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The Use and Need of the Life of Carry A. Nation.
CHAPTER XXV.
CLOSING REMARKS WITH PLANS FOR THE FUTURE--PROHIBITION CLEARLY DEFINED.
At the close of writing this book, I am in Oklahoma organizing Prohibition Federations. I am now nearly 60 years of age, I find it necessary to reserve my strength as much as possible in order to put to the best use my remaining years of service. I expect to remain in Oklahoma until the constitution is made, the field is ripe for action, we want the constitution to be an ideal one.
The Federation will not have as a member, any one voting in a license party--Anhauser Busch will effect prohibition as soon--We will not waste time and money in fighting Brewers and Distillers but the cause of them. 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 officers shall present a full written report of the year's work.
ART. 6.--SPECIAL COMMITTEES. At the regular monthly business meeting preceding the annual meeting, the President shall appoint from the membership the following special committees: An Auditing Committee of three. This committee shall examine all accounts and render a report at the annual business meeting, a record of such report to appear upon the Secretary's book. A Nominating Committee of five. This committee shall report at the annual meeting the name of one candidate for each office.
ART. 7.--MEETINGS. Two meetings a month shall be held. One to transact the business of the Federation, the other for literary and social purposes, conducted under the direction of the Program Committee. This second meeting shall consist of oratorical contests, debates, recitations, songs, or any other educational features.
The regular business meeting in January shall be the annual meeting.
ART. 8.--PAYMENT OF BILLS. No money shall be paid except upon an order signed by the President and Secretary.
ART. 9.--OFFICIAL ORGAN. The official organ of the Federation shall be "The Hatchet," published in Guthrie, Okla., (16-page monthly, 25 cents a year.) The Press and-Literature Committee shall solicit subscriptions to the official organ.
ART. 10.--ORDER OF BUSINESS. The following order of business shall be observed at all regular business meetings: Devotional exercises. Reading of previous minutes. Report of Treasurer. Report of Vice-Presidents. Unfinished business. New business. Adjournment with prayer.
ART. 11.--AMENDMENTS. This constitution may be amended by a two- thirds vote of the members present at any regular business meeting (ten being a quorum), provided such amendment shall have been proposed in writing at the previous regular business meeting.