the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第43章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


If　there　were　not　a　genuine　there　would　not　be　a　hypocrite。　Our　mother
and　grandmothers　who　went　into　saloons　praying　and　spilling　the　poisoned
slop　of　these　houses　of　crime　and　tears　were　blessed　in　their　DEEDS。
Oh！　that　the　W。　C。　T。　U。　would　do　as　they　did；　what　a　reform　would
take　place。　I　love　the　organization　of　mothers。　I　love　their　holy　impulses
but　I　am　heart…sick　at　their　conventionality；　their　red　tape。　This
organization　could　put　out　of　existence　every　drinking　hell　in　the　United
States　if　they　would　demand　it　and　use　the　power　they　have　even　without　the
ballot。　I　intend　to　help　the　women　of　the　Kansas　W。　C。　T。　U。；　but　not
one　that　has　any　respect　for　either　Republican　or　Democratic　parties
shall　ever　be　called　on　to　aid　me　in　my　work；　women　who　are　not　wise
enough　to　know　that　the　rum　voting　parties　are　traitors；　can　be　nothing
but　a　hindrance　to　the　interests　of　mothers。　One　said　to　me；　〃You　will
cause　many　women　to　leave　the　organization。'　I　said：　〃Good　riddance
to　bad　rubbish；　the　quicker　they　get　out　the　better。〃　As　Nehemiah；　that
grand　prohibitionist　；　said：　〃What　have　you　to　do　to　build　the　walls　of
our　God。〃



CHAPTER　XVI。

IN　NEBRASKA。WHAT　I　DID　WITH　THE　FIRST　MONEY　I　GAVE　TO　THE　LORD。
AT　CONEY　ISLAND。WHAT　I　SAID　OF　MR。　MCKINLEY。IN　CALIFORNIA。
〃CRIBS〃　AT　LOS　ANGELES。ARREST　IN　SAN　FRANCISCO。CONDEMNED　BY
SOME　MINISTERS。WHISKEY　AND　TOBACCO　ADVERTISEMENTS；


I　told　my　manager　James　E。　Furlong；　to　give　W。　C。　T。　U。　and　Prohibitionists
the　preference；　and　not　to　charge　them　as　much。　I　tried　to
get　into　churches；　but　only　a　few　would　open　to　me。　I　had　many　inducements
financially　to　go　on　the　stage　but　I　refused　to　do　so　for　sometime。
Like　a　little　child　I　have　had　to　sit　alone；　creep　and　walk。　I　paid　my　fines
by　monthly　installments　and　in　December；　of　1902；　I　settled　with　the　court
at　Topeka　for　the　〃Malicious　destruction　of　property；〃　when；　in　fact；　it
was　the　〃Destruction　of　malicious　property。〃

In　the　spring　of　1902；　I　went　to　Nebraska；　under　the　management
of　Mrs。　M。　A。　S。　Monegan。　This　woman　had　also　made　dates　for　J。　G。
Woolley　and　other　prominent　prohibition　lecturers。　She　was　a　thorough
prohibitionist　and　by　conversing　with　her　I　for　the　first　time　found　the
remedy　for　the　licensed　saloon。　This　is　〃National　Prohibition〃。

I　held　a　debate　in　Lincoln　with　Bixbee；　of　the　Journal；　a　rank　republican；
who　used　only　ridicule　and　satire；　for　he　had　no　argument　of　course。
I　lectured　for　and　with　the　〃Red　Ribbon　Alliance〃　there　who　were　so
faithfully　working　and　praying　for　the　abolition　of　the　saloon。　The
spring　election　in　Lincoln　was　for　prohibition　but　lost　by　sixty　votes。
William　Jennings　Bryan　lives　there　and　if　he；　the　man　who　poses　as　a
friend　of　the　people；　had　opened　his　mouth　against　the　saloon　he　could
have　made　this　great　cause　more　than　the　sixty　votes。　From　that　time
forth　I　knew　Bryan　was　for　Bryan　and　what　Bryan　could　get　for　Bryan。

I　lectured　at　the　parks　and　chautauquas　in　the　summer　and　fairs　in
the　fall；　and　at　the　end　of　the　year　of　1902；　I　had　the　sum　of　five　thousand
dollars　which　I　used　to　build　a　mission　on　Central　Ave。；　Kansas　City；
Kansas。　In　that　vicinity　were　several　dives　and　I　told　those　poor　criminals
that　we　would　soon　run　them　out。　I　had　my　brother；　Campbell
Moore；　to　manage　the　erection　of　this　brick　building。　The　liquor　men
tried　to　buy　the　ground　to　hinder　the　work；　but　at　last　the　building　was
finished。　I　was　offered　seventy…five　dollars　rent　for　the　hall　but　refused
it。　Then　I　went　to　the　Salvation　Army　barracks　in　Kansas　City；　Mo。；
and　offered　to　give　it　to　them　free　of　rent　if　they　would　start　a　mission。
They　did　not　see　their　way　clear　to　accept　it。　My　brother　told　me　of　a
property　that　would　suit　me　better　for　the　purpose　of　a　〃Home　for　Drunkards'
Wives　and　Mothers〃；　which　I　was　trying　to　arrive　at　through　the
mission。　I　went　to　see　this　property；　and　found　it　to　be　about　two　acres；
with　a　twenty　room　brick　house　and　a　good　brick　stable　on　it；　nice　drives
and　forest　trees；　and　while　it　is　in　the　city；　it　is　on　a　high　elevation　and
as　much　retired　from　the　dust　and　crowd　as　in　the　country。　Mr。　Simpson；
the　owner；　sent　me　ten　dollars　while　I　was　in　jail　at　Wichita；　and　he
was　anxious　to　let　me　have　this　home　of　his　that　he　had　improved　himself。
I　purchased　this　with　the　money　I　got　from　the　other　place；　paying
him　five　thousand　five　hundred　dollars；　owing　the　rest。　This　place
is　situated　on　Reynolds　and　Grandview　Aves。　It　was　not　possible　for　me
to　begin　this　enterprise　myself；　and　in　speaking　to　Myron　A。　Waterman；
of　the　Savings　Bank　of　Kansas　City；　Kansas；　he　suggested　that　the　〃Associated
Charities〃　of　Kansas　City；　Kansas；　would　put　it　to　the　use　I
intended。　I　liked　the　idea。　The　society　became　incorporated　so　they
could　receive　the　deed；　which　was　a　trust；　for　should　the　property　be
used　for　other　than　what　it　was　given　for；　it　will　revert。

The　society　took　possession　in　December；　1903；　and　at　this　writing；
February；　1904；　it　is　full；　the　Home　of　many　poor　and　destitute；　who　now
have　a　good　shelter；　warmth　and　light　free。　They　are　expected　to　make
their　own　living。　Mr。　Simpson　gave　forty　dollars　to　furnish　one　room。
The　local　W。　C。　T。　U。　have　furnished　their　room　and　have　their　two
drunkards'　wives　in　it。　I　here　make　a　plea　of　help　to　enlarge　this　Home。
As　stated　there　are　two　acres　of　ground　and　one　who　would　give　money
to　this　would　fulfill　the　command　to　feed　the　hungry　and　clothe　the　naked；
these　are　the　orphans　and　the　widows；　every　dollar　will　be　put　in　the
bank　of　Heaven。

My　motive　for　doing　this　was　twofold。　I　wanted　to　furnish　a　home
for　these；　the　innocent　results　of　the　saloon；　whose　sad　condition　is　beyond
words　to　describe。　The　people　burden　themselves　with　taxes　to　build
jails；　penitentiaries；　alms　houses；　insane　ayslums；　and　reformatories　to
care　for　the　guilty　results　of　the　saloon。　They　pay　millions　to　prosecute
these　criminals；　the　result　of　the　saloon；　but　no　one　has　ever　thought
of　a　building；　or　shelter　for　these　women　who　are　worse　than　widows；
who　are　free　from　any　fault　in　this　matter；　but　are　the　greatest　sufferers。

I　have　been　asked　by　my　friends　not　to　call　it　a　〃Home　for
Drunkards'　Wives　and　Mothers〃；　for　it　would　be　a　reflection　on　the
inmates。　Not　at　all。　The　condemnation　is　on　the　party　which　makes
a　demand　for　such　a　home；　by　voting　for　saloons。　The　question；　Why？
will　arise　in　the　minds　of　all　who　see　on　the　arch　over　the　entrance　to
this　place；　〃Home　for　Drunkards'　Wives　and　Mothers〃。　Why？　〃Because
of　the　saloon。　Let　us　smash　the　saloon　and　not　these　women's　homes
and　hearts。〃　Miss　Edith　Short　is　the　secretary　and　is　at　the　home　all
the　time；　and　she　is　the　right　woman　in　the　right　place。

There　are　many　persons　who　would　like　to　donate　to　such　a　place。
We　are　waiting　for　funds　to　enlarge　the　place；　making　rooms　or　flats
for　these　dear　ones。　A　letter　directed　to　〃Drunkards'　Wives　Home〃；
Kansas　City；　Kansas；　will　reach　the　place；　for　there　is　no　other　of　the
kind　in　the　world。　It　was　such　a　relief　to　me　when　I　saw　that　what
means　I　could　control　was　used　in　a　manner　God　would　bless；　and　it　was
a　great　source　of　joy　to　me　to　do　something　for　this　class。　I　have　been
a　drunkard's　wife　myself　and　I　know　the　desolation　of　heart　they　have。
This　is　a　worse　sorrow　than　to　have　one's　husband　die。　A　wife　always
feels　that　she　might　have　done　something　to　cause　her　husband　to　drink
or　to　quit。　I　believe　that　some　men　have　been　led　to　drink　by　women；
but　it　is　a　cowardly　resort；　or　excuse；　and　the　man　who　would　make　this
as　an　excuse　is　as　bad　as　the　woman　that　caused　him　to　drink；　if　not
worse。　The　thief；　the　murderer；　or　any　other　class　of　criminals　could
just　as　well　blame　others　for　their　own　wrong　doings。

｛illust。　caption　=
Mrs。　Carry　Nation's　〃Home　for　Drunkards'　Wives　and　Children〃
One　of　two　fine　properties　in　Kansas　purchased　by　Mrs。　Carry　Nation　with　the
money　she　earned　on　her　lecturing　tours。　In　this　way　she　believes　she　can
bring　comfort　into　the　lives　now　darkened　and　saddened　by　the　saloon　curse。｝


When　I　was　at　Coney　Island；　I　was　asked；　what　I　thought　of　William
McKinley's　administration？　I　said：　〃I