The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-02-04
Mass Meeting Tuesday to
Conserve Anti-SalOOn
Sentiment in City.
COMMITTEE ARRANGES
DETAILS OF MEETING
Question of Election Inform.
ally Discussed by Commit
tee of One Hundred.

S. Edgar Nicholson, editor of the
American Friend and secretary of the
National Anti-Saloon League. today is
, sued the following statement:
Announcement was made to-
day that after the committee of
one hundred, having in charge the
Honeywell evangelistic campaign,
had finished it's regular business
yesterday at the Y. M. c. A., the
question Of the temperance situa-
tion in Richmond was brought up
for discussion. S. e. Nicholson,
the chairman, said that the feel
Ing was unanimous that the time
had come for some constructive
agitation along this line, not only
to conserve properly the wide
spread temperance sentiment al
ready existing, but to counteract
the work of the liquor men which
Is now being carried on actively
throughout the city,
at was decided to hold a great
mass meeting in the tabernacle
next Tuesday night, February 10.
A committee Is at work already
arranging for the occasion, which
Is expected to be a great event
In the history of the city"
"As q matter of fact. Mr. Nicholson
Is not that statement intended to bt
construed as an announcement that {
petition is to be circulated calling fol
a city option election ?" he was asked
by newspaper man.
Denies Decision.
There is a general sentiment in this
city in favor of calling an option elec
tion, but to the best of my knowledge
no decision to take such action has
been reached" Mr.. Nicholson replied
HAS the question of calling fol
such an election ever been brought W
for consideration at meetings OF the
Committee of One Hundred?" he was
asked.
This question has been informally
discussed, but the committee has tax
en- no action on the matter, one way
Or the other he answered.
WAS not the prohibition rally meet
ing next Tuesday night arranged for
the purpose of launching the move
ment for an option election, was the
next question asked Mr.. Nicholson.
Explains Meeting.
81 cannot say that it was The
committee thought successful eli
max to the revival meetings would be
big prohibition meeting to be held a,
the tabernacle before it was torn
down. was the reply.
The first option election held ir
Wayne county was in 1909, early in the
year. under the county local option
law, since superseded by the town and
township option law. This county was
one of the first to hold an election
under the old law. and to the surprise
of the entire state, large wet" ma
lority was returned. Richmond gave
the "wets" big majority, carrying
every ward in the city. The First
ward voted wet" almost to unit
Richmond liberals and liquor deal
ers say the city favors the licensed
saloon as much now as it did five
years ago, but the prohibition people
assert that the sentiment is now re-
versed. They say the Honeywell re
vival meetings have Influenced a large
number of people to support any move
ment aimed at driving the saloons
from the city.
On the other hand the vets as
sert that they would be supported by
many prohibitive people in the event
o. an option election. because the local
saloons have ben conducted in an or
derly manner and have vigorously OBJ
served the night and Sunday closing
law, and because they believe in the
regulation of the liquor traffic so long
IS the government permits its manu-
facture