The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-11-17
Former Governor of Tennessee,
Once Prominent "Wet." Bat
tiers Rum Trade in Effec-
tive Speech
CALLS 1T DESPOILER AND
CORRUPTER OF BALLOT
Ridicules Plea That Taxes Will
Be Increased If Nation
Becomes Dry

Malcolm Rice Patterson. OF Mem
phis, former governor OF Tennessee
when thar state, now dry, was
stronghold OF the Liquor interests, ad
dressed a most attentive audience IN
the Fort-st Presbyterian church, Mon
day evening. In furtherance OF the
campaign to arouse sentiment for the
Hobson amendment TO the consutu-
tion, providing 70 nationwide pro-
hibition.
In quiet, but clear voice that sell
dom rose above a conversational tone,
the speaker calmly pointed out the
absurdities In the claims OF the liquor
men that panic and poverty would
! follow the dissolution of The ruin
trade. He fiayed the liquor traffic IN
calm, dispassionate way, that vas
very effective. He INDUCED in beau
tiful, picturesque flights OF rhetoric,
and drew word-picture comparisons OF
rum conditions. and prohibition con-
ditions, that held his audience so
quiet that one could have heard a pin
drop, as the calm, low voice OF the
speaker travelled to every corner OF
the auditorium.
Former Gov. Patters IN frankly ad-
mitted that when he entered politics
in Memphis, where l,00c open saloons
fiourished, and the liquor ring con-
trolled politician. body and soul, he
was q typical wet"
"The liquor traffic didn't only le-
mand promises OF liberality.' from
candidates; they demanded that the
man himself be liberal in his habits"
he said. 81 drank. bet on the
horses. I thought that prohibition
was nothing but the cant. hypocrisy
and hysteria OF reformers. But |
came to regard the traffic in strong
drink as the most degrading force IL
American dife. lived in fast
circle: lived fast life. with drink
and race horses as amusements. 1
saw my boyhood friends In prisons.
In asylums. | knew what had sent
them there, too. Every wet does.
But paid no attention. Time came
when suffered humiliation and sor-
row from strong drink. II made ME
think. The farthest | had ever gone
was to think that local option and
high license were the most that
should ever be done to liquor traffic
But / went on my knees to my God,
and I arose, prohibitionist, and
am one all over.
"As wet. ! remember writing a
decision when l vetoed prohibition
measure for Tennessee. The vets
sent that statement OF mine. broad
cast. The first sentence of IL was,
Prohibition, as governmental prop
osition, Is profoundly and fundamcnt-
ally wronn.' II I we're to write that
again, would substitute the word
right for the word wrong. There
isn't a college professor. political
economist, physician or scientist,
whose word is worth hearing, who
tries to defend the liquor traffic. The
strangest thing. though. is that the
traffic doesn't try to defend itself. II
hides behind the cry OF Personal liS
erty.''
Rum is waste. II Is the chief
despoiler and corrupter of the ballot
box. II not only kills the living, but
II poisons the generations yet unborn.
There's not q thief, thug, CRATER or
crook, who Is not In some way con-
Dected wit the liquor traffic, and the
people who are told that their taxes
will be heavier IL the liquor revenue
Is abolished, are told q bare-faced lie.
Teh taxpayer pays more to keep Up
criminal courts and institutions, and
asylums, filed by the liquor traffic,
than al 1.-The revenue amounts to.
"The golden age of this country was
the great construction period OF won
derful growth and prosperity, from
1915 to 1862. And in that time, not
one dollar of liquor revenue was col
lected..
when the Civil war broke out, and
money was needed, President Lincoln
was urged to raise the money by tax
ing LIQUOR. He said he would prefer
10 cut on his right arm, rather than
nut the government into partnership
with the liquor traffic, but when he
signed the revenue bill, he said tnat
as soon as the war was over, ne
would see that the revenue was with
drawn. He was assassinated before
he could have 1t repealed. And the
tar was never withdrawn. Now we
are taking up the work that Lincoln
wanted TO do. II he were allowed 10
live. We are going to make the
whole nation free Of liquor.
"And now is the time. to do II. Az
ter the war in Europe Is over. Castle
garden will swarm with immigrants.
They will head mostly for the con-
gested centers. which right now are
the only bulwarks OF the liquor traf-
nc. and the only trouble that we have
ahead OF ms. Now r. the time 10
write prohibition into our organic
law"
Bssfses.-ifke Pri.t.rs. No fuss ana