The Use and Need of the Life of Carry A. Nation
We want to prohibit the tyranny and unlawfulness in preventing woman
from a voice in the Government, Compulsory education, no games on
Lord's Day, no profanity on the highways.
There are good, loyal prohibitionists in the Anti-Saloon League, but
those who control it are generally there for the salary. Being usually
Republicans who by their ballot prove themselves to be the strongest
advocates for license, they are hindering the true principle of
prohibition. Their votes combine to perpetuate the saloon.
The great thing to be accomplished is to elect a Prohibition President,
as long as we have one in favor of license it is useless to expect
prohibition by the government. The Anti-Saloon League tacitly effects
the perpetuation of a license government and in that they have been traitors,
we warn the people against them. If anyone is a real prohibitionist
they will vote it. The Prohibition Party is really the only party that is
loyal to Republican principles, protecting and saving the home from this
onslaught. There is not a saloon vote in our party, which can be said of
no other. 'Tis the only deliverance from this bloody slaughter. This "covenant
with death, and agreement with Hell and refuge of lies." I took
on a Republican voter as a man with bloody hands as Benedict Arnold
carried in his boot the paper of treachery, so is a licensed vote in the
hand of a voter.
We will so far as possible perfect this organization in all the States.
I am owner and Editor of the 'Hachet' of Guthrie. A paper on straight
lines. The paper is only 25c a year. I ask all my friends to subscribe for
this paper, by sending to 'Hatchet', or office of Prohibition Federation,
Guthrie, Oklahoma. I will publish full instructions in the Hatchet so
that any prohibitionist so desiring, can perfect an organization in any
vicinity. This is in perfect harmony with all efforts for annihilation of
the manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquors for any purpose. The
constitution gives all the largest liberty to do that which is right and none
at all or the smallest to do that which is wrong. I feel much relieved to.
get into more definite work, rather than going hither and thither completing
nothing substantial.
Almighty God and His people help this breaking heart. "Give us
Oklahoma or we die," or are willing to die to save this land of the beautiful.
Oklahoma will be a leader. We want a strait path to the election of
a Prohibition President. If we can make our efforts a success, in the
territories, then this will be the greatest impetus all over. We will not
hinder any prohibition movement, we only go to the bottom, laying the ax
(or hatchet) at the root of the tree, for we can not succeed by prohibiting
intoxicants as a beverage alone, which is what the prohibition party up to
this time propose to do. ANNIHILATION is the only principle or true definition
of prohibition. 'Tis dangerous to let any of it survive. The advantages
of being a resident of Oklahoma will be so great, that, like the promised
land to the children of Israel, there will be an exodus from the
Egyptain bondage. The degraded and vicious will then leave the place
where their facility of engaging in all villainy and corruption is gone,
Mothers and Fathers often say, "O for a place where I can raise my children
where there is no saloons!" Oklahoma will answer the cry. What an
outrage is perpetrated by this Rum-soaked government in not allowing us
to have statehood! There is a cause and the people will find it out
Republicans know, that, when we do get statehood their allies the Trusts
will not be allowed to rob us and that we will not be at their mercy and
their appointees. I beg the financial aid of all, with plenty of money we
can publish literature showing up the horrors of a rum president. Roosevelt's
strong hold is his duplicity and schemes. He has signed the bill
licensing the curse on the poor Alaskan. This wholesale murder with the
awful lie that it is to build schools and roads. Oh, this gigantic murder
Nero was not worse.
I went to Medicine Lodge Feb. 15th, to see my friends, and lecture.
No one knew I was coming, got there between twelve and one at night,
train late. I got in the buss saw no one, was the only passenger, the
chimneys were off the lamps from the jolting and there was danger. I
tried to fix them. The driver had not made his appearance up to this
time. A man rushed in at the door, cursing, took my head in his two
hands, threw me out of the door, using profane and indecent language.
He was reeking with the smell of liquor. I was surprised and terrified,
not knowing any reason for this. The conductor, Mr. Knight, took me
in his carriage up to Mrs. Martin's. My friends said the outrage
was such that I ought to make complaint, which was done. Sam
Griffith, that was my old enemy, was still prosecuting attorney. He refused
to prosecute Bill Hall, the buss driver, one of the most disreputable
infidel vulgar character in the town, if not the worst, a tool of Jim Gano
the one who was republican sheriff when I was smashing in the county,
and the manager of the buss line. Bill Hall's lawyer was Poly Tincher,
the son-in-law of Southworth, the drug-store jointist here, who at this
time had an injunction served against him for selling liquor. There were
six jurymen called, mostly of the caliber, that suited this lawless, rum-
defending class of Medicine Lodge. They said Bill Hall was right, because
I snatched a cigar out of his mouth. I did not even see one. This
reminds me of a case where one would bring suit for injury in hell where
the devil was the judge, and expect to get a verdict for the defiance. The
indignation of the people at this insult has resulted in the election of other
officers. Jesus went to Nazareth and they tried to throw him over the
brow of the hill, still he had followers from Galilee.
This Republican rum God defying set of Medicine Lodge, were glad
to resent my exposure of them in my book and they would inflict any outrage
on me or my cause. I was glad to see that this was opening the
eyes and mouths of the best element. I can suffer if the people wake up.
I am appointed for this. "The world hateth me because I testify of it
that the works thereof are evil. Marvel not that the world hates you ye
know that it hated me before it hated you."
FINALE.
I again ask that as you read my book you will often pray for me
and this great cause of humanity. We are organizing Prohibition Federations
and I here give the Constitution and By-Laws of this movement.
Annihilation is the only method of dealing with intoxicating drinks and
never will this question be settled except by prohibiting it for any purpose.
Any one can send to our office in Shawnee and get the necessary literature
to organize. This is not to cause any friction in the prohibition party
for we are in hearty cooperation with all thorough workers.
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE PROHIBITION FEDERATION.
PREAMBLE.
Trusting in Almighty God and our Savior Jesus Christ as the source
of all true government, and seeing the necessity of an organization that
will materialize votes and secure the election of officers who will pledge
themselves to the utter annihilation of the liquor traffic, we call on all
men, women and children to join this organization, which shall be known
as the "Prohibition Federation." We exclude from our organization any
person who will not vote for the total annihilation of intoxicating liquors
for any purpose. We co-operate with the Prohibition Party, but go a
step further, making it a crime to manufacture or sell intoxicating liquors
for any purpose.
ARTICLE 1.--OBJECT. The objects of the organization shall be: To
oppose in every way the use of intoxicating liquors, making it a crime
to manufacture, barter, sell, give away, export or import the same into
the United States for any purpose. To take charge of the local elections,
seeing that only those who will oppose the liquor traffic in such manner
as stated above, shall be nominated. To demand constitutional prohibition
and woman suffrage, and to secure the election of a prohibition President. To
recommend compulsory education. To see to the strict enforcement of all laws
relating to Sabbath observance, making it a misdemeanor to play any public
games on the Lord's Day. That the use of blasphemous language in any public
place be considered a misdemeanor, punishable by fine and imprisonment. To
make it a misdemeanor, punishable by fine and imprisonment, to manufacture,
sell, or use cigarettes. To examine the petitions of all saloon keepers as to
their compliance with the statutes, seeking to revoke those that have not
complied, and in every way seeking to prevent them from obtaining license.
ART. 2.--MEMBERSHIP. Any person may become a member by pledging
their loyalty to this constitution.
ART. 3.--OFFICERS. The officers shall consist of a President, four
Vice-Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer. They shall be elected at the
first regular business meeting in January and serve until their successors
are duly elected and qualified.
SEC. 2. The officers shall constitute the Executive Committee, which
shall have oversight of all the work of the Federation. The Executive
Committee shall have power to fill all vacancies occuring between the
annual elections.
ART. 4.--DUTIES OF OFFICERS. The President shall perform the duties
usually assigned to his office. He shall be a member ex-officio of all
committees.
SEC. 2. The first Vice-President shall be chairman of the Membership
Committee. This committee shall devise ways and means of securing
members and pledges for the support of the Federation.
Sec. 3. The second Vice-President shall be chairman of the Program
Committee. This committee shall arrange for all social and literary meetings.
Sec. 4. The third Vice-President shall be chairman of the Press and
Literature Committee. This committee shall see that all meetings are
duly announced by the local press and otherwise and report such meetings
to the local papers and also to the national organ. It shall secure
and distribute literature for the aggressive work of the Federation.
Sec. 5. The fourth Vice-President shall be chairman of the Law
Enforcement Committee. This committee shall report to the Federation
the non-enforcement of all statutes, suggesting means to secure the
enforcement of such statutes. It shall also investigate all lines of
law enforcement, instructing the Federation in statutory law.
Sec. 6. The Vice-Presidents, by and with the advice of the President,
shall select the persons to assist them in their several departments.
Sec. 7. The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of all business
meetings and a complete register of all members. The Secretary shall be
the authorized collector for the local Federation and shall be entitled to
a commission of ten per cent of all collections.
Sec. 8. The Treasurer shall be chairman of the Finance Committee.
This committee shall devise ways and means of securing pledges, and raising
money in any other way deemed advisable to further the interests of
the Federation. He shall report to the Secretary all pledges that have
been paid by members and others, so that the Secretary's book shall show
correctly all money received and paid out.
Sec 9. It shall be the duty of the Membership and Finance Committees
to take pledges from the members of the Federation, and any others,
to further its work. These pledges shall be for the month and payable
quarterly. One-third of such money secured shall be retained by the local
organization and the remaining two-thirds shall be sent to the Treasurer
at the home office in Guthrie, Oklahoma.
ART. 5.--REPORTS OF OFFICERS. At the annual meeting, each of the