The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1917-01-05

4
them
Speech of Senator Beckham
Senator Beckham said in part:
The most embarrassing experience !
encounter when I am out OF this state.
especially at your national capital, IL when
occasionally meet citizens Of other States
and In some instances OF other countries,
who have not been to Kentucky, and their
nrst comment when told that 1 am from
Kentucky Is With q smile. The State where
they make whisky They undertake to be
pleasant about 1t. but It Is Irritating to
me. resent the idea that this great COM
menwealth OF ours with the noblest and
most chivalrous manhood and With the
loyeiiest and sweetest womhnheed on earth
should be advertised abroad alone for Its
production OF those things that destroy
as politely as 1 can under spch circum-
stances that that remark will net 70 in
q few years, that the time 10 rapidly ap:
.sI r ssS In sAs, VII ". I'll, ss
very few years. and I an willing TO de-
vote evary energy and every tieAt that I
pessess to bring about A. speedily A. pos
nor q distillery nor bpoResr sayvhsrs
In thia fair commonwealth.
Believes Amendment certasn.
II ds not say that In any spirit Of IN
Kindness or bostilitY toward these whe
, snsssid cG IN ,s:' 0S,n s.u n.t , nj.
tate the methods Of those who aght us
by using defamation Of character, BY in
dulging In Islander or nbel Or anything
We dc not need to indulge in personalities
To insure Its success In this great fight.
n hope to ace those engaged In that bu.i-
ness succeed IL life and they shou!d take
should gather In their sails because l be-
lieye that there is ne political event Of
the future more certain than that the next
Legislature Of Kentucky will submit to
the people of this State o constitutional
amendment upon State wide prohibition
and that in 1919 the earliest day upen
which We can get q vote, an overwhelming
majority Of our people win adopt IT.
The whiskey mon will begin TO use every
sophlstry, every failacy, every false argu-
ment and misrepresentation possible to
time has passed when any man or even
paper can say a word OF defense In favor
OF the defenseless saloon.
"The only argument upon which they
have any hope left In the economic idea,
the Idea that they would incnlcate into the
minds Of the people of Kentucky. that tails
10 great industry in our State, that IL
bears large part OF IL; burden 6s STA q taxa
But. my friends. It takes only little
common sense to meet such fallacy as
that. The liquor business dees not pay
pay any taIea such nass IA az are are collect
ed on them come from the consumers Of
those products and those products them
selyeS pay no taxes.
~ believe as firmly as I believe anything,
after years OF experience and Of obsexva
tlon and with considerable experience In
the matter OF your State finances. that
the best thing that can happen to your
state from revenue standpoint would
be the cpmplete elimination o. the liquor
business from this State believe that
nothing can happen in this State that
-
industries and 70 the commercial develop
ment OF the State than the suppressien Of
that tranic, not merely 70 clese the ga
looms. but to prohibit the Manufacture.
There Y no reason TO legislate against the
saloon unless you legislatc also against
those concerns which furnish the PREDICTS
that are sold In tho saloons
His Interest In the Question.
This is a great night have been n
terested In number of issues 10 this
came to manhood and took an interest and
part In the political affairs Of the State
and the country. but say TO you, ny
friends, there has never been any question
in which am more interested or In which
can see more Of far. reaching, ipcai.
culable benefit 70 the people Of this State
than ! DO in prohibition and the eiiT Una.
Kentucky, but from this entire nation I
re1eice In II more than have ever re-
Joiced In any personal success OF my own
tSrou shout the country. You You see It in
this state, You can go to your national
capital and see n there. and you win be
as surprised as ! have been 70 see the
strength OF that sentiment in Washington.
III would not be surprising 70 mo II the
present Congress should fnyorabiy asst on
that amendment and submit II TO the States
for ratification.
so the cause is growing. II 10 getting
stronger and stronger every day, and 1
welcome TO our ranks these new converts.
I am not going TO criticise the sincerfty
OF their purpose. do not believe In try
ing to hold a monopoly on any good thing.
III want to see the Democratic party in
Kentucky take charge OF this NOV ement.
| want IL to throw off entirely the yoke
OF liquor domination in this State, and I
want II to he the instrument through
which this great reform Is to be accom-
pllshed. but | hope that our Republican,
friends will be dry. toe. ! hope they will
make that party dry.
why. the last plea they make is on the
matter OF compensation. They say II you
| suppress their business you should COM
pensate them for what they may lose.
No such plan as that has ever been
adopted. No business OF any kind that
lives upon the misfortunes and calam-
tiles and tragedies OF the human race
should ever be compensated when that
business is prohibited. wish had the
genius and power to write law and
eliminate the possibility of war in this
country and in the world ! believe I
would rather do that than even to see
Kentucky dry. But II that could be done.
my friends, II OF anyone else could Sc
cure the enactment of such law OF the
adoption OF such q policy, IT would throw
out of business all of these great NUM-
ton factories and armor plate plants and
gun factories of this country, and then
they would have even more reason to ask
for compensation than the liquor people
would have If prohibition comes.
/ Tribute 20 Bryan.
But have not come here to discuss
that subject refer TO the program and
see that have been assigned the title
| The Peerless Leader You all recog-
nize him, / have been with him on his
visits TO Kentucky for the last twenty
years. doubt II he has been here at
any time In all those years when have
not been along to encourage him and to
follow after him. But have never felt
like giving him a more hearty welcome
than l do on this occasion. am not n
believer In too much hero worship. Our
heroes sometimes make mistakes, but
believe II can be truthfully and justly said
/ OF our distinguished guest that he
has rendered more valuable service
to the people OF America than any other
man ever did since that great predecessor
OF his. Thomas Jefferson
He has won great Victories, and II ever
a man In the history Of this great coun-
try has earned rest he has done IT,
1 But he Ia not of that kind, He Is the
- N1...N