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of the few thousands of dollars which it seeks to
have deducted from its tax assessment, it surely
would not have engaged at this time in a struggle
for supremacy over a powerful rival in the lighting
field, it cannot, without the greatest audacity,
claim special consideration and liberality at the
hands of this citv at this stage. It may not be
HON. WALTER W. SHEPPARD’S GREAT SPEECH.
A sensational feature of Hon. Walter W. Shep
pard's speech in this city last Wednesday evening
was Ihe direct, positive assertion that Congressman
Edwards in a desperate attempt to succeed him
self has compromised his manhood by patronizing
both the Prohibitionists and the Local Optionists.
Air. Sheppard charged that in a letter to Rev.
E. C. J. Dickens of Vidalia, Congressman Edwards
told that gentleman that he was a Prohibitionist in
both theory and practice, and that he favored an
anti-jug law; while at the same time he was pas
sing as a Local Optionist among the people of Bul
lock, Chatham and Emanuel, where sentiment
against the Prohibition law is strong.
Air. Sheppard said that “Charlie” belonged to
that class of politicians who act upon the principle
that the people arc fools and will trade with that
man, vote for that man, hire that lawyer, take that
doctor's medicine and eat with that man who talk
to suit them, whether he himself believes in the
doctrine he preaches or not.
“The idea” said he “that we can make the
people believe we are true whether so or not be
longs to the Dark Ages, but not to the present.
He said that a man once caught a coon and
called three boys in to look at it on the condition
that the one answering his cpiestions most satisfac
torily should be given the coon. He asked one of
them whether he was a Democrat, Republican, Popu
list, Socialist or Independant; and the reply was
that he was anything to get the coon.
“Now Charlie Edwards may not know it,
friends,” said Air. Sheppard “but he has told every
body in this District, as best he can, that he is any
thing to get the nomination to Congress.”
Air. Sheppard wanted to know where Air. Ed
wards would stand when the anti-jug law comes up
in Congress. Would he vote, as he had promised
Brother Dickens to vote, to take the right of a State
away to say whether it shall deal with local affairs
in its own way? Or would he vote as he had prom
ised the people of Bulloch and Chatham to vote —
vote to defeat the anti-jug law?
Prohibition, Local Option.
Os his own position on the Prohibition, Local
Option question Air. Sheppard said:
THE REASON
generally known, but it is authoritatively vouched
for, that the Savannah Electric Company even goes
out of the State to points as far as Boston and
Indianapolis or Alinneapolis for stenographers and
bookkeepers and clerks. One would imagine that
men and women competent for such positions as
these might be found in or around Savannah.
“I have always believed that local option was
the best method of dealing with the sale of alco
holic stimulants, because it recognizes the right of
the people to govern themselves; the principle of
local self government, home rule, one of the under
lying principles of a democratic form of government.
When these stimulants are voted out by the people
the law will have the moral sentiment of the people
behind it and its observance or enforcement is as
sured. The last legislature passed a law prohibiting
the manufacture and sale of all alcoholic stimulants
except pure alcohol. But I believe it is too drastic
and should be so amended as to permit the people
to have these stimulants for use in their families for
medicinal purposes if they desire them. Prohibition
means that you shall not have them for any purpose.
The present law even prohibits you from making a
little wine from your grapes or berries. Prohi
bition in its full meaning prohibits the having of a
little wine for your cake, for the butter sauce for
your pudding and forbids the making of the Christ
mas eggnog. There are good uses to which these
stimulants in the past have been put, and there is
nothing in the Bible which prohibits their use. But
on the contrary their use is recommended for the
sick and the afflicted, the aged and the infirm. I
have within my own observation seen these uses.
“I know that the abuse of these privileges is, as
it always has been, a great evil in the sight of Al
mighty God, and to the individual who indulges in
their excess, and I would gladly do anything in my
power to eradicate the excesses and abuses of them.
Some say that these things should be prohibited be
cause they are temptations. So are chickens a temp
tation to a theiving negro to steal, but you would
not prohibit the raising of chickens in order to re
move the temptation. You prosecute the crime and
pursue the criminal. This is a question of morals
and I do not believe that it is possible to legislate
morals into the mind of any one. This must come
through the influence of the home, around the family
fireside, in the schools, and through the churches and
the saving grace of Almighty God.
“I am not arguing the cause of the traffic of the
trafficker in them, for I am a temperate and sober
man, my life has proven it. But this question is an
issue in the campaign, and I would feel dishonest
with myself, with you and with my Creator if I did
not define my position in this matter. Ido not con-
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