the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第34章

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still　not　one　of　the　senators　or　representatives　will　discuss　this。　Roosevelt
toured　this　country　moralizing　on　different　questions。　The　nearest
he　ever　touched　on　the　subject　was　〃race　suicide；〃　but　he　did　not　wish
to　intimate　that　drinking　intoxicating　liquors　was　the　cause。　He　wished
to　reproach　women　for　not　raising　larger　families。　What　protection　has
a　mother　if　she　does？　She　has　to　produce　the　grist　to　make　these　murder…mills
grind；　and　I　for　one；　say　to　women；　refuse　to　be　mothers；　if　the
government　will　not　close　these　murder…shops　that　are　preying　on　our
hearts；　for　our　darling　sons　are　dearer　to　us　than　life。

If　I　had　a　family　to　raise　and　had　to　live　in　a　city；　I　know　of　no　place
as　desirable　as　Topeka。　I　was　once　lecturing　in　Lincoln；　Neb。；　and　made
this　remark。　A　wife　said　to　her　husband；　〃Let　us　take　our　boy　and　go
to　Topeka。　So　they　came。　The　husband　was　D。　L。　Whitney；　manager
of　the　Oxygenor　Company；　and　both　he　and　his　wife　have　been　a　great
help　to　me。　I　say　to　fathers　and　mothers；　move　to　Kansas；　where　your
sons　are　taught　that　it　takes　a　SNEAK　to　sell；　and　a　SNEAK　to　drink；
intoxicating　liquors　in　that　state。

I　was　arrested　in　Topeka　for　going　into　the　dives。　The　officials
were　determined　to　keep　them　open；　and　the　police　arrested　me　for　even
going　in。　They　did　not　arrest　the　keepers。　I　was　thrown　out　and　called
names　by　the　proprietors；　in　the　hearing　of　the　police；　still　they　were　let
go。　This　was　during　the　time　that　Parker　was　mayor。

The　voting　citizens　of　Kansas　will　soon　find　out　that　no　one
but　prohibition　officers　can　be　trusted　to　enforce　prohibition　statutes。　I
am　glad　at　the　present　writing　there　is　said　to　be　not　a　dive　in　the　beautiful
city　of　Topeka；　and　that　she　has　passed　the　Rubicon。　God　grant
that　no　more　criminal　dens　be　opened　by　Republicans；　Democrats　or　any
other　Anarchists。

I　was　arrested　in　Wheeling；　West　Virginia；　winter　of　1902；　for　going
in　a　saloon　and　telling　the　man　he　was　in　a　business　that　would　send　him
to　hell　as　well　as　others。　The　facts　are　that　the　police　never　knew　what
I　was　going　to　do　and　they　were　so　frightened　and　rattled　that　they　of
course　thought　they　would　arrest　me　to　prevent　trouble。　I　have　been　a
terror　to　evil　doers。　I　was　in　jail　there　two　nights。　No　pillow。　The
bed　bugs　bad。　Col。　Arnett；　my　lawyer；　said　I　had　a　good　case　of　malicious
prosecution。　I　have　begun　several　suits　but　the　〃laws　delay〃　and
the　condition　of　dishonest　courts　has　prevented　me。　I　desire　to　compel
Murat　Halstead　to　be　shown　as　he　is；　a　liar；　almost　equal　to　the　〃Murdocks
of　Wichita。〃

I　was　arrested　in　Bayonne；　N。　J。；　the　summer　of　1903；　because　I　was
talking　to　a　poor　drunkard。　A　policeman　came　up　and　ordered　me　to
〃walk　on〃。　I　said：　〃I　have　a　right　to　speak　to　any　one　on　the　street。〃
He　said：　〃I　will　arrest　you　if　you　do　not　move　on。〃　I　said：　〃You　do
not　wish　this　poor　man　to　have　one　warning　word　to　keep　him　out　of
a　drunkards　hell。〃　He　arrested　me；　took　me　to　the　police　headquarters；
where　I　was　sentenced　for　disturbing　the　peace。　I　was　put　in　a　cell　with
a　hard　board；　no　cover。　There　were　only　two　other　prisoners；　both　put
there　for　getting　drunk。　The　partition　door　was　by　accident　left　unlocked
and　I　heard　someone　creeping；　looked　up　and　there　was　one　of　the　poor
creatures　in　my　cell。　I　called　loudly。　He　ran　back。　The　turnkey　came
and　fastened　the　door。　All　night　through　I　was　handing　water　to　these
poor　creatures。　The　bed　bugs　were　thick　and　kept　me　quite　busy　knocking
them　out　of　my　face。　I　lay　on　the　plank　but　could　not　sleep　a　wink。
Next　morning　I　was　called　in　court。　That　police　officer　in　order　to　make
it　a　case　of　disturbing　the　peace　said　there　were　one　hundred　and　fifty
people　around。　There　was　but　five　and　I　so　testified。　I　never　have　seen
such　false　swearing　as　there　is　with　the　police。　I　got　a　fine　of　ten　dollars。
Of　course　this　judge　was　a　republican。

Here　is　a　list　of　the　times　and　places　I　have　been　in　jail：

In　Wichita　three　times。　Sentenced　December；　1900；　thirty　days；　January
21st；　1901；　twenty…one　days　and　January　22nd　two　days。

Topeka　seven　times；　once　thirty　days；　twice　each　eighteen　days；　then
twelve　days；　fifteen　days；　seven　days　and　three　days。

Kansas　City　once；　part　of　a　day；　also　once；　part　of　a　day　at　Coney
Island；　once　at　Los　Angeles；　once　at　San　Francisco；　Scranton　twice；　one
night　and　part　of　two　days；　Bayonne；　New　Jersey　a　day　and　night；　Pittsburg
three　times；　one　night　and　part　of　two　days；　Philadelphia　once；　one
night。

I　was　also　put　in　jail　in　Cape　Breton；　and　in　1904；　when　five　of　us
attacked　the　Wholesale　House　of　Mahan　Bros。；　in　Wichita；　of　which　I
speak　elsewhere；　making　a　total　of　twenty　three　times。

I　spoke　at　Sacramento；　Cal。；　to　the　legislature　when　in　session。　I
got　a　letter　from　one　of　the　officers　in　the　capitol；　telling　of　the　joints
run
in　the　capitol　building　and　patronized　by　the　members　of　the　legislature。
A　reporter　went　with　me。　He　tried　to　get　me　an　opportunity　to　speak；
but　he　was　told　I　could　not　do　so；　and　that　I　had　better　leave　as　the　crowd
prevented　them　doing　business。　I　did　not　leave。　The　reporter　said：　〃You
will　not　be　able　to　speak。〃　I　said：　〃I　will　speak。〃　I　waited　until　the
speaker　adjourned　for　noon；　and　as　quick　as　a　flash　I　took　the　stand；　and
began　my　address。　I　saw　impatience　in　the　faces　of　many；　but　there　was
a　great　cheer　from　visitors　and　pages。　I　spoke　about　as　follows：　〃I
am　glad　to　speak　to　the　law…makers　of　California。　I　not　only　believe
in　making　laws；　but　enforcing　them。　I　called　their　attention　to　the　most
needed　legislation　on　the　lines　of　prohibition　of　evil。　I　could　see　that　all
seemed　rather　pleased　at　this　point；　I　drew　out　the　letter　which　read　as
follows：　〃Dear　Madam：　I　see　you　are　to　visit　the　capitol　tomorrow；　I
wish　to　call　your　attention　to　the　flagrant　violations　under　the　dome　of
California's　capitol。　In　the　Bill　filing　room　is　a　place　where　liquors　are
kept；　also　in　the　Sergeant…at…Arms　room　in　the　senate　chamber；　behind
a　screen；　is　stored　beer　and　whiskey；　in　room　56　there　is　a　safe　where　bottles
of　beer　and　whiskey　are　kept。　These　unlicensed　bars　are　patronized
by　the　members；　and　with　their　full　knowledge　and　consent。　It　was　certainly
a　sight　to　see　the　faces　of　these　men。　After　reading　each　charge；
I　would　stop　and　say：　〃Now　gentlemen　this　must　be　a　grave　slander；　and
I　want　you　as　a　body　to　rise　and　down　this　outrage。〃　I　waited；　no　one
rose　up。　I　said：　〃certainly　there　must　be　a　mistake；　is　it　possible　that　the
law…makers　of　this　state　are　the　law…breakers；　if　so；　then　who　is　capable
of　punishing　the　criminals？〃　I　continued；　〃I　hope　that　at　least　there　are
some　of　the　members　of　this　body　that　are　ignorant　of　this　and　that　some
one　if　only　one　will　rise　and　say；　〃I　know　nothing　of　this；〃　not　one　arose；
Both　the　houses　were　adjourned　and　the　aisles　and　lobbies　were　packed。
These　men　looked　at　each　other　grinning　and　looking　silly；　some　heartily
enjoying　it；　reminding　me　of　a　lot　of　bad　boys　that　were　caught　stealing
watermelons。　The　pages　and　visitors　yelled　and　waved　and　clapped
their　hands；　but　was　this　not　a　shame？　This　is　but　a　sample　of　the
legislatures
of　the　states。　Washington's　capitol　is　a　reproach　to　common
decency；　this　government　like　a　fish；　〃stinks　worse　at　the　head。〃

I　spoke　in　Austin；　Texas；　at　the　state　university。　When　I　arrived　in
the　city　I　was　met　by　〃Uncle　Tom〃　Murrah。　〃Uncle　Tom〃　is　a　true　type
of　the　old　fashion　gentleman。　Had　it　not　been　for　the　chivalry　of　this
dear　friend　I　expect　I　would　have　had　some　trouble　with　the　police　of
Austin。

I　went　into　a　saloon　and　was　led　out　in　very　forcible　manner　by　the
proprietor；　who　was　one　of　the　city　council。　I　stood　in　front　of　this
man's　man…trap　and　cried　out　against　this　outrageous　business。　The　man
kept　a　phonograph　going　to　drown　my　voice。　The　police　would　have
interfered　but　〃Uncle　Tom〃　told　me　to　say　what　I　pleased；　and　he　would
stand　by　me。　I　went　up　to　the　state　university　with　students　who　tried
to　get　a　hall　for　me　to　speak　to　them　but　they　could　not。　I　spoke　from　the
steps。　In　the　midst　of　the　speech　and　the　cheers　from　the　boys　I　heard　a
voice　at　my　side。　I　looked　an