the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第44章

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When　I　was　at　Coney　Island；　I　was　asked；　what　I　thought　of　William
McKinley's　administration？　I　said：　〃I　was　glad　when　McKinley
was　elected　for　I　had　heard　that　he　was　opposed　to　the　liquor　traffic。
I　did　not　know　then　that　he　rented　his　wife's　property　in　Canton；　Ohio；
for　saloon　purposes；　and　after　his　election　he　had　been　a　constant
disappointment　to　me；　that　he　was　the　Brewers'　president　and　did　their
biddings；　that　we　as　W。　C。　T。　U。　workers；　sent　petitions；　thousands　of　them
to　Mr。　McKinley　to　have　him　refuse　to　let　the　canteen　run。　That　we
were　willing　to　give　our　boys　to　fight　the　battles　of　this　nation；　to　die
in　a　foreign　land；　but　we　were　not　willing　that　a　murderer　should　follow
them　from　their　home　shores　to　kill　their　bodies　and　souls。〃　This
was　said　at　the　time　that　he　was　thought　to　be　convalescent　from　his
death…wound。　I　said：　〃I　had　no　tears　for　McKinley；　neither　have　I　any
for　his　assassin。　That　no　one's　life　was　safe　with　such　a　murderer　at
large。〃　This　roused　hisses；　some　left　the　hall　and　there　was　a　murmer
of　confusion。　One　man　threw　a　wad　of　paper　at　me；　but　I　said：　〃My
loyalty　to　the　homes　of　America　demand　that　I　denounce　such　a　president
and　his　crowd。〃　It　was　a　common　thing　to　be　hissed。　Once　I
spoke　in　Sioux　City；　Iowa；　in　the　church　where　the　martyred　Haddock
preached。　The　crowd　was　so　large；　the　church　was　filled　and　emptied
three　times。　I　had　cheers　and　hisses　at　the　same　time。　At　the　first
meeting　I　was　talking　at　the　top　of　my　voice；　the　audience　was　clapping
and　hissing　and　a　good　evangelistic　brother　by　my　side　kept　pounding
his　fist　of　one　hand　into　the　palm　of　the　other　and　shouting：　〃She　is
right！　She　is　right！〃　That　was　a　great　meeting；　and　I　shall　never　forget
it；　neither　will　anyone　who　was　there。　I　spoke　three　times　to　audiences
that　night。　I　have　been　hissed；　and　after　giving　the　people　time
to　think；　have　been　applauded　by　the　same　parties。　〃Oh；　fools　and　slow
of　heart　to　understand；〃　Jesus　said。

Murat　Halstead；　who　wrote　the　book　called；　〃Our　Martyred　President
or　the　Illustrious　Life　of　William　McKinley〃；　wrote　some　positive
falsehoods　concerning　me。　This　Halstead　has　always　been　a　defender
of　anarchy　or　the　licensed　saloon。

William　McKinley　was　no　martyr。　He　was　murdered　by　a　man　who
was　the　result　of　a　saloon　and　could　not　tell　why　he　murdered　the　President。

I　could　tell　of　many　amusing　incidents；　indeed。　I　could　fill　a　book
of　interesting　anecdotes。　Once　when　I　was　among　the　Thousand　Islands
of　the　St。　Lawrence；　in　the　summer　of　1902；　a　characteristic　woman　with
a　very　low　dress；　with　a　very　long　train；　the　whole　a　mixture　of　paint；
powder；　lace；　flashy　jewelry　and　corset　stays；　with　as　much　exposure
of　person　as　she　dare；　came　to　me　in　an　affected　manner；　handed　me　a
roll　saying：　〃I　am　a　temperance　lecturer；　here　is　one　of　my　bills。〃　I
replied：　〃If　you　are　such；　you　had　better　make　a　practical　application
of　temperance　and　cover　up　yourself。〃　The　change　of　her　countenance
was　instantaneous　and　she　with　a　queer　almost　startled　look　said：　〃You
go　to　Hel。〃

Once　in　Elmira；　N。　Y。　the　streets　were　so　crowded　that　we　had　to
leave　the　Salvation　Army　Hall。　I　climbed　in　a　farmer's　two　horse　wagon。
He　came　out　of　a　saloon　and　gathered　up　the　reins　and　laid　the　whip
to　his　horses；　which　were　caught　so　as　to　let　me　out。

Mr。　Furlong；　my　manager；　had　a　keen　sense　of　the　ridiculous　and
would　let　me　alone　when　I　started　out。　He　said　he　knew　I　could　take
care　of　myself。　Often　when　I　would　rise　to　speak　to　the　thousands　in
the　parks；　there　would　be　yells　and　groans；　and　a　manager　at　Youngstown；
Ohio；　said　to　Mr。　Furlong：　〃She　will　not　get　a　chance　to　speak。〃
Mr。　Furlong　said：　〃You　watch　how　she　will　handle　them。〃　I　would
always　quiet　them　for　at　least　a　time。　Once　they　were　determined　not
to　let　me　talk。　I　at　last　went　to　one　side　of　the　stage　and　began　talking
very　explanatory　to　some　parties　in　front。　The　rest　wanted　to　hear；
so　they　were　quiet。　Then　I　gave　them　the　hot…shots　of　truth。　I　always
invited　interruptions　by　questions。　I　had　no　set　speech　and　these　questions
would　bring　out　what　the　crowd　wanted　to　hear。　I　like　especially
the　questions　from　those　who　oppose　me。　I　have　bad　men　to　shake　their
fists　at　me　saying：　〃You　are　an　anarchist　and　ought　to　be　in　the　lunatic
asylum。〃　One　agent　of　a　brewer　in　Hartford；　Conn。；　kept　on　disturbing
the　meeting；　at　last　he　said：　〃Why　did　Christ　make　wine？〃　I　said：
〃the　wine　that　He　made　did　not　rot。　His　was　the　unfermented　juice　of
the　grape。　God　made　healthy　fruit　and　grain。　The　devil　rots　them　and
makes　alcohol；　which　rots　the　brain；　rots　the　body　and　rots　the　soul；　and
that　is　what　is　the　matter　with　you。〃

When　I　first　began　my　lectures　I　was　not　taken　seriously　by　the
people。　They　did　not　see　the　great　principle　back　of　the　work。　My
manager　said：　〃We　must　make　all　the　dates　this　year；　for　next　year
it　will　not　be　so　easy。〃　I　said：　〃You　will　find　it　easier；　for　I　will　be
more　popular。〃　He　shook　his　head；　but　sure　enough　it　was　easier。　We
could　not　fill　the　dates；　and　now　the　calls　are　more　and　more　all　over
the　country。

In　the　winter　and　spring　of　1903；　I　was　in　California。　I　was　employed
by　the　theatrical　manager　of　the　〃Chutes。〃　Beer　was　sold　at　this　resort。
Some　W。　C。　T。　U。　were　very　much　horrified　that　I　would　go　to　such　a
place。　Mrs。　Hester　T。　Griffith；　the　president　of　the　Federation　of　Unions
in　Los　Angeles；　came　to　see　me。　She　had　been　a　staunch　friend　of　mine
from　the　first　and　she　went　with　me　to　the　〃Chutes〃　and　introduced　me。
This　she　did　time　and　again　saying：　〃If　she　had　the　opportunity　to
speak　at　the　〃Chutes〃　she　would　do　as　Carry　Nation　does。〃　This　woman
was　a　blessing　to　me。　She　helped　me　to　see　that　the　stage　was　a　mission
field。　I　was　severely　criticised　by　the　newspapers；　and　especially　by　some
of　the　ministers。　One　from　Rockford；　Ill。；　a　Rev。　Dr。　Van　Horn　wrote
a　very　slanderous　article　which　I　heard　of　through　my　friends　there。
I　was　arrested　in　Los　Angeles　for　some　advertising　my　manager　did
which　was　contrary　to　a　city　ordinance。

In　Los　Angeles　I　saw　what　was　called　the　〃Cribs〃；　one　of　the　most
disgraceful　conditions。　No　one　stayed　there　during　the　day；　they　were
there　just　for　the　night　only。　These　poor　degraded　girls　would　pay　two
dollars　a　night　to　the　owners。　I　said　to　the　women：　〃These　city　officials
are　at　the　bottom　of　this。　Let　us　go　to　the　Chief　of　Police；〃　whose
name　was　Elton。　He　would　not　talk　to　me　at　first。　He　said：　〃If　we
close　these　places；　these　degraded　girls　will　be　over　the　town；　when　in
fact　the　girls　only　stayed　there　at　night。　I　have　seen　so　much　of　the
corruption　of　the　officials　that　when　conditions　are　bad　in　any　place　I
know　it　to　be　their　fault。

We　went　as　a　band　of　missionaries　to　these　dens　of　vice。　At　first
an　officer　would　go　before　us　and　have　the　girls　pull　their　blinds　down
to　prevent　us　from　seeing　or　speaking　to　them。　We　found　hundreds
of　them　who　could　not　speak　the　English　language；　they　had　been　brought
over　by　procurers　for　the　purpose　of　swelling　the　ranks　of　this　vice。
Mrs。　Charlton　Edholm　who　wrote　〃Traffic　in　Girls〃；　was　there　helping
to　rid　the　city　of　this　disgrace。　Her　book　should　be　in　the　hands　of　every
girl　in　the　world。　This　grand　woman　has　devoted　her　life　work　to　the
rescue　of　girls。　She　is　in　Oakland；　California；　where　she　has　a　〃Rescue
Home〃。　Any　one　can　get　the　book　by　writing　her。　I　also　met　Mrs。
Sobieski；　wife　of　Col。　John　Sobieski。　Sister　Sobieski　is　one　who　never
tires　in　the　work　for　God。　She　is　a　terror　to　evil　doers。　God　bless　these
women　for　their　zeal。　I　found　some　of　the　most　aggressive　christian
W。　C。　T。　U。　women　I　have　ever　seen　in　Los　Angeles；　California。　I　am
glad　to　say　that　in　less　than　a　year　from　the　time　I　was　there　the　〃Cribs〃
were　closed。

I　was　arrested　in　San　Francisco　and　spent　most　of　the　night　in　jail；
was　put　in　for　destroying　a　bottle　of　whiskey　on　this　wise：　A　certain
saloon…keeper　had　just　finished　a　very　fine　〃criminal　factory〃　and　he
wanted　to　advertise　it。　He　sent　me　word　by　my　manager　to　call　and
smash　this　place　up。　He　had　a　fine　mirror　he　paid　one　hundred　and　fifty
dollars　for　that　he　wanted　me　to　s