Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1915-11-11

EAA
Conducted by the National woman's
Christian Temperance union)
PROHIBITION VICTORIES,

iSIilptEitIlCe lnlOn,D
PROHIBITION VICTORIES.
Excerpts from the address OF Miss
Anna A. Gordon, president National
Woman's Christian Temperance union,
before the forty-second annual conven-
ton Of that organization, held in So.
attic. Wash, October Ola, 1879
Looking backward over the past
twenty months and forward to the
year 1916 one might epitomize the
temperance movement in retrospect as
a movement of victorious yesterdays
and confident tomorrows." These
months chronicle an unprecedented
lumber OF prohibition victories. The
temperance transformation of Russia:
the antiliquor measures in effect in
herman, French and English military
circles; the complete abolition of al.
cohol In the United States navy and
in the Panama Canal zone; the out.
having Of the liquor traffic in Virginia,
Colorado. Oregon. Washington, Ari.
iona. Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa. Alabama
and South Carolina; the majority vote
for statewide prohibition in both
branches Of Utah's legislature; the
triumph Of the enemies of the saloon
In a large number Of counties and
cities: the unfolding by the United
States Supreme court of the constitu-
tionality of the prohibition provision
Of the Indian treaties-making one.
fifth OF Minnesota dry; the victorious
prohibition elections in forty-fve Of
Minnesota's counties; the battle royal
for prohibition in the District of Co.
lumbia: the total abstinence rules en-
forced by many industrial and railroad
corporations; the decrease at the rate
OF S1,25O,OO0 a month OF the internal
revenue collections OF distilled spirits
despite the fact that wines are paying
a high tax as a result of the emer.
gency war tax enacted by the last con-
gress; the enactment In prohibition
states of stricter enforcement laws;
the discussion Of total abstinence and
prohibition by press and popular mag
azines, and the marked decrease Of
their liquor advertising; the growth
Of antialcohol sentiment in the med
ical world-these. with the indorse-
ment Of national constitutional pro.
hibition by hundreds of influential Or
CARNATIONS and the outspoken decla-
rations of men prominent in the Off.
cial and political life Of the United
States and other nations in favor OF
prohibition and total abstinence, have
movement for the Punishment of John
%Barleycorn from the business, the So
cial. and the political life of the civil.
lized world. The majority vote on the
Sheppard obson bill in the United
States house Of representatives on
December %, 1914, wen though 1t fell
short Of a decisive victory, was a
triumph for nationwide prohibition.
Because the alcohol disease is the
deepest-seated, most chronic organic
disease known to the body polite and
body social, the permanent cure must
be not only organic state legislation,
but organic national legislation. The
of a national prohibition amend.
is to destroy the agency that
debauches the youth of the land. The
W. c. T. U. agrees with Congressman
Richmond Pearson Hobson when he
asserts: THE liquor trust is wise
enough to know that it cannot per.
petuate its sway by depending on de.
bauching grown people, so it uses an
organic method Of teaching the young
to drink. We apply exactly the same
method to destroy the traffic. We do
not try to make old drinkers stop
drinking, but we do aim to put a stop
to the systematic, organized debauch-
ing OF our youth through thousands
and tens of thousands Of agencies
throughout the land"
1t is not difficult for the student Of
temperance history to account for the
deep conviction and the earnest work
of many men and women who today
are foremost in the great struggles
against the drink monopoly. The boy
who two score years ago was taught
by a w. c. T. U. mother at the twi-
light hours to offer his childlike pray
er for the temperance cause, as her
hand rested tenderly upon his little
head, is today a temperance warrior
battling against homes most relent.
les foe. Boys and girls who twenty
five and thirty years ago were taught
by white,ribboners to shout, "Tremble,
King Alcohol, we shall grow up" and
whose heads, hearts, hands and feet
received temperance training in pub
lie school, Sunday school, and Loyal
Temperance Legion, are grown up,
and are rapidly dethroning King Alco-
hol.
The history of our reform proves
that 1t is well-nigh impossible to- take
prnhthftinp fro" a afofa constitution