the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第30节

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your　wife　learned　to　be　a　drunkard。　Wives　have　been　nursing　their
drunken　husbands　for　years；　now　the　chickens　have　come　home　to　roost；
and　you　are　nursing　your　drunken　wives。〃

Poor　man！　He；　indeed；　seemed　distracted；　and　he　is　not　alone；
there　are　hundreds　of　cases。

I　met　a　lovely　creature　on　the　train；　who　had　been　married　a　few
months。　Her　husband　was　a　lumber　merchant　in　Chicago。　She　sat　by
me　and　told　me　her　sad　story。　She　had　been　a　poor　girl　and　dearly　loved
a　man　whose　mother　opposed　the　match　and　prevented　the　marriage。
The　young　lumber　merchant；　left　rich　by　the　death　of　his　father；　proposed
and　she　married　him。　In　a　month；　the　mother　of　the　man　she
loved　first；　died　and　the　obstacle　was　removed。　In　telling　me　this　story
I　smelled　liquor　on　her　breath。　She　would　say　a　few　sentences　and　then
say：　〃Oh；　Carry　Nation　I　am　so　miserable！　If　Charlie　would　only　be
true　to　me　I　would　not　grieve　for　the　man　I　love；　but　Charlie　drinks
and　he　goes　with　other　women；　and　leaves　me　alone。　He　gives　me　all　the
money　I　want。　I　have　everything　that　money　can　buy；　but；　Oh！　I
almost　hate　these　things！　I　had　rather　have　a　hut　with　someone　to　love
me。〃　She　kept　talking　this　way　until　it　was　enough　to　break　my　heart。
She　said：　〃Charlie　will　be　in　from　the　smoking　car；　and　please　Mrs。
Nation　speak　to　him。　I　want　to　be　a　good　wife　and　I　will　do　all　I　can
to　make　him　a　good　man。　But　he　laughs　at　me　when　I　talk　to　him；　he
never　takes　me　in　earnest。　Go　speak　to　him。〃

So　I　did。　I　found　him　to　be　a　young　man　about　twenty…three；　with
the　marks　of　dissipation　on　his　face。　I　said：　〃I　have　something　to　say　to
you　privately。　You　have　a　beautiful　young　wife。　If　you　wish　to　make
her　happy　you　can　do　so。　There　is　one　thing　that　will　ruin　the　happiness
of　both。　That　is　intoxicating　drink。　Did　you　know　your　wife　is　under
the　influence　of　some　drug？　He　said：　〃Oh；　don't　say　a　word　to　her
about　that；　I　am　the　cause　of　it。　I　drink　and　have　persuaded　her　to；
because　she　has　a　right　to　do　what　I　do。〃

I　told　him　of　the　fatal　results　and　asked　him　to　quit　or　it　would　be
the　ruin　of　both。　Here　were　these　two　on　the　brink　of　ruin；　so　young；
so　attractive。　I　never　shall　forget　the　pathos　of　that　woman's　story。
The　yearning　of　that　heart　for　love。　Of　course　in　her　unhappiness　she
would　turn　to　the　benumbing　fascination　of　the　poisonous　drug。

On　every　hand　I　see　the　desolation　of　homes　and　hearts。　There　are
no　five　things　that　make　so　much　enmity　between　the　sexes　as　this　one
the　licensed　saloon。　The　home　life　is　destroyed。　Men　and　boys　are　taken
from　home　at　the　very　time　they　ought　to　be　there；　after　their　work　is
done。　Families　should　gather　in　the　evening　to　enjoy　each　other's　society。
It　is　said　that　Germans　are　the　cruelest　husbands　on　earth。　Their　beer
gardens　have　taken　the　place　of　firesides。　There　are　more　insane　and
suicides　in　Germany　than　any　nation　on　earth。　Alcoholism　is　a　disease。
Men　go　to　the　Keeley　cure　and　take　different　treatments　to　get　cured。
This　disease　is　killing　more　every　year　than　the　deadliest　epidemic；　and
still　not　one　of　the　senators　or　representatives　will　discuss　this。　Roosevelt
toured　this　country　moralizing　on　different　questions。　The　nearest
he　ever　touched　on　the　subject　was　〃race　suicide；〃　but　he　did　not　wish
to　intimate　that　drinking　intoxicating　liquors　was　the　cause。　He　wished
to　reproach　women　for　not　raising　larger　families。　What　protection　has
a　mother　if　she　does？　She　has　to　produce　the　grist　to　make　these　murder…mills
grind；　and　I　for　one；　say　to　women；　refuse　to　be　mothers；　if　the
government　will　not　close　these　murder…shops　that　are　preying　on　our
hearts；　for　our　darling　sons　are　dearer　to　us　than　life。

If　I　had　a　family　to　raise　and　had　to　live　in　a　city；　I　know　of　no　place
as　desirable　as　Topeka。　I　was　once　lecturing　in　Lincoln；　Neb。；　and　made
this　remark。　A　wife　said　to　her　husband；　〃Let　us　take　our　boy　and　go
to　Topeka。　So　they　came。　The　husband　was　D。　L。　Whitney；　manager
of　the　Oxygenor　Company；　and　both　he　and　his　wife　have　been　a　great
help　to　me。　I　say　to　fathers　and　mothers；　move　to　Kansas；　where　your
sons　are　taught　that　it　takes　a　SNEAK　to　sell；　and　a　SNEAK　to　drink；
intoxicating　liquors　in　that　state。

I　was　arrested　in　Topeka　for　going　into　the　dives。　The　officials
were　determined　to　keep　them　open；　and　the　police　arrested　me　for　even
going　in。　They　did　not　arrest　the　keepers。　I　was　thrown　out　and　called
names　by　the　proprietors；　in　the　hearing　of　the　police；　still　they　were　let
go。　This　was　during　the　time　that　Parker　was　mayor。

The　voting　citizens　of　Kansas　will　soon　find　out　that　no　one
but　prohibition　officers　can　be　trusted　to　enforce　prohibition　statutes。　I
am　glad　at　the　present　writing　there　is　said　to　be　not　a　dive　in　the　beautiful
city　of　Topeka；　and　that　she　has　passed　the　Rubicon。　God　grant
that　no　more　criminal　dens　be　opened　by　Republicans；　Democrats　or　any
other　Anarchists。

I　was　arrested　in　Wheeling；　West　Virginia；　winter　of　1902；　for　going
in　a　saloon　and　telling　the　man　he　was　in　a　business　that　would　send　him
to　hell　as　well　as　others。　The　facts　are　that　the　police　never　knew　what
I　was　going　to　do　and　they　were　so　frightened　and　rattled　that　they　of
course　thought　they　would　arrest　me　to　prevent　trouble。　I　have　been　a
terror　to　evil　doers。　I　was　in　jail　there　two　nights。　No　pillow。　The
bed　bugs　bad。　Col。　Arnett；　my　lawyer；　said　I　had　a　good　case　of　malicious
prosecution。　I　have　begun　several　suits　but　the　〃laws　delay〃　and
the　condition　of　dishonest　courts　has　prevented　me。　I　desire　to　compel
Murat　Halstead　to　be　shown　as　he　is；　a　liar；　almost　equal　to　the　〃Murdocks
of　Wichita。〃

I　was　arrested　in　Bayonne；　N。　J。；　the　summer　of　1903；　because　I　was
talking　to　a　poor　drunkard。　A　policeman　came　up　and　ordered　me　to
〃walk　on〃。　I　said：　〃I　have　a　right　to　speak　to　any　one　on　the　street。〃
He　said：　〃I　will　arrest　you　if　you　do　not　move　on。〃　I　said：　〃You　do
not　wish　this　poor　man　to　have　one　warning　word　to　keep　him　out　of
a　drunkards　hell。〃　He　arrested　me；　took　me　to　the　police　headquarters；
where　I　was　sentenced　for　disturbing　the　peace。　I　was　put　in　a　cell　with
a　hard　board；　no　cover。　There　were　only　two　other　prisoners；　both　put
there　for　getting　drunk。　The　partition　door　was　by　accident　left　unlocked
and　I　heard　someone　creeping；　looked　up　and　there　was　one　of　the　poor
creatures　in　my　cell。　I　called　loudly。　He　ran　back。　The　turnkey　came
and　fastened　the　door。　All　night　through　I　was　handing　water　to　these
poor　creatures。　The　bed　bugs　were　thick　and　kept　me　quite　busy　knocking
them　out　of　my　face。　I　lay　on　the　plank　but　could　not　sleep　a　wink。
Next　morning　I　was　called　in　court。　That　police　officer　in　order　to　make
it　a　case　of　disturbing　the　peace　said　there　were　one　hundred　and　fifty
people　around。　There　was　but　five　and　I　so　testified。　I　never　have　seen
such　false　swearing　as　there　is　with　the　police。　I　got　a　fine　of　ten　dollars。
Of　course　this　judge　was　a　republican。

Here　is　a　list　of　the　times　and　places　I　have　been　in　jail：

In　Wichita　three　times。　Sentenced　December；　1900；　thirty　days；　January
21st；　1901；　twenty…one　days　and　January　22nd　two　days。

Topeka　seven　times；　once　thirty　days；　twice　each　eighteen　days；　then
twelve　days；　fifteen　days；　seven　days　and　three　days。

Kansas　City　once；　part　of　a　day；　also　once；　part　of　a　day　at　Coney
Island；　once　at　Los　Angeles；　once　at　San　Francisco；　Scranton　twice；　one
night　and　part　of　two　days；　Bayonne；　New　Jersey　a　day　and　night；　Pittsburg
three　times；　one　night　and　part　of　two　days；　Philadelphia　once；　one
night。

I　was　also　put　in　jail　in　Cape　Breton；　and　in　1904；　when　five　of　us
attacked　the　Wholesale　House　of　Mahan　Bros。；　in　Wichita；　of　which　I
speak　elsewhere；　making　a　total　of　twenty　three　times。

I　spoke　at　Sacramento；　Cal。；　to　the　legislature　when　in　session。　I
got　a　letter　from　one　of　the　officers　in　the　capitol；　telling　of　the　joints
run
in　the　capitol　building　and　patronized　by　the　members　of　the　legislature。
A　reporter　went　with　me。　He　tried　to　get　me　an　opportunity　to　speak；
but　he　was　told　I　could　not　do　so；　and　that　I　had　better　leave　as　the　crowd
prevented　them　doing　business。　I　did　not　leave。　The　reporter　said：　〃You
will　not　be　able　to　speak。〃　I　said：　〃I　will　speak。〃　I　waited　until　the
speaker　adjourned　for　noon；　and　as　quick　as　a　flash　I　took　the　stand；　and
began　my　address。　I　saw　impatience　in　the　faces　of　many；　but　there　was
a　great　cheer　from　visitors　and　pages。　I　spoke　about　as　follows：　〃I
am　glad　to　speak　to　the　law…makers　of　California。　I　not　only　believe
in　making　laws；　but　enforcing　them。　I　called　their　attention　to　the　most
needed　legislation　on　the　lines　of　prohibition　of　evil。　I　could　see　that　all
seemed　rather　pleased　at　this　point；　I　drew　out　the　letter　which　read　as
follows：　〃Dear　Madam：　I　see　you　are　to　visit　the　capitol　tomorrow；　I
wish　to　call　your　attention　to　the　flagrant　violations　under　the　dome　of
California's　capitol。　In　the　Bill　filing　room　is　a　place　where　liquors　are
kept；　also　in　the　Sergeant…at…Arms　room　in　the　senate　chamber；　behind
a　screen；　is　stored　beer　and　whiskey；　in　room　56　there　is　a　safe　where　bottles
of　beer　and　whiskey　are　kept。　These　unlicensed