The Mankato free press., 1922-07-14
VIEWS OF LINCOLN.
ON LIQUOR TRAFFIC
HIs OPPOSITION TO PRoHI-
BTTTeN Is DENIED
STATEMENT IS ISSUED
Chicago Pastor Refutes Claim
Made By Wet organiza-
TONS"
Associated Press Dispatch ]

Chicago July 11.-Denial that
Abraham Lincoln had once declared
himself as opposed to prohibition
was made today by the Rev. Duncan
C. Miner, Associate minister OF the
Presbyterian church, a civil war
veteran, and chaplin Of the Loyal
Legion.
In a statement intended to refute
the claim OF "certan wet organiZa
tons" that the Immortal Lincoln
had ever lent even a hint Oh ap
proval TO the liquor traffic. Rev:
Miner, made public an a1ldavlt
signed by three nationally known
men setting forth that an alleged
ouotation from Lincoln was used in
A local option campaign in George
in 1887 was an admitted fraud.
. The affidavit, signed by the Rev.
Sam Small. Evangelist Rev. Sam
Jones, and Henry w. Grady, declar-
es that sometime after the cam
paign, Col. John B. Goodwin, who
had been the director Of the anti
prohibition forces told that he him
self had composed the alleged
words of Lincoln so as to attract
the adhersion of the colored Vot-
ers."
Words Credited to Lincoln
The alleged statement of Lin
coins views were\ set forth IN cir
cular widely broadcast-in the cam
paign, and did much to defeat the
local option measure by winning
over the entire colored vote to the
side of the vets" Rev. Miner, ex-
planned.
The words credited to Lincoln.
but since admitted to be those OF
another were: Prohibition wlil
work great injury to the cause OF
temperance. 1t is a species or IN
temperance itself. for 1t goes pc
yond the bounds of reason in that
il attempts to control mans appe-
tite by legislation, and in making
crime cut things that are not crimes.
"A prohibitory law strikes at the
very principles on which our gov
ernment was founded. have al
ways been found laboring to pro
tect the weaker classes from the
stronger, and l can never give my
consent to such a law as you pro-
pose to enact Until my tongue be
sflenced in death, will continue to
fight for the rights of man. The
onotation was headed Abraham
Lincoln's proclamation and was
followed with this appeal:
"Colored Voter: He appeals to
ron to protect the liberty ne
has bestowed upon you: VIII
Won 20 back on his advice? Look to
rour rights, Readi Act. Vote. for
the sale"
TIE Affidavit Made Public
Rev. Miner declared that the al
fe.ed statement Of Lincoln is being
ci- cuIated today by organizations
opposed TO the Eighteenth amend
ment, and appealed for "a campaign
G-eat Emancipator Of so foul a
stigma"
The affidavit made public by Rev.
Miner says in part: That the
Rev. Sam Jones, Henry Grady, this
sffiant, and many other speakers
then openly denounced the purpor-
ted words of Abraham Lincoln to be
a hagrant forgery, de6ed discovery
of them in any recoroed utterances
by lincoln and offered a reward for
proof of their genuineness but no
one produced any such proof.
That some time after the ex'
citement Of the campaign had dis
appeared. this affiant, in converse
ton with Col. John B. Goodwin,
who had been the director Of the
anti prohibition forces in said
campaign, was told by Col Goodwin
that he himself devised the circular
in question composed the alleged
words Of lincoln so as to attract
the adhesion of the colored voters
and had done so because to win
them was the forlorn hope OF the
vets. the country at that time be-
ing under a prohibition law"