The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-03-07

bin. saying Il was within the power
or the Legislature TO pass the measure.
DIR. Wicker. although winning ap-
planse from the temperance forces.
stirred up hornets nest among the
members or the Chamber OF Com
merce. who declared they had been
insulted by q stranger.
The minister said I'm part:
Mr.. President,-It Is difficult for
any man who represents the temper
ance people OF the State TO speak
with composure on this question. The
emotions OF all righteous people have
been SO long suppressed that to talk
on this question Is to find ones self
enveloped In q flame of holy zeal.
Wheat It Meant.
Gentlemen, am for men. Tho
Chamber or Commerce has sent up a
set OF resolutions with only two points
of contention in favor of the contin-
uation OF the saloon. They say that
IL you submit the question to the peo-
pie you will stir up an agitation in
the State. The second complaint they
offer to the enabling act is that It
will increase your taxation. Now
claim this is an insult to this grand
old State. To say that she has not
sense enough to settle her own prob
lens at the poles and is too poor to
pay for the righteous and honorable
conduct OF her institutions without
engaging in a business that damns
neE 6OnSs Ills neE JdliSs WTSCkS uSE
manhood, breaks the hearts of her
beautiful helpless women and sends
the soul of men down to hell. 1 say
to suggest such a thing as this Is to
insult the manhood OF our Common
wealth, and this is exactly what this
communication from the Chamber OF
Commerce does. Shame on you. gen.
tlemenl
Gentlemen. this is matter OF
money. The men. who favor this act
"A ~ 81 nd fOH ito
sage without any thought of re-
Enumeration for themselves. Their
compensation consists in the redemp-
ton of her lost manhood.
The men opposing this enabling
act are doing SO because of the
money IL means to their business.
A gentleman from Norfolk said
while ago that it involved four
millions of dollars worth of prop
erty. Granted. But 1 represent
State of two millions people
am here I'm behalf of helpless NO
men who are victims of this ac-
cursed traffic, who wait all night
for the boy TO come home and
who weep and watch for n ruined
husband TO come TO a bowel called
home and have no one to defend
them I'm their deSolation-
The Chamber of Commerce tells
you that II will increase the taxation
II this act Is passed. ask from what
source do we gather our taxes7 Who
ought to pay our taxes7 Whose taxeo
will IL increase IL this act becomes q
law? Will IL not be the rich mau'sV
The man with real estate?
Colonel Purcell AErieved.
u did not come here 10 be insuited.~
Colonel Purcell shouted, shaking his dst
Richmond for more than sixty years.,
and this IS the first time In my life
was ever insulted by man never saw
before.
That man is a hypocrlte,- he CON
hypocrites mask. and Is hiding behind
the cloth. The mask should not pro-
tect him after these vile insinuatfons-
will tear the mask from his face. and
committee will repudiate his insinua-
tions. will treat his remarks with
contempt"
Colonel Purcell then read the protest
OF the Chamber OF Commerce against
the passage OF the Jordan btfl.
also resented the utterances OF DIR.
Wicker, declaring that the minister
made a deliberate misstatement when
he said the Chamber OF Commerce has
a money interest In this question
Councilman George Med. Blake OF
this city, was the frst speaker. He
said he was in the liquor business and
knows more about II than any OF the
men who had spoken. He declared that
more whiskey is sold in North Carolina
today than when the state was wet
He knew that prohibition would NOE
prohibit. He asserts that ~ liquor
were not sold in the State OF Virginia
taxes would be increased l3 per cent.
and he did not want that
The hearing will be continued Wed
nesday night at o'clock. with two
hours yet remaining.