The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-08-16
SPOKE FOR THE DRIES
/ KNOCK Al. king booze
Open Air Meeting Was Held
Last Night; Big Crowd
VAN SAINT RAPS LIQUOR
SO Does Mayor c. R. Magney
Of Duluth; Parish Brothers
Talked Also

Of Duluth; Parish Brothers
Talked Also
From Saturdays Daily.
Four of the leading dry fighters il
Minnesota donned the armor las
evening and topped into the ring fol
a bout with Old Booze at an open all
meeting which was held at the From
and Walnut street crossing. Previous
ly it had been planned to have the
meeting on the court house lawn bu
such "a large crowd greeted thu
speakers when they started to make
few remarks down town that the
meeting was continued there.
H. H. Parish and brother G. o. Par
fish, who are touring the state to ait
in the statewide dry move were the
first speakers of the evening. G. 0
Parish delivered fine address, deal
ing chiefly with the war and patriot
ism and the home afforts that were
needed. to support the men in the
trenches. He branded the liquor traf-
ific as a menace to the success of the
struggle and called upon every true
American to vote against it in the
state campaign on November ant
to give the fight added impetus b,
'Jnaking Blue Earth county dry or
August 10.
H. H. Paris spoke of the waste in
grain and food products the liquor
traffic meant and called upon all vot-
ers to be sure they voted at the cleo
tion. His remarks in part were as
fellows:
1--WE have never before realized the
true meaning and significance of the
American flag. Since the war has
come on, we realize that it is on,
flag that shall lead the forces of de-
mocracy and fair play to victory
From the American Melting pot, come
the best sons of the world as con-
quering army to trample out autoc-
raey and rilitarism. Let US all
stand by the boys in the uniform and
do our part.
Consider 1t Patriotic Move.
''We believe that to vote this state
dry at this coming election is a patri-
otto move in the interest of better
business and political conditions, and
is also a great move in the matter
of food saving. If / had a grain ele-
vator on the banks of the Mississippi
river, and every Sunday of the year
l would open the trap and let 1,O00,-
900 bushels of grain run into the riv-
er and would wish to keep this up,
1t is very certain that people would
soon stop me for the sake of the
pcople of the world that are now in
need of food. Yet it is true that last
year the breweries used more than
that amount in the production of beer
which, to say the very least, is a
nom essential.
We American people have been
so rich in the past that we did not
mind a little waste. Figuratively
speaking, we were pouring. our re-
sources into barrel with many holes
through which our riches were being
wasted but now we are plugging UP
those leaks. We have plugged the
meat leak, the wheat leak, the fuel
leak, the sugar leak, and patriotism
now demands that the beer leak be
stopped. On November 5, you patri-
otlc men can put stop to this waste
and in support of the flag and the
boys who have gone to fight for us
vote dry on the amendment and then
be sure to vote for dry legislature
and in that way we will make the
state dry and will be. sure that our
legislature will ratify the national
prohibition amendment Remember.
men, that If you neglect to vote on the
you thereby vote wet. To
vote dry you must mark your ballot
yes. To vote wet all you need to do
is go away without voting the amend
ment ballot at all. Mark your ball
lot"
Van SAINT and Magney.
Former Governor S. r.. Van SAINT
and Mayor c.. R. Magney of Duluth
both delivered addresses following
the remarks by H. H. and G. O. Par
1sh. Mayor Magney told of the many
towns and cities throughout the west
that had at one time been tough
places. He stated that Boise, Idaho.
Portland, Ore, Spokane, Seattle and
a dozen others were all among the
worst spots in the west at one time,
NOW they are all dry and / defy
anyone to prove to me that they are
not live towns" he declared. "They
are among the finest cities. in the
west. They are more prosperous
since they went dry, Duluth is more
prosperous since it went dry and
Mankato, we all hope, will start a
new lease of prosperity after Au-
gust 49,
Mayor Magney attacked the old
claim of the liquor dealers that "no
one would come near the town if it
went dry" 49,
That shows the conceit of the sa-
loonkeepers,' he stated. isn't there
else in Mankato but your
twenty seven saloons? | should think
tne merchants and business men of
the city would feel insulted when
they hear that time worn cry" t
No Longer cranks.
NO longer are the prohibitionists
cranks or fanatics as they once were
classed, the speaker stated. He
pointed out that in every state. in
every county and town some of the
strongest most virile men of the
Continued on Page Two.A
community are joining heart and SOU
in the fight. Personal experiences OF
the fight in Duluth were related
Many men who opposed the issue are
now for it, when they see the great
benefit it means for the city and for
the people.
Van SAINT Was Humorous.