MR J. G. WOOLLEY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12641, 31 October 1905, Page 8

MR J. G. WOOLLEY.

GREAT MEETING AT THE OPERA

HOUSE

A very large and enthusiastic audifcice assembled at the Opera House last evening, whan Mr. J. G. Wcolley, the celebrated American advocate of "no-license," delivered an address. The chair was occupied by Mr. GilVert Carson, and there were also present on the stage the Re\s. R. M. Ryburn, A, Dewdaey, and E. Drake. The meeting was opened with prayei by the Rev. E. Drake. Mr. Carson then introduced Mr Woolley, and in doing so said that the liquor trade in the colony would meet its Waterloo in four week's time. He was convinced of this from what he had seen in different parts of the colony which he had recently visited. Mr. Woolley was received enthusiastically. He said that the no-license question wias a gr«at one, with all the aspects of which he could not deal, He would endeavour to deal with the highest principles. He did not intend to speak on the financial aspects of the liquor question. New Zealand's drink bill amounted to 3£ millions, but . the money was ours to spend as we liked. It was not his duty to restrain us; perliaps we could afford to spend that ■amount on liquor. The liquor question vas a great financial question in America. They had a currency of 12 millions, and their drink bill amounted to a similar sum. He would not ■emphasise the question of suffering humanity—of how every year in the British Isles from 2000 to 2500 babies -ivere killed by being over-laid. Of these the majority were killed, on Saturday night or pay nights. Two thousand lost their lives in this colony -every year through drink. He said it ■was wrong in a democratic country to license open bars to_spread misery and debauchery among the people, and it -was the duty of every man and woman to cease their connection with the liquor partnership, for he held that ■everyone who voted for license was a partner in this most hellish of all businesses, and was responsible for the wrecks which were made by it. Mr. Woolley then spoke of no : license in America, and said that it had been & good success in the United States, .since 1351. when Maine voted no-license. Of course great difficulty had been experienced in enforcing the law in seaports and manufacturing towns, bat where the observance was unsatisfactory it was due to corrupt officials; it depended whether or not there was a red-nosed politician at the head of affairs". Never in the history of Maine •had the people been so enthusiastic in regard to no-license as they now were, and never were the hopes for the future so bright Dealing with the pamphlet ■which the liquor party in Wanganui was distributing, Mr. Woolley said Messrs. Rowntrea and Sherwill were nftver advocates of prohibition. The statement contained in the pamphlet -was not true, and the man who wrote it jknew that. It was true that 18 States had enforced it, and that 13 went back. Mi. W6olley then explained how this >vas brought about, showing that the American civil war had upset everything, and given to the young people a love for. liquor. Thus in ten years 13 States went back to license, but in the next ten years everyone of those 13 States agaia voted no-license, and a larger area had been added than was under the prohibition law before. The Irewers and distillers were howling in rsgo and fear because of the spread of the no-license proposition. That this -was so, Mr. Wool'ley read -extracts from recent liquor trade journals. "The Wine and Spirits Gazette," the leading trade paper in the States .in an editorial, said: "Unfortunately it cannot bo denied that the sale of intoxicating Jianor is prohibited by law over a greate.*~ portion of the area of the United States than at any time since the law- came into effect in Main© in IHSI. In the Southern States whole ■counties are as dry as a boho, so far as the public sale of liquor is concern<ed." Then the "Wine and Spirit J*ews" said: "Seldom if ever has there been a time when the trade has been

menaced by so many dangers as now -threaten them." Then this was from -the "Wine and Spirit Circular" : "A wave of prohibition is sweeping over this country from one y end to the other, that threatens to engulph the' entire -whiskey enterprise, and it is growing ■daily, and towns, ,counties, and cities ~are being, added to those in which -whisky cannot bo sold legitimately.'' This was . from. the .'. 'Liquor Gazette: •"There are 775 counties and 4233 towns sunder prohibition." This, said Mr, TWoolley, showed that the liquor party aneed not quote America as showing, the .non-success of prohibition. With regard to arrests for drunkenness, Mr. Woolley said it all depended upon the ;manner in which the law was enforced. In a prohibition town the police were .stricter than in. say, New York. "This jpamphlet," said Mr. Woolley, holding -up the circular sent out: by the liquor 3>arty, ''reminds hie of the story about -the boy whose mother made both sides «df hia pants so much alike that when anyone met him on the road, they could not tell whether he was going to or Jrom school. On one side of the pamphlet it was stated that prohibition «<lid not prohibit, and on the other side it was stated that it did absolutely. It -was a casa of "You pay your money :and you take your choice." General Dow had never gone back on prohibition, but had advocated it till the time of his death. If prohibition increased the sale of liquor, why should the publicans worry?—the more districts -there were under prohibition the more liquor* would they sell. Then it was .said prohibition would make men ■sneaks. It would do nothing of the .-sort. It would make sneaks • sneaks. "Why was it that no-license was growing in New Zealand? Why was it that ■Clutha clung to it, and her neighbours .adopted it? The 'people of New Zealand tv-ere not fools, and knew what benefit *vas being derived. Mr. Woolley then went on to say that it was difficult to lcnow whom to blame. Tba drinker -was more sinned against than sinning in many cases. Something should be done for these men. " While the Salvation Army and missionaries were saving one man, one woman, on© boy from tn© -stream of wreck and ruin from the public houses, the drink was getting twelve victims. The doctors were now -coming to the assistance, and the leading authorities were tolling that alcohol was a poison. In the United States every school teacher was obliged ito teach that alcohol was a poison, and -we should see that this was done in USTew Zealand. But something more than this should be done. The people should vote no-license in order to make it easier for .thosa who desired to quit -drink. Mr. Woolley remarked at this stage that it was amazing to notice tho advance no-license reform had made since ho was in New Zealand fom years ago. Then he proceeded to speak of the publican, and heaped upon him withering sarcasm and pitying scorn. After painting a picture of the misery which came to those upon whom the publican fattened, Mr. Woolley said if ■a gin shopkeeper reflected upon what he ■vvas doing, and had done, he would go mad. But he became callous and never thought that he was robbing a poor woman or sick children. He never thought that in order to clothe his -wife in silk and deck her with diamonds he was robbing his customer's wife oi lier poor calico garments. The publiblinded. Alcohol hardened liis bralnT It was the greatest hardener Of tissue. That was why scientists put

snakes, etc., in it to preserve them. Then the publican could never obtain from his business the joy of reflecting that by Irs day's work somebody had been helped or bettered. And then when he sees his boys come stuttering, staggering, slobbering, stinking into tho house, and pity him. And when he sees his daughter marry one of his customers, and sees her bury her epileptic, idiotic babe, God pity him. And it I could do it, I would not vote to place1 a feather-weight on the drink-seller. His punishment is sufficient. There is no class of men loses so many boys as the drink-seller. Mr. Woolley then showed that it was in the power.of the people to say whether licenses should bo granted or not. "Three-fifths of you can say that no liquor" shall be sold. The people of this country are responsible. You say '1 am only one.' Yes, but what kind cf a one are you ? That's the problem. How much of a one? You say, Can we put down the drink traffic in New- Zealand ? Yes, unless God dies. How long? I don't know. But it will only take you halt a minute to" put down your fraction of it at the polling booth. There are 200,000 voters in the colony. To your baud, sir, madam, is entrusted one three-hundredth part of the sovereignty and virtue of the colony, and you must exercise your privilege at the ballotbox. By tho grace of God you can prohibit your one three-hundredth part of the sovereignty of the colony being prohibited by going into that business: • Mr. Woolley held his audience in wrapt attention throughout. At the conclusion, questions were invited. Mr. Woolley was asked whether it was not a fact that in Kansas and Levinwoith intoxicating liquor was sold opanly. He said that it oould be obtained, but he pointed out that one place was adjoining . license territory, and the other was adjoining a military camp. He had just got a letter from the Governor of Kansas, which was sufficient answer to the question. The Governoi said, "By any fair measure of reckoning, it has been a great and glorious success." Mr. Woolley advised his questioner to write to the Governors^?! Dakota, Kansas, or Maine, or any United States Congress, and he would get back word that prohibition was a good success in every one of those cities. He considered that local option was preferable to colonial option. He referred to what" he termed a silly article in that night's "Herald," and sa.d.thaifc tho paper's arguments might hold good if the legislators of New Zealand had no sense. " , With regard to the statement that an American journalist named Leffingwell had, in an interview with the "New Zealand Herald," stated that prohibition had been a Failure in the United States, Mr. Woolley said he had never heard of Mr. Leffingwell. He knew, however, that the interview referred to was not a genuine interview. What purported to be so was a ' fake interview published in the Auckland "Herald" at advertisement rates. (Applause.) The meeting, which was most enthusiastic, closed with the customary complimentary votes and the Benediction.