the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第31节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


of　beer　and　whiskey　are　kept。　These　unlicensed　bars　are　patronized
by　the　members；　and　with　their　full　knowledge　and　consent。　It　was　certainly
a　sight　to　see　the　faces　of　these　men。　After　reading　each　charge；
I　would　stop　and　say：　〃Now　gentlemen　this　must　be　a　grave　slander；　and
I　want　you　as　a　body　to　rise　and　down　this　outrage。〃　I　waited；　no　one
rose　up。　I　said：　〃certainly　there　must　be　a　mistake；　is　it　possible　that　the
law…makers　of　this　state　are　the　law…breakers；　if　so；　then　who　is　capable
of　punishing　the　criminals？〃　I　continued；　〃I　hope　that　at　least　there　are
some　of　the　members　of　this　body　that　are　ignorant　of　this　and　that　some
one　if　only　one　will　rise　and　say；　〃I　know　nothing　of　this；〃　not　one　arose；
Both　the　houses　were　adjourned　and　the　aisles　and　lobbies　were　packed。
These　men　looked　at　each　other　grinning　and　looking　silly；　some　heartily
enjoying　it；　reminding　me　of　a　lot　of　bad　boys　that　were　caught　stealing
watermelons。　The　pages　and　visitors　yelled　and　waved　and　clapped
their　hands；　but　was　this　not　a　shame？　This　is　but　a　sample　of　the
legislatures
of　the　states。　Washington's　capitol　is　a　reproach　to　common
decency；　this　government　like　a　fish；　〃stinks　worse　at　the　head。〃

I　spoke　in　Austin；　Texas；　at　the　state　university。　When　I　arrived　in
the　city　I　was　met　by　〃Uncle　Tom〃　Murrah。　〃Uncle　Tom〃　is　a　true　type
of　the　old　fashion　gentleman。　Had　it　not　been　for　the　chivalry　of　this
dear　friend　I　expect　I　would　have　had　some　trouble　with　the　police　of
Austin。

I　went　into　a　saloon　and　was　led　out　in　very　forcible　manner　by　the
proprietor；　who　was　one　of　the　city　council。　I　stood　in　front　of　this
man's　man…trap　and　cried　out　against　this　outrageous　business。　The　man
kept　a　phonograph　going　to　drown　my　voice。　The　police　would　have
interfered　but　〃Uncle　Tom〃　told　me　to　say　what　I　pleased；　and　he　would
stand　by　me。　I　went　up　to　the　state　university　with　students　who　tried
to　get　a　hall　for　me　to　speak　to　them　but　they　could　not。　I　spoke　from　the
steps。　In　the　midst　of　the　speech　and　the　cheers　from　the　boys　I　heard　a
voice　at　my　side。　I　looked　and　there　stood　the　Principal；　Prexley　Prather。
He　was　white　with　excitement；　saying：　〃Madam；　we　do　not　allow
such。〃　I　said：　〃I　am　speaking　for　the　good　of　these　boys。〃　〃We
do　not　allow　speaking　on　the　campus。〃　I　said：　〃I　have　spoken　to　the
students　at　Ann　Arbor；　at　Harvard；　at　Yale；　and　I　will　speak　to　the　boys
of　Texas。〃　The　boys　gave　a　yell。　The　mail　man　was　driving　up　at　this
time。　The　horse　took　fright；　the　letters　and　papers　flew　in　every　direction。
The　man　jumped　from　the　sulky；　the　horse　ran　up　against　a　tree　and
was　stopped。　I　offered　to　pay　for　the　broken　shafts　but　the　mail　carrier
would　take　nothing。　There　was　no　serious　damage　and　all　had　a
good　laugh；　except；　perhaps；　the　dignified　principal。

When　I　visited　the　students　at　Ann　Arbor；　Mich。；　I　was　given　a　banquet
by　the　Woolley　club　of　the　university。　It　gave　me　new　life　to　look
at　such　men　of　intellectual　and　moral　force。　Oh！　for　such　men　to　be　the
fathers　of　the　rising　generation。　Just　such　men　as　these　will　save　the
Nation。　THESE　are　the　hatchets　that　will　smash　up　evil　and　build　up
good。

　One　cannot　help　but　compare　the　tobacco　smoking　dull　brained　sot…
tish　students　with　these　giants　of　moral　and　physical　manhood。　These
young　I　men　were　the　greatest　argument　in　favor　of　prohibition。　God
will　bless　the　Woolley　club　of　Ann　Arbor　and　all　such　as　they。


AT　HIGH　MASS；　BUFFALO；　OCT。　27

I　attended　High　Mass　in　St。　Joseph　Cathedral。　One　of　the　priests；
Mr。　Percell；　was　taking　up　the　collection。　He　came　to　where　I　was　sitting
but　the　smell　of　cigarette　smoke　was　so　strong　about　him　that　I　could
not　refrain　from　a　rebuke；　so　I　said：　〃You　smell　so　bad　from　cigarette
smoke。〃

He　said：　〃Who？〃

I　said：　〃You！〃

He　said：　〃You　are　a　liar！〃

I　said：　〃No　I　am　not；　you　do　smell　bad！〃

He　said：　〃I　will　have　you　put　out　of　this　church！〃

I　said：　〃I　dare　you！　You　are　the　one　that　should　be　put　out！〃

He　passed　on　and　after　Mass　I　went　into　the　house　of　the　priest's
and　asked　for　him。　He　could　not　be　found　but　two　priests　tried　to　make
excuses　and　treated　me　well。　Said　they　smoked。　I　told　them　God　said
for　them　to　cleanse　themselves　from　all　filthiness　of　the　flesh。　That　they
were　making　provisions　for　the　flesh　to　fulfill　the　lusts　thereof。　I　said：
〃What　a　shame　for　a　man　to　dress　like　a　saint　and　to　smell　like　a　devil！〃

One　thing　I　have　noticedthat　the　Catholic　schools　taught　by　the
Brothers　are　saturated　with　vile　tobacco　smoke。　I　would　not　like　to
send　a　son　to　such　a　place　for　that　reason　alone。　There　are　many　things
I　like　about　the　Catholic　church；　but　why；　oh；　why　is　it　so　silent　as　a
general
thing　on　the　liquor　traffic？　Why　are　so　many　of　its　members　in　this
devil's　work？　Oh！　what　a　retribution　will　be　theirs　when　it　will　be
proven　that　instead　of　clothing　the　naked　they　have　robbed　children　of
clothes。　Instead　of　feeding　the　hungry　they　have　allowed　them　to　starve
because　their　bread　was　taken　to　buy　drink。　They　sent　souls　to　prison
and　did　not　minister　to　them！




CHAPTER　XII。

WOMAN'S　SUFFRAGE


In　all　ages　woman　has　taken　an　active　part　in　the　defense　of　man。　She
is　the　best　defender　he　ever　had　on　earth；　because　she　is　his　mother。
True　mothers　think　more　of　the　interest　of　their　children　than　of　their
own。　God　intended　it　so；　All　animals　have　a　care　for　their　offspring。
The　hen　will　fight　the　hawk　or　dog；　even　man；　to　defend　her　little　chicks。
The　farmer's　wife　will　not　set　a　hen　the　second　time　that　will　not　fight
for　her　little　chickens。　Such　hens　are　taken　to　market。　I　have　heard
my　mother　say：　〃I　must　set　that　hen　again　for　she　is　such　a　good
mother。〃　The　mother　bear　will　die　fighting　for　her　cubs。　The　hunters
say　they　dislike　to　kill　her；　because　of　her　mother　love；　that　never　yields
up　those　two　little　cubs　that　she　places　behind　her；　and　then　fights　until
she　dies。　This　is　the　mother　love　of　a　brute；what　ought　to　be　that　of
the　human　family？

If　a　man　starts　a　ranch　to　raise　cattle　he　protects　the　females　in
raising　their　young。　He　will　kill　the　animals　that　will　destroy　his　stock；
and　if　he　produces　the　pelt　or　scalp　of　these　animals　the　state　pays　him　a
bounty。　How　is　it　with　the　human　mothers？　They　produce　the　most
valuable　offspring；　but　this　licensed　traffic　is　defended；　while　children
are　murdered　before　our　eyes　and　our　hands　are　tied　so　we　cannot　rescue
them。　No　one　will　say　but　that　woman　represents　more　morality　than　man；
also　that　the　mother　is　more　interested　in　the　children　than　the　father；
then　of　course；　the　party　who　has　the　most　care　and　love　should　be　allowed
the　largest　privilege　to　exercise　it。

America　claims　more　civilization　than　any　other　nation　on　earth。　In
the　main　this　is　so。　But　certainly　she　is　not　true　to　the　motherhood；　and
THIS　is　her　peril。。　Some　of　the　best　reigns　have　been　those　of　queens。
All　nations　have　had　their　women　rulers；　but　the　mothers　of　America
are　not　allowed　to　say　who　shall　be　the　ones　to　help　them　make　good
citizens　of　their　own　children；　while　their　bitter　foes　prey　upon　their
offspring　as　cannibals。　A　widow　with　six　sons　has　a　little　home。　She
is　taxed　the　same　in　proportion　as　the　brewer；　who　carries　on　the　human
butcher…shop　that　grinds　up　the　six　sons　of　the　widow。　He　and　his　crowd
（republicans　and　democrats）　have　the　ballot　that　smashes　the　poor
widow's　boys　and　takes　her　substance　to　prosecute　her　boys　after　they
are　made　criminals；　to　pay　for　their　arrest；　to　build　a　jail　for　them。　Her
heart　is　broken；　home　is　gone；　and　disgrace　is　hers。　To　accomplish　this
she　is　rendered　helpless　by　having　no　voice　or　ballot　to　protect　herself。
God　never　made　an　animal　that　he　did　not　give　it　some　means　of　defense。
While　I　am　writing　this　I　am　in　Bridgeport；　Connecticut。　I　find　this　a
city　of　eighty…two　thousand。　The　PRESIDENT　of　the　board　of　education　is
P。　W。　Wren；　who　is　president　of　the　Connecticut　Breweries　and　owner
of　one　of　the　largest　wholesale　whiskey　houses　in　the　state。　This　is　as
consistent　as　if　one　were　to　start　a　ranch　to　raise　chickens；　ducks；　pigs
and　calves　and　then　place　a　wolf　to　guard　them　from　harm；　The　business
of　the　brewer　is　to　sell　beer。　No　animal　but　mankind　will　use　this
rotten　slop；　for　the　others　by　instinct　know　it　is　poison。　No　man　would
let　his　horses　drink　it；　for　they　would　be　dangerous　instead　of　being
useful。　The　only　way　to　make　the　brewer's　business　profitable　is　to　have
boys　and　girls　as　consumers。　The　brewer　is　not　the　worst　to　blame。　It
is　the　voter。　Mothers　would　never　vote　for　such　a　man　to　be　the　public
guardian　of　the　morals　of　their　children。　All　liquor　men；　or　liquor
license　men；　are　opposed　to　woman's　suffrage；　for　the　reason　that　should
women　vote；　we　would　have　prohibition　or　abolition　of　the　vice。　The
women　saved　prohibition　in　Topeka　in　the　year　1903　by　five　hundred
majority；　while　it　would　have　been　lost　by　two　hundred　if　men　only　had
voted。　The　contest　was　between　the　WET　and　DRY　mayors。　Where　women
have　the　ballot；　even　in　municipal　affairs；　no　state　has　resubmitted　or
brought　back　the　saloon。　God　said：　〃It　is　not　good　for　man　to　be　alone。
I　will　make　him