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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- 9