The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1917-03-23

In an article entitled will the
United States Go Dry" in the last
issue of Every Week, Burton ]. Hen
drick, the popular author, pays fine
tribute to DIR. Howard H. Russell,
| founder OF the Anti-Saloon League.
There are many people living in
Kansas City" says Mr.. Hendrick,
who still recall the glimpses that
they used to obtain, about rs years
ago, of a somewhat gaunt and agi-
tated figure who was familiar sight
on the most crowded streets. This
figure would pass along, part of the
time absorbed in his own thoughts,
part of it giving untoward manifesto
tons Of the zeal that possessed his
soul His daily path compelled him
to pass many of the city's largest
breweries. oh, Godv he would
murmur, as he raised his hands heav-
onward and glanced shudderingly at
these huge buildings--'Oh, God!
Will You not stop this accursed
thing?
"The 'accursed thing that alb
sorbed all the emotional energies of
! the Rev. Howard H. Russell was, of
course, the liquor traffic, then def
nitely established in the height of its
glory, and particularly powerful in
Kansas City, Mo.
J Most people regarded Russell as
one of the widest cranks West of
the Mississippi river. His soul was
on fire with apparently only one
idca--thc destruction of the saloon.
He constantly Numbered against it
from his pulpit; he spent. consider
able part of his time pursuing it in
the law courts; and he was con-
tinually organizing all the good peo-
pie of the town into leagues and
unions for demolishing alcohol.
Few of the people who found
Russell an entertaining object of ridi-
Guile knew his history. Yet that his
tory explained his Petcr-the- Hermit
attitude toward the saloon. In his
youth he had barely escaped becom-
ing drunkard; his brother had ac-
tually become one.
"A Man Sent From God Whose
Name Was Russell
Russell had a variegated career
as frontiersman, government clerk,
newspaper reporter, and lawyer, until
he finally entered the Congrega-
tional ministry by way OF Oberlin,
Ohio, and settled down. to lifelong
struggle with whisky and beer. From
the day Mr.. Russell started this cruz
SADIE, he always regarded himself as
divinely appointed to the task. His
inspiration came from one source
the Almighty. His method of de-
stroying the monster he always re-
ferred to as Gods PLAN and the uiti-
mate realization OF his work he in
variably described as a 'Patmos Wis
ion There was man sent from
| God, whose name was John, "a
CLERGYMAN once introduced Russell in
these words,-'and it is equally true
that there was a man sent from God
whose name was Russell.
"The world has had thousands OF
cranks in the last few hundred years
filled with all OF Mr.. Russell's zeal
and industry; yet the shabby figure
of quarter of century ago is rap
;dIv becoming historic character.
Out of our many thousands OF cranks,
here and there. one survives simply
because he delivers the goods. That
;s what the Rev. Howard H. Russell
is now doing.
Last fall, Kansas City, the scene
of his stormy pastorate in the SOs
and COS. voted for statewide Prohi-
bition: only the pertinacity OF St
Louis kept Missouri in the wet col
umn. The triumphs OF Prohibition
in other sections were almost over
whelming. Four new states Ne
braska, Montana, North Dakota and
Michigan and ono territory. Alaska
outlawed the saloon. Imagine .
frontier and mining country. like
Alaska, declaring by an overwhelm'
ing majority, against ruml In two
other states, Utah and Florida, the
people elected Governors and Leg
1;sIatures on the straight Prohibition
issue. which means that these com
munities will adopt Prohibition this