The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-05-31


the last election. must sign the pc
tition before a county option election
will be held, according to law. If the
sufficient signatures are obtained to
give, the right of holding an election
on county option, it was voted to
leave the date of election with the
newly elected executive committee.
That dry men are not poor III
purse was proven by the donations.
When it was suggested by w. j..
Morehart that money would be need
ed to finance the campaign donations
came fast, some being for $25 and
over, and about $500 being subscrib-
ed within about ten minutes.
1t was damp weather for a dry
meeting, and tho roads were bad, but
there was a good representation OF
Temperance workers at the meetlng,
which was held at Mankato armory.
1t had been called by committee
composed of V. j. Greiner, L. b.
Taylor, o. J. Arthur, G.. ID. Snow and
w. d. Willard, to consider what steps
should be taken in the fight against
the liquor traffic and whether an at
tempt should be made to carry the
county for county option this sum-
mer. Possibly one hundred men were
in the hall by the time the meeting
opened about $3.50 O'Clock.
Greiner AS Chairman.
V. J. Greiner of MapletOn was
elected chairman of the meeting, and
c. p. Christensen of Lake Crystal was
elected secretary. Temperance men
were present from many parts of the
county including Mapleton, Eagle
Lake. Sterling, Vernon Center, and
other places. Quite number of
Mankato business men were present,
as were also the reverend men OF the
city, including Rev. Father Robert
Hughes. Rev. G. A. Cahoon, Rev. X.
w. Hobbs, Rev. c. J. Shut, Rev. T.
Ross Paden, Rev. A. Bell
Mr.. Greiner called on the gentle
men present for expressions of the
sentiment on the dry question in
their territory. Ben McGreggor OF
Mapleton was the first speaker, and
stated that in Mapleton, as far as he
could Judge, the sentiment was in
favor of prohibition.
Rev. Father Robert Hughes re-
sponded and gave an interesting talk
on prohibition from the view point
of a Catholic He expressed himself
as decidedly in favor of prohibition
but urged that any legislation in
clude a clause allowing liquor to be
used for sacramento purposes. as
this must be done in order to gain
Catholic support, as the laws of the
church in this regard could not be
changed, wine having been used in
the church sacraments since the time
of Christ At the close of Father
Hughes talk, Judge Cray announced
that the proposed new laws included
clauses, providing for the use of liq-
nor for sacramento and other nee
essary purposes. 80.
IF we are going to be successful
in this temperance work we must
move together" stated Father
Hughes, eff we are to succeed in
temperance work we must get vrea
temperance men to carry it on, OF
else we must use the downright
drunkard. We must keep the moder-
ate t1rinker out" He then told the
story of a man he met in a depot
who was unable to reach his home
in another town in response to {
telegram announcing the death o
his daughter, because of the fact thai
he had no money, having squanderet
1T for drink as fast as he made it
He was given ticket by Father
Hughes who was leaving on the same
train, and while they were travelins
together the drunkard asked thu
man of God, "Why don't you fellow.
lut the saloons out of business 81
we cannot squander away our money!
The saloon has no terrors for tn,
moderate drinker. pointed out tn,
speaker, but for the safety of other.
they should be abolished.
Must Have Wine for Sacrament.
II you want Catholic support TO
prohibition there must be no legisla
ton made against obtaining wine 70
sacramento purposes" explained
Father Hughes, and told of the diff
ficulties which priests had experienc
Cd IN dry .stltes. In spite of sucl
difficulties he assured his audience
that Catholics are not against pro
hibition. He spoke of the fact tina
more boys had left Mankato TO
service than there are saloonkeeper
in the city. and that saloonkeeper
could easily find other work. an,
work that would result more prof
itably to their country. "Now. a
never before the loyalty of ever
American citizen is being put L
sacrlnce. and the man that canno
sacrifice his appetite for LIQUOR TO
the good of his country is unworth
OF humanity" stated Father Hughes
while his audience loudly applaudef
He. told of how he had now come +
believe that as every Individual i
bound to do what he can to win tn
war, so is every county Obliged to a
what 1t can to conserve for tn
country. Father Hughes address
was enthusiastically received.
County Option Campaign.
Judge IlOrin Cray stated that h
felt confident that it was the sens
OF the meeting to put on count
"puon campaign, and asked for
vote on the question. The meetin
voted unanimously to hold count
option campaign. Judge Cray ex
planned the proposed prohibitio,
amendments explaining that nrou;
sion was made for the use of liouor
for sacramental and other necessar
purposes Rev. G. A. Cahoon aska
Tor an expression Of opinion on nro
'nlbltion from o. M. Hatcher and
e.. NARROW. Las h4fc;ys<es $500 =,