The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-04-06
THOUSANDS MARCH ON THE
CAPITOL IN LOCAL OPTION
FIGHT this AFTERNOON

Continued From FtfSt fake
dist church on State street to held an
overflow meeting.
Remarks were made in the church
by Judge Davies, magistrate of Phila-
delphia police court. There were many
cheers for .sBillyn Sunday and many
songs from the recent evangelistic cam
paign in the Quaker City.
Sacrificing their dinners, the Phila-
delphians marched in a body to the
capitol from Grace church and crowded
/, the House of Representatives before
the adjournment of the morning ses-
sion, in their efforts to get seats for
the afternoon hearing.
A Local option" Sunday
AT this mornings meeting in Chest
nut street hall the big crowd unani-
mously passed resolution that next
Sunday will be designated as ''loeal
option Sunday" and every church in
the State that was RI Resented this
morning win pass resolutions which will
be sent to the Representatives in the
General Assembly. The resolution asks
that every church, every Sunday
school. Bible class and Young people Is
organization pass such resolutions,
At the close of the meeting the sug-
gestion of DR.. George w. shelton, of
Pittsburgh. that "the saloon would
down the church if it could, but the
church could destroy the saloon if it
WOULD was hailed with delight by
the big crowd. The individuals in the
audience We're requested to telegraph
to pastors so that these churches could
take action next Sunday.
The big hall, which was decorated
with knots of national colors, was filed
with 1900 Harrisburgers when the
out-of-town delegations began arriving.
When the two special trainloads of
Philadelpkians stormed the hall at
11.S0 O'Clock singing Billy Sunday
campaign hymns the meeting had to be
adjourned because the crowd was to
big to handle.
Sundays Name Brings Cheers
J. Denny o,Neil, County Commits
sioner of Allegheny, and chairman of
the State local option committee. set
the crowd wild at the outset by read
ing a telegram from the Rev. Billy"
Sunday, the evangelist who recently
closed his campaign in Philadelphia
and who worked hard for the passage
of local option in this State The tele-
gram read:
''Sorry can't be there. I will
work and pray for the movement
Samuel E. Gill, chairman of the
State Sunday School Committee, prom
ised 100000 supporters for local op-
tion in telegram TO the chairman.
DR.. Sharpless Is Chairman
Mr.. ONeil introduced DR.. Isaac
Sharpless, president of Haverford Col
lege, who acted as permanent chairman
OF the meeting. The Rev. Floyd w.
Thompkins, rector of Holy Trinity
church, Philadelphia, offered prayer.
George E. Alter, former Speaker of the
House of Representatives; DIR. George
W. Shelton. both of Allegheny, and
John j. Kofb, of Philadelphia, a per-
sonal friend of Governor Brumbaugh,
constituted committee on resolutions
on motion Of Mr.. Alter.
John R. Farr, Congressman from
Laekawanna county and Speaker of the
House of Representatives in 1899. was
the first speaker. He said it was one
of the pleasures of his life to vote for
. the Hobson prohibition resolution in the
national House.
"Any Legislative body,' he said.
"that turns down the peoples wish as
expressed all over this State for SUBJ
mission to the people of this question
of whether they should have liquor or
not fails to recognize the purpose of a
legislative body"
He bewailed what he said was the
fact that it is mostly the "unprogres-
sive man who does the voting at the
polls"
Henry W. Temple, Congressman of
Washington county, was interrupted at
the outset of his speech by the entrance
of the resolution committee with two
resolutions to report. One was lengthy
one supporting local option and was pre-
sented by Mr.. Alter and was adopted. |
The second setting aside next Sunday
as ''loeal option Sunday" was present
ed by DR.. shelton. 1t also was adopted !
Temple Favors Prohibition
Mr.. Temple continuing said:
Governor Brumbaugh has surprised |
good many people. Many of US voteo |
for him thinking he would not carry out |
his election pledges and many of us
voted against him thinking he would /
not carry out his election pledges. |
We were both fooled and We are glad |
of it. If we cannot get local option /
this time let us help to get another |
Legislature that will give it to us, and |
we can do it.
81 should like to see Statewide pro- |
hlbition, but we have no opportunity to |
get it now, so l am in favor of the |
Williams local option law, although |
where there are wet and dry counties |
besides each other, there is leakage from |
the wet county into the dry county.
The question now is on the Williams |
bill and we have good opportunity to
pass it. +"
Mrs. Ella NJ George, State president
of the woman s Christian Temperance
Union, pleaded for the passage of the /
local option bill for the sake of the
wives and mothers in the State and pre-
sented to the conference letter from
a woman in Green county, where there
are no saloon, to the effect that more
people have automobiles in that county
for the size of it than in any other
county in the State. This she referred
TO IN support Of her theory that stamp
ing out the saloon works for happiness.
She was greeted with chautauoua
salute and three ringing cheers when
she was introduced.
Philadelphians Arrive
This large meeting will avail us
nothing if we do not get the Legisla-
ture to vote for the bill'' declared
Congressman elect S. H. Miller, of
Mercer county. "This is a case where
individual work with the Representa-
tives count. Show the leaders of the