the liquor traffic safe
for the people. Hear his answer:
England must put stop to the IL
Quor traffic, or it will put stop to
England.
Call up the greatest leader who
has ever been called to guide and di-
rect the labor organizations of the
world and ask him whether he con-
s.ders the liquor traffic safe for the
people. Hear him answer: Had l
tea million tongues and throat for
each tongue, l would say, Throw
strong drink aside as you would an
ounce OF liquid hell
Call up the jails and penitentia-
ries and ask them whether they con-
slider the liquor traffic safe for the
people. Hear them answer: Fifty
pei cent. of the men in these dark
dungeons owe their disgrace to
strong drink.
Call up the insane asylums and
ask them whether they consider the
liquor traffic safe for the people.
Hear them answer: 'One-half OF
these doomed inmates trace their pa
thetic plight, directly or indirectly,
to strong drink.
Call up the scrap-heaps of broken
homes and lost opportunities, and
ask them whether they consider the
liquor traffic safe for the people.
Hear them answer: Human happi-
ness and human hopes, when des-
Dyed, trace Their wreck FIVE times
o1t of ten to strong drink.
Finally. call up the school house.
the library, the church, and the
God-fearing home. and ask them
whether they consider the liquor
traffic safe for the people. Hear
them answer: Save us from the
peril and the consequences of a
nearby saloon.
There is no voice, living or
dead, that humanity may safely
heed that is not at this solemn
hour summoning us to do our duty.
L L