Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-03-29
DRY 'SPEAkERSAYs
LIQUOR QUESTION
IS NATIONAL ISSUE
EX-SENATOR ClEARY TELLS OF
TAWA AUDIENCE MAJOR PAR
TIES WILL HAVE ANTl-BOOZE
CLAUSE IN THEIR PLATFORMS
IN 1920.

In an address in which he predicted
that in 1920 neither of the major
political parties would dare leave the
prohibition clause out of their plat
form, former State Senator NJ. Fl.
Cleary of Galena. last evening
stirred an audience of one hundred
people with his appeal for dry"
Ottawa, at Clapper & Verner's hall.
Senator Cleary is of the Lincolnian
type, both in personal appearance and
style of oratory. His arguments were
terse, weighty and well formed. He
delivered them with force that left
no doubt as to his stand on the liquor
question
AT this meeting the opening bomb
was fired in the platform campaign
against the saloon forces in Ottaya.
With only few more days before the
election takes place. when the fate of
the wet and dry" question will be
placed in the hands of the voters, the
"drys are planning for whirwind
finish in the hope Of stampeding the
vote their way
Senator Cleary was introduced by
James II. Daskins, Jacksonville attor-
ney, who is in Ottawa managing the
campaign for the anti-saloon forces
Mr. Daskins, before surrendering the
platform to the speaker of the even
ing, recounted some of Mr. Cleary'
works in behalf of the dry forces
while he was an the Illinois Senate
Mr.. Cleary, he said was against th'
saloon from the inception of his ten
ure of Office until its close and coult
always be depended upon to lend hi
support to any legislation which tend
ed to correct the booze evil.
Mr.. Cleary in his remarks spoke OF
meeting that took place twenty
wears ago between DR. Howard Russell
and Archbishop ireland, and of how
| they talked to each other on the great
| subject of temperance both agreeing
that the time had come when rell
gious and racial lines should not pre-
vent all men coming together to sup
press the liquor traffic.
IN my twenty years as lawyer,
said Mr. Cleary, Il have seen hun
dreds Of criminal cases tried, and, II
! hardly an instance was tie crime com
mitted except directly or indirectly
thru drink
He said he had been o doctor In his
early life and ministered to the poor
| He said he had seen the degrading et
fects and suffering that came in the
wake of drinking bread winner
This he said was particularly appar
ent among the poorer classes, where
the biggest share of the earnings
went for indulgence in intoXicants.
He arragned liquor dealers who be
longed to any church and classified
them as scandals and disgraces' tt
dly CUuIIH NllAI butl ihiSht ''N'N'Ae''
He brushed aside the persona
liberty" argument advanced in wet
circles with the statement that al
government is restriction upon PEI
sonal liberty" He closed his address
with his prediction that in 1920 tn
anti-liquor question would be emboh
led in the platforms of both majo
political parties.
with twenty-six states and the ma
tional capitol dry prohibition nov
Is really the national policy, and al
other states will fall in line he end
ed.
The speaker occupied the platform
during an hour and half III
thrusts at the Barlcycorn question
were enthusiastically received by HI
audience. The second address in th
campaign will be given in the Clal
per e. Werner hall Friday night b
Hon. Alonzo Wilson,
DOMMCT Cl0O EkCEC