The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-03-01
Local Option Forces Banquet and
Hear Strong Addresses. "

solidly and intelligently to keep Shi-
wassee in the dry column.
IF we each do our part, there will
be no possibility for defeat. Victory
will be ours when the votes, are
counted" e.
The speaker then read the advise
OF bishops Of the Catholic church,
gathered In council, to show just
where the church stands on the IL
quor question. The priests, the ar
ticles stated, are not permitted to
administer the sacramento of the
church to saloon keepers who openly
make practice of furnishing liquor
to persons for excessive drinking.
The pastors are also instructed to
urge all members Of their fiocks, en-
gagged in the liquor traffic, to get out
of 1t as soon as possible. "Put the
saloon out of business, >" said Father
| O'Rafferty, land you leave no encour-
agement for anyone to enter it.
eve are assailing a public and a
widespread evil. which is acknowl-
edged as the greatest source of sin.
We are not fighting sincere and
honest tradespeople. Our opponents
are strongly organized,-men who
defy law and order and hold the pub
lie opinion in utter disregard. We
are standing on the principle of
manhood. am a firm believer in
the principle, let the strong stand
for the protection Of the weak We
must look beyond the drunkard,-
at the innocent victims of the Amer
lean saloon, the little children and
the wives"
The voters could remove the
temptation of the saloon, the speak
er said, by debarring it.s"We priests
he said, ''are in a better position
than anyone else, to Judge the effects
Of the law. The holy sacrament of
penance brings us into close touch
with our people, and l say with great
pride that during the time we have
had local option, have taken unlim-
tied comfort and consolation in
watching the workings of the law.
"It is no exaggeration, gentlemen,
to say that some or these children
are half-starved. Not only do they
suffer from hunger and lack of cloth
ing, but they are deprived of educa-
ton and honor, deprived of an edu-
cation that is so necessary In this
age of advancement. And all this
tat the brewer, the saloonkeeper
and the distiller may ride around in
his automobile. The saloonkeeper,
as rule, is either TOO ignorant to
follow any other business of a legiti-
mate nature or too lazy to work.
IT am for local option and am
convinced and certain that when the
votes are counted, our victory will
have been won.
4. A storm Of applause greeted tine
concluding remarks of the Catholic
priest. He had been interrupted
continually throughout the course
OF his talk by handclapping that was
deafening, and comments upon his
masterful and sincere address were
numerous.
c. H. Stevens, young attorney
from Flint was the next speaker. He
produced newspaper clippings, facts
and figures regarding the change
from local option TO the licensed sa.
loon system in Genesee county. He
declared that he was sorry that the
county had returned to the wet"
column, and he expressed the hope
tht Shiawassee would derive a les
son from the effects of the new order
of things in Flint and the surround
ing community and remain in the
dry" column.
'They tell us that the saloons can
be regulated" said Mr.. Stevens. els |
it not a fact that we have had sa-
looms for fifty years, and during all |
that time we have been trying to reg |
ulate them? Have we succeeded? |
The average consumption of liquor |
used to be four or five gallons per
capita, now it is 25. The attempt to |
regulate saloons has failed in the |
past, is failing now and will not be a
success. in Genesee county"
Mr.. Stevens then produced statis-
tics to show that during the last nine |
months in 1910, the number of ar
rests for drunkenness was 100 per
cent less than during the same nine
months in 1911, under the wet rule.
Where $50 arrests had been made
Turing the dry" term, when every
man showing evidences Of drunken
ness was picked UP by the police. 769
were made during the time the sa-
looms were open and fully half of the
drunken men, particularly those
who were able to walk at all were
sent home.
"The return of the saloons
brought very undesirable element
into Flint" said the attorney. "Im-
the police force had to be
increased from 16 to % men, at an
Increase cost to the city Of $3.50,
which argues strongly against the
claim that local option deprives the
,itv of a great revenue and increases