the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第33节

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Suffrage　is　not　to　give　woman　greater　opportunities　to　be　bad　but　to
strengthen　their　powers　to　resist　evil　and　help　men　to　do　the　same。　To
cause　her　to　think　more　of　the　inmates　of　her　home　than　her　raiment。
Woman's　greatest　sins　and　vices　are　those　of　vanity　of　appearance　and
dress　to　attract　or　please　their　male　companions。　The　prostitutes　do
the　same　thing。　Women　should　be　taught　to　avoid　the　arts　of　such。
When　I　see　a　woman　arrayed　as　I　do　these　women　in　these　homes　of
sin　I　think；　〃There　is　sympathy。〃



CHAPTER　XIII。

ECHOES　OF　THE　HATCHET。

MRS。　NATION　AND　THE　SALOON。


It　was　a　crisis　in　prohibition　enforcement　in　Kansas。　The　first
smashing　was　like　the　opening　of　a　battle。　The　crashing　glass　sent　a
thrill　through　the　community　and　resounded　o'er　the　land　a　talisman　of
destruction　to　the　liquor　traffic。　It　set　everybody　to　talking；　even　the
public　school　children　and　students　in　all　the　higher　institutions　were
profoundly　interested。　The　press　and　the　pulpit　broke　their　silence　and　from
all　over　the　state　came　the　echo。　It　was　the　firing　of　the　signal　guns。
The　response　came　desultory；　as　the　rattle　of　musketry　in　a　skirmish；
then　heavier　from　the　bigger　guns；　as　is　the　case　in　all　reformatory　work。
The　criticisms　and　comments　were　varied；　often　amusing；　reflecting　the
agitation　from　far　and　near　and　everywhere。

A　few　months　ago　and　the　name　of　Mrs。　Nation　was　unknown　outside
of　Medicine　Lodge；　Kansas；　but　within　the　limits　of　sixty　days　she
has　achieved　notoriety；　if　not　fame；　by　her　unique　crusade　against　the
Kansas　saloon。　Many　methods　have　been　adopted　during　the　last
two　decades　for　the　abatement　of　the　liquor　nuisance；　but　it　remained
for　an　American　woman；　under　the　spur　of　bitter　memories；　and　a　sort
heart；　to　originate　a　method；　at　once　so　bold　and　radical　as　to　sharply
focus　public　attention　upon　the　utter　villainy　and　lawlessness　of　the　Kansas
saloon。

As　was　to　be　expected；　Mrs。　Nation　has　been　subjected　to　unhandsome
treatment。　A　section　of　the　press　and　the　pulpit　have　joined
forces　with　the　rum　brigade　in　holding　her　up　to　ridicule。　She　has　been
burlesqued；　abused　and　belied；　but　when　all　the　facts　are　soberly　and　fairly
weighed；　it　will　be　found　that　the　scale　of　justice　inclines；　very　positively；
toward　this　sorely　tried　woman　and　her　hatchet。　I　do　not　pose
as　Mrs。　Nation's　champion　or　apologist；　she　needs　neither。　History
that　corrects　the　blunders　of　contemporary　critics；　will　assign　to　her　an
honored　place　long　after　the　paltry　penny…a…liner　and　ranting　pulpiteer
are　forgotten。　It　is　a　simple　task　for　those　to　whom　the　curse　of　rum
has　never　come　close　home；　to　condemn　the　methods　of　a　woman；　who；
as　a　drunkard's　wife　and　widow；　drank　to　the　dregs　the　bitter　cup　of　woe。
Mrs。　Nation　saw　her　brilliant　and　handsome　young　husband　slowly　transformed
into　a　demon　by　rum。　She　saw　him　land　in　an　early　and　dishonored
grave。　She　saw　her　baby　cursed　by　the　father's　sin。　She　saw
her　early　hopes　blighted；　and　poverty　haunting　her　door。　She　saw　a
favorite　sister　grieving　her　heart　out　over　a　fallen　husbandfallen　in
purse；　in　character；　and　station。　With　this　black　catalogue　of　domestic
griefs　〃deep　printed　on　her　heart；〃　is　there　a　mansurely　there　is　no
woman！who　could　blame　Mrs。　Nation；　if　she　turned　upon　the　guilty
gang　who　had　blighted　her　life　and　smote　them　right　and　left。　When
the　infernal　record　of　rum　is　recalled；　it　is　not　so　surprising　that　there
is　one　Mrs。　Nation；　but　that　there　is　not　one　in　every　home　in　the　United
States。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　M。　N。　BUTLER。


A　CONTRIBUTION　TO　HOME　FOR　DRUNKARD'S　WIVES。

Dear　Madam：I　see　you　have　purchased　property　to　make　a　home　for
drunkard's　wives。　I　send　you　five　dollars　to　aid　you。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours　very　truly；
Oakwood；　Ills。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　JACOB　F。　ILER。


I　hope　thousands　will　follow　the　example　of　this　man。　Oh！　how
the　cry　comes　in：　〃I　want　a　place　in　your　Home。　My　husband　or　son
is　a　drunkard。〃　Help　the　poor　innocent　results　of　the　licensed　curse。

Persons　have　often　remarked；　〃How　did　you　feel；　when　you　went
in　these　places。　Imagine　a　burning　house；　a　frantic　mother；　for　her　heart
treasures；　her　babes；　are　in　that　building。　She　hears　their　cries；　she　sees
their　little　arms；　waving　behind　the　closed　window；　amid　the　smoke
that　soon　will　be　a　flame。　She　seizes　an　axe　or　hatchet　near　at　hand；
with　which　she　breaks　open　door　or　window　to　let　her　darlings　escape。
Is　there　a　mother　in　all　the　land　that　would　not　act　thus？　The　mighty
ocean；　in　its　anger　is　lashing　a　frail　vessel；　storm　tossed；　the　captain
orders　the　cannon　to　boom！　boom！　boom！　arousing　and　calling　for　help
to　save　the　crew。　We　amputate　the　diseased　limb　with　a　knife；　we　pull
the　aching　tooth　with　an　instrument　of　steel。　〃Why？　In　order　to　save。
Just　so；　the　people　are　asleep；　while　our　precious　ones　are　in　danger　of
being　engulfed　in　ruin。　The　smashing　is　a　danger　signal；　and　I　kept
it　up；　to　prevent　the　people　from　relaxing　into　indifference；　just　as　a
frantic；　living　mother　would　think　only　of　the　salvation　of　those　she
loved。


AN　APPEAL　TO　THE　NATIONAL　PROHIBITION　COMMITTEE　TO　CONCENTRATE　THE
FORCES　IN　KANSAS。

（Emmett　L。　Nichols；　Wilkesbarre；　Pa。）

It　is　a　fact　beyond　dispute；　that　wherever　prohibition　is　carried　in　a
state；　the　liquor　dealers'　association　of　the　nation　in　a　menacing　manner
demands　the　dominant　party　in　such　state　that　she　sees　to　it　that　liquor
is　allowed　to　be　sold　in　enough　places；　at　least；　to　make　it　appear　that
prohibition　is　a　failure；　they　knowing　that　the　people　once　made　to　see
the　beneficial　effects　of　prohibition　will　adopt　it　generally；　as　the　true
solution　of　the　liquor　question；　as　it　really　is；　all　other　methods　having
been　proven　to　be　absolute　failures。　The　politicians　fearing　the　influence
of　the　power　of　rum；　organized　as　it　is；　for　self　defense　yield　to　the
demands　of　liquorocracy。　Mrs。　Carrie　Nation　has　shown　this　to　be　the
true　state　of　affairs　in　Kansas　in　her　hatchet　raid　upon　the　joints　of　that
state。　She　has　shown　up　to　public　ridicule　the　officials　of　that　state；　in
different　places；　in　demonstrating　the　fact　that　they　not　only　refuse　to
enforce　the　prohibition　law；　but　screen　and　protect　the　violators　thereof；
and　arrest　any　citizen　who　attempts　to　perform　the　duty　which　they　were
sworn　to　perform。　This　state　of　affairs　is　most　exasperating　to　every
lover　of　country。　I　contend　that　Mrs。　Nation's　hatchet　has　been　the
means　of　bringing　about　the　most　critical　period　of　the　prohibition　reform
movement　in　its　history。　It　has　laid　open　before　the　world　the　fact　that
prohibition　does　not　prohibit　in　certain　portions　of　Kansas；　simply　because
public　officials　in　violation　of　their　oath　of　office　will　to　have　it　so。　Now
I　further　contend　that　unless　these　officials　are　forced　to　prohibit　in
Kansas；　prohibition　will　eventually　be　repealed　in　that　state；　and　the　way
thereby　made　all　the　more　difficult　for　the　triumph　of　the　truth　if　the
officials　of　Kansas　are　allowed　to　continue　their　work　of　perfidy　in　refusing
to　enforce　the　prohibition　laws　there；　prohibition　will　not　only　be
repealed　in　that　state；　but　the　securing　of　national　prohibition　by　peaceful
means　will　be　an　impossibility。　Viewing　the　conditions　in　Kansas
as　I　do；　I　am　moved　to　make　this　appeal　to　the　National　Committee　of
the　prohibition　party　to　concentrate　its　forces　in　that　state；　with　the　view
of　arousing　sufficient　sentiment　among　the　people　there　to　drive　every
〃joint〃　from　within　her　borders。　〃On　to　Kansas〃　should　be　the　battle
cry　of　the　prohibitionists　of　the　nation。　It　is　more　important　that
the　will　of　the　sovereign　power　in　Kansas　be　enforced　in　the　matter　of
prohibition　than　it　was　on　the　principle　of　the　squatter　sovereignty　there
during　the　days　of　slavery。　It　seems　to　me　that　it　is　the　bounden　duty
of　the　National　Prohibition　Committee　to　make　this　fight。　I　fail　to　see
any　work　within　its　grasp　comparing　in　importance　to　it。　The　agitation
which　Mrs。　Nation　created　with　her　hatchet　is　bound　to　subside　unless
some　organization；　having　the　cause　at　heart　will　take　the　matter　in　hand
and　add　fuel　to　the　fire　of　righteous　indignation　which　has　been　sweeping
the　state。　The　National　Prohibition　Committee　can　not　afford　to
look　on　letting　matters　take　their　course。　The　time　has　arrived　for　action
on　its　part；　that　it　may　set　the　example　before　the　world　what　the　party
it　represents　will　do　if　placed　in　power。　The　very　soul　of　every
prohibitionist
in　the　nation　ought　to　be　on　fire　in　a　determined　fight　for　the
triumph　of　prohibition　in　bleeding　Kansas。　I　believe　the　struggle　being
had　there　now　means　more；　either　for　the　weal　or　woe　of　this　country；
than　did　the　struggle　against　slavery　on　the　same　soil　by　John　Brown
and　his　followers。

National　Prohibition　Committee；　I　repeat；　〃On　to　bleeding　Kansas！〃


A　CO…LABORER　IN　TEXAS　WRITES。

Columbia；　Texas；　February　23；　1901。　Mrs。　Carrie　Nation；　Topeka；
Kansas。Dear　Madame　and　Co…　Laborer　in　the　Cause　of　HumanityI
have　thought　for　some　time　that　I　would　write　to　you；　but　knowing　that
you　were　burdened　with　correspondence　I　have　put　it　off　from　time