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SPARKS EROTI THE SPEAKERS
EARTS were mellow and reverent that
morning. It was the day when the leg
alized liquor traffic in Georgia was on
trial for its life. The custom of nearly
two centuries was about to be over
thrown. Interest on both sides was in
tense beyond the telling. Never in the
history of the state had any measure
H
- before the people awakaened half the
interest of this question which made the air electric
from the mountains to the sea.
< ’hapiain Parks prayed with great earnestness
and unction ’.hat the law-makers that day might
be guided to do that thing which would bring real
peace and prosperity to the souls and bodies and
lives of men, and boa blessing to their children’s
children.
A Mountain of Amendments.
Tt was said that in response to Napoleon’s last
call to his countrymen, “Men and arms seemed to
rise from the earth and fall from the sky.”
Amendments to the State Prohibition bill came
in awful multitude, but it was evident from their
obstructive intentions that most of them “rose
from the tai th” —certainly they did not fall from
Ihe sky. Amendments to let druggists handle liquor;
to submit the question to a general election: to post
pone the execution of the bill before the
House until January 1, 1909; substitutes for the
bill outright, et cetera, until thirteen amendments
and substitutes piled up like a mountain before
the bill on which all eyes were fixed —eyes of legis
lators and supporters there in the House of Repre
sentatives, and actual millions of eyes beyond the
door —for the galleries were closed that day and
the people who owned the capitol watched in the
corridors, walked on the lawn and stood on tip-toe
all over Georgia and the regions beyond eager for
the tidings that would tell of the overthrow of rum
and ruin!
Seaborn Wright Begins.
The first gun of the argument was fired by the
eloquent Roman, Seaborn Wright, Chairman of
the House Temperance Committee, whose ringing
voice called on his colleagues to stand together. He
discussed the “unlucky thirteen” amendments that
had been offered, and called them ‘ 1 Trojan horses ’'
whose admission into the favorable consideration
of the prohibition forces would mean death and de
struction to the usefulness of the measure. His
voice rang clear and musical as the chime of silver
bells, and his speech of twenty and one-half min
utes was the tocsin that called to unity and victory.
Adams, of Chatham, Replies.
Pratt Adams, of Savannah, young, handsome and
brilliant, spoke with a grace and fervor that made
a friend of young manhood feel like crying. He
longed to see a young man of such promise on
the right side. He chided Mr. Wright for using
the caucus lash and urged men to be “free.”
He told of Savannah’s “peculiar situation,” and
declared that however much good citizens might
deplore the fact it would be impossible to enforce
a prohibition law.
McMullan, of Hart.
“I am a plain farmer, but I am deeply interested
in the welfare of Atlanta and all other cities. There
should be no classes among our people. We are
equal citizens of one glorious country. Talk about
revenue! We’ll give you revenue —a revenue of
brains —if you will take away the liquor that de
spoils our manhood and clouds the li\ es of our
children.”
Munday, of Polk.
“I have always been a local optionist, but my
oath to vote for the best interest of all the people
compels me to vote for this bill The true meaning
of government is to legislate for the greatest good
to the greatest number.
“When the saloon is open it is open for the de
struction of our boys. As a young man loving my
Echoes From the Great Prohibition Debate in the Georgia Legislature.
The Golden Age for August 8, 1907.
William D. Upshalv.
country and the young men that make it, I vote
for this bill that will sweep so much open tempta
tion from them.” Thus Mercer’s former baseball
captain eschewed all “fouls” and knocked a
“home run”’
The Gentleman from Milledgeville.
Mr. Uir.es, of Baldwin, who does not represent the
majority of his constituents, spoke for fifteen min
utes against the “drastic” bill. He said it was a
man’s duty to represent his honest convictions in
stead of yielding to the wishes of the people who
sent him there. And there the fine point of a legis
lator’s province and duty was raised for all en
piiring minds.
Burkhalter Has Pity.
Mr. Burkhalter of Tatnall expressed pity for the
poor, misguided “antis” who have been unable to
“see the point”—the educational point between the
“ whiskeyized ” cities and the rural folk concerning
the liquor tax. He declared that the poor, neglect
ed country children about whom the liquor men seem
so anxious, have been getting almost nothing, com
paratively, from the whiskey tax!
“Money will not settle it. With all the money
they have been getting from it the cities are still
morally degenerate, and we country folks who have
learned how to control ourselves, propose to
maul the knowledge into you city folks by tak
ing temptation from you, if you won’t learn it any
other way.”
Heard Is Heard.
A gray-haired man with a clear head and a clear
voice, J. P. Heard, of the big county of Dooly,
spoke against the bill.
“I want to do right—l am the keeper of my own
conscience, but I cannot see it as you gentlemen
see. I believe in local option. Ido not believe that
one county ought to try to control another. I am
compelled to vote against State prohibition.”
Estes, of Pierce, Against It.
Coming from near the State line and the “black
belt,” Mr. Estes, of Pierce, feared the consequences
for his county. He believed in the “Democratic
doctrine of home rule” and was against “drastic
sumptuary laws” that confiscate property and seek
to legislate morals and sobriety into people.
“The Atlanta Spirit Not Alcohol.”
Mr. Massengale, of Warren, another young man
of stirring speech, answered commercial argument
of the “Antis.”
“Business hurt? The very idea! I do not be
lieve that 90 per cent of the boasted ‘Atlanta spir
it’ is composed of alcohol. I come from the first
county in the state that ever lifted the white ban
ner of Prohibition in Georgia. She has prospered
in sobriety, in morality and in commercial growth.
Let all of Georgia follow the leadership of old War
ren, the Prohibition pioneer.”
Shaw’s First Speech.
A young man from Clay county said with great
earnestness: “This is my first speech in the Legis
lature, and while I am not used to speaking to a
body of wise men like this, I count it a privilege
in the highest or the humblest place to lift my voice
against such an insidious and horrible evil as the
legalized liquor traffic. All men, and especially all
young men, should never debate the matter when
there is a question between right and wrong. In
this great battle between saloons and no saloons,
I count it the privilege of a lifetime to speak and
vote against saloons.”
And after such a speech the writer would not
have cared if the young man from Clay county had
been named “Upshaw” instead of Shaw.
‘ ‘ Deathbed Repentance. ’ ’
Claud Smith, of Campbell, said: “The enemies
of this bill one time cried out eloquently against a
jug law to prevent wet counties from shipping li
quor into dry counties, and now they seem mighty
anxious for a jug law, but I don’t believe much in
death-bed repentance.
“Economic argument? Atlanta gets about SIOO,-
000 a year out of her liquor tax. Think of it! If you
will take the 500 men actively engaged in the sa
loon and brewery business in Atlanta and employ
them in some productive business it will put
into legitimate circulation far more than the amount
of the liquor tax. And if you will add to this the
labor of all the men and women actually disabled
on account of the liquor thus sold you will have a
million dollars more in wholesome circulation.”
Claude Smith added lustre to the unusual name
he bears.
A Doctor From Cherokee.
Dr. R. M. Moore, of Cherokee, said: “I am for
law, I am for morality, I am for temperance, I am
for religion; but I don’t believe this bill will help
the cause of either. I would vote for prohibition
in Cherokee county, but I am against a sweeping
State measure like this.” And people wondered why
a law that is good for one county would not be
better for the whole Stae.
Anderson Wants Election.
Bulloch’s representative, J. J. E. Anderson, has
the gifts of the real orator. It would have sounded
mighty well on the right side. He spoke for his
amendment, calling for a State election.
A Veteran and a Scholar.
One of Muscogee’s representatives is Prof. J. J.
Slade, who is a scholar and a gentleman—but woe
fully mistaken. Being on the State line he natural
ly is afraid of what Alabama will do, forgetting
that Alabama is getting ready to follow Georgia in
driving liquor out.
Prof. Slade was classical in his speech and gal
lant in his manner and how we would have rejoiced
to see his erudition and his chivalry used to fight
the great enemy of our homes.
Speaker Pro Tern Speaks.
J. B. Jackson, of Jones, the popular young
Speaker pro tern, made a stirring speech.
They claim that this law is too drastic. In
God’s name I ask, was any law ever effective that
was not drastic? Local option is now only a sub
terfuge behind which liquor dealers rejoice to hide.
My county has been drained and cursed by the
liquor -soaked county of Bibb. Let us wipe out
the whiskey monopoly fostered by these liquor cen
ters ! ”
“Prometheus Bound.”
“Today some here are called upon to act between
duty and inclination, and with all kindness for those
who differ with me, in my opinion all prohibition
ists who dally now are dastards and those who
doubt are damned.
Georgians for two centuries have been con
fined like Prometheus upon the rock, while the
eagles of dissipation and damnation have been gnaw
ing their vitals out.
“It has been charged that some members are
fearful of their constituents. I know not how oth
ers may be, but I am the keeper of my own con
science. Yet lam happy to say that the people of
Screven whom I have the honor to represent agree
with me in condemning this nefarious liquor traf
fic; so—
“ ‘However strait may be the gate,
How charged with punishment the scroll
I am the master of my fate,
I am the Captain of my soul:’
“And I am for this bill with all my heart.”
Thus spoke H. S. White, of the county of Screven
and everybody agreed that his speech was “white”
clear through.
Huie Causes Surprise.
He was small of stature and unostentatious in ap
pearance. That means that he didn’t look like he
could make a very big speech. But he did. He was
(Concluded on Page Seven.)