The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-06-11
Sensational Incident Occurred; Set oil
Resolutions Adopted; Short Talks
3, Visiting Ladies
From Saturdays Daily.


county held a largely attended meet
ing at the Armory yesterday after
noon and adopted resolutions in IA
vor OF the dry" ticket. At least 3Gt
members of the fair sex. including
prominent club women. were In the
audience when Mrs. w. j. Morehart
called the gathering to order. There
were representatives from many
towns I'm the county who came In au-
tomobiles and trains. The meeting
began at three o'clock and IL was
about $3.50 when IL adjourned.
One of the sensational incidents oil
the meeting occurred when the pro-
gram was about half over. Mrs
MOrehart came TO the front OF the
platform, accompanied by Mrs. John
Duffey. president of the Sunshine club
of Indian Lake, and speaking Tor that
lady told of Mrs. Duffey's sad expert
ence in the home, caused by the
weakness of the husband for drink.
Mrs. Morehart explained how Mr.. Dur
fey was in favor Jf county option, as
n would aid him i'm leaving liquor
alone. and how Mrs. Duffey for three
years had endeavored to prevent the
saloons from selling liquor to her
husband. and how the city officials
had put her OF from day to day, she
claimed. and her husband still OBJ
tanned the drink whenever he asked
Tor IL. his habit causing much sorrow
and trouble i'm the home. for although
the husband was q good man he was
no. responsible for what he did when
under the influence of liquor. lis not
our city administration hand I'm hand
with the liquor interests?" demanded
Mrs. Morehart. as she concluded the
recital Of Mrs. Duney's wrongs by
those in power Indignation was
plainly evidenced upon every face I'm
the audience. and Mrs. y. G.. Willard
arose To her feet and with imprisoned
words asked whether the women
there assembled in convention could
not do something 10 show their dis
approval Of the act Of the city admin
istratinn IN not seeing tn IL that liquor
was withheld from Mr.. DuiTey as was
promised To his wife.
Cannot We. by rising vote eX
press our condemnation of the city
officials and the administration? de-
manded Mrs. Willard. The sugge8-
lion was acted upon and every lady
of the large assemblaGe present rose
instantly 10 her feet.
One of the ladies who took part In
the meeting stated TO The .Free>press
today that the county attorney should
he included among those i'm the con-
demnatOry class.
Address BY Mrs. Morehart.
a. a
was called Ia order by Mrs. w. ].
MOrehart. the speakers being seated
upon the platform. and the entire au-
diencc united in singing The Star
Spaneled Banner" Mrs. Morehart
then briefly addressed the meeting
saying that the women had assembled
TO hear the expression of the women
from all over the county on the ques-
tinn of county option. No others had
Il better right 20 a voice I'm II she said.
and now that the great movement for
prohibition was on the women must
show what they were going To 90 -
help by a free discussion OF the sub
ject She then introduced Mrs. 4. II.
Loyhed of Faribault who gave very
comprehensive address.
said that the women had doubtless
listened 10 many speeches on prohi-
bition during the past month both for
and against. She had brought three
arguments to the meeting and would
try to cCnfine herself TO discussion
of those three. One argument Of the
vets" was that county option would
destroy entirely individual right. the
second was that when counties voted
for prohibition il was ineffective. and
the third was that liquor was an aid
TO efficiency. She claimed that liquor
was not good for sick people, or was
an aid 10 intellectual thought. defying
anyone to find true scientist who
would say that the physical capacity
was better. or the mental capacity
better by the use of liquor. She said
scientists would say that liquor was
but one of the soul destroying
drugs. such as morphine. cocaine.
etc. and just as destructive I'm
It's effects. Thirty-four countries
in the world had now entered into a
crusade against such drugs. and the
Harrison drug law was resulting I'm
much good. nobody denying but what
the law was right and that people
should have IL. Liquor, she said.
should be classed among these deadly
drugs. we have had the great tenn
perance societies, the churches. but
unfortunately for them and for the
world they had not been able to
arouse the public spirit. but had done
noble work. But now we had arrived
at that point In the big business OF
the world where the new idea. safe
~ first was the slogan. This was
strongly evidenced by the factories
and railroads. that had fought so bit
terly against all legal suits for dam
ages for injuries received by men in
their employ. II was cold blooded
business proposition with them. and
they had started out TO discover how
The accidents had happened. and a
prevention IL possible. "She spoke OF
the 'workmens' compensation act as
a reality of the near future, SAYING
that II was absolutely coming. II was
fact that I'm the investigation as To
the causes of accidents Il had been
found that they had been caused pri-
marily by the nearness of saloons 10
the place OF business. and that now
saloons were not allowed within a
certain distance OF factories, of shops,
and that the employers were pushing
the saloons back as far as they could
from their places of labor. This was
the beginning OF the Safety first idea
IL was big business