the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第24部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


dollars　for　his　destitute　wife；　and　often　bought　little　treats；　such　as
fruits　and　butter。　The　meals　were　meat　and　beans　one　day；　then　potatoes
and　meat　all　cooked　tip　into　a　mush。　I　became　very　much　attached　to
my　fellow　prisoners　and　I　found　some　with　noble　sentiments。　What
do　people　do　who　have　no　hope　of　heaven；　I　often　ask。　What　a　joy　to
have　a　place　in　view　where　there　is　no　sickness；　no　death；　no　jails；　no
suffering　of　any　kind。


THE　THIRD　TIME　IN　TOPEKA　JAIL。

I　had　become　so　disgusted　with　jail　food　that　my　stomach　refused
it。　As　soon　as　I　was　put　in　jail　I　told　Mr。　Cook　to　send　the　milkman
to　my　cell。　He　came　and　was　very　kind。　He　agreed　to　bring　me　some
bread　and　milk；　ten　cents　worth　a　day。　This　I　lived　on　for　the　eighteen
days。　In　the　cell　with　me　was　a　woman　named　Mrs。　Mahanna；　who　was
put　in　for　selling　beer。　She　did　not　happen　to　have　a　government　license。
Poor　creature！　She　bad　been　the　mother　of　fifteen　children；　had　a
broken　hip　caused　by　a　kick　of　a　drunken　husband。　She　was　very　ignorant
but　kind…hearted。　The　heat　was　intense　and　we　were　next　to　the
roof。　Sometimes　I　would　feel　like　I　was　suffocated。　The　windows
slanted　so　that　but　little　draught　came　in。　One　pane　of　glass　was　partly
out　and　we　would　sit　by　that　to　get　a　breath　of　air。　While　in　this　jail
I　had　many　offers　from　different　theatrical；　circus；　and　museum　managers；
who　tried　to　tempt　me　with　all　kinds　of　prices；　one　as　high　as　800
a　week；　and　a　palace　car　and　a　maid。　I　never　for　one　moment　thought
of　taking　any　of　them　until　two　managers　came　from　New　York　City。
The　sheriff；　Mr。　Cook；　brought　their　cards　up。　I　said：　〃Tell　them　to
wait　until　morning。〃　I　prayed　over　the　matter　nearly　all　night　and　before
day　all　seemed　settled。　（This　was　a　test　to　try　my　faith。）　The　cloud
was　lifted　and　I　told　Mr。　Cook　to　tell　the　men　that　a　〃million　a　minute
would　not　catch　me。〃　My　dear　friends　especially　Mrs。　Goodwin；　Dr。
Eva　Harding　and　others　used　their　influence　to　have　Stanley；　the　governor
pardon　me；　this　he　refused　to　do；　the　joint…keepers　were　those　he
favored　more　than　me。

I　had　never　thought　of　going　before　the　public　as　a　lecturer。　I
knew　those　people　only　wanted　me　as　they　would　a　white　elephant。　I
did　not　at　this　time　see　the　stage　as　a　missionary　field。

At　this　time　I　was　entirely　out　of　means；　was　in　debt　and　the　duns
I　got　while　in　jail　were　a　terrible　trouble　to　me。　The　ten　cents　I　got
for　my　bread　and　milk　came　in　almost　daily　for　copies　of　my　papers。　I
paid　my　milkman　sometimes　in　stamps。

I　never　wanted　to　get　out　of　jail　so　badly　in　my　life；　as　I　did　at　this
time；　when　the　offers　to　make　engagements　were　so　many。　Two　days
after　the　New　York　managers　were　there；　I　got　a　letter　from　James　E。
Furlong；　a　Lyceum　Manager　of　Rochester；　N。　Y。；　who　had　managed
Patti　and　many　of　the　great　singers。　He　told　me　if　I　would　give　him
〃some　dates〃；　he　would　assist　me　in　getting　out　of　jail。　I　hardly　knew
what　he　meant　by　〃dates〃。　Mrs。　Goodwin　of　Topeka　called　to　see　me；
I　showed　the　letter　to　her　and　asked　what　this　man　meant　by　〃dates？〃
She　said：　〃He　may　want　you　to　lecture　or　you　could　tell　of　your　experience。〃

〃I　wonder　if　the　people　would　like　to　hear　me；　I　can　tell　my　experience；〃
I　said。　I　asked　her　to　tell　Mr。　Duminel；　my　lawyer；　to　come　to
my　cell。　I　told　him　of　it；　and　he　said　he　would　call　the　commissioners
together　and　would　have　them　let　me　out　by　paying　my　fines　by　monthly
installments。　This　he　did。　So　Mr。　Furlong　sent　the　money　needed　and
Dr。　Harding　and　Mrs。　Goodwin　collected　seventy　dollars　from　my　friends
to　help　me　out。　When　I　got　to　Kansas　City；　I　lacked　fifty　cents　of　having
enough　money　to　pay　for　my　ticket　east；　so　I　borrowed　that　of　the　man
at　the　fruit　stand　in　the　depot。　In　about　a　week　from　that　I　spoke　at
Atlantic　City　for　the　Philadelphia　American；　the　proceeds　being　used　to
give　the　poor　children　an　outing。　Thousands　of　people　were　present。
I　never　made　a　note　or　wrote　a　sentence　for　the　platform　in　my　life。
Have　spoken　extemporaneously　from　the　first　and　often　went　on　the
platform　when　I　could　not　have　told　what　I　was　to　say　to　save　my　life；
and　for　several　weeks　God　compelled　me　to　open　my　Bible　at　random　and
speak　from　what　my　eyes　fell　on。　I　have　literally　proved　that：　〃You
shall　not　think　of　what　you　shall　speak　but　it　shall　be　given　in　that
hour。〃　The　best　thoughts　have　come　to　me　after　being　asleep；　waking
in　the　night　or　in　the　morning。

The　way　I　happened　to　think　of　a　hatchet　as　a　souvenir；　some　one
brought　me　one　and　told　me　I　ought　to　carry　them。　I　then　selected　a
pattern　and　got　a　party　in　Providence；　R。　I。；　to　make　them。　These　have
been　a　great　financial　aid　to　me；　helped　me　pay　my　fines　and　expenses。
People　have　often　bought　them　from　me；　at　my　prison　cell　window。　I
sell　them　everywhere　I　go。

The　summer　of　1902　I　was　at　Coney　Island；　speaking　in　Steeple…
Chase　Park；　and　a　man　was　very　insulting　to　me；　and　always　took　occasion
to　say　something　against　women。　I　can　scarcely　remember　how　it　was；
but　I　broke　or　smashed　his　show　case　of　cigars　and　cigarettes。　I　knew
I　would　have　to　pay　for　it；　but　I　did　not　mind　paying　for　the　object　lesson
that　it　would　be；　for　tobacco　is　a　poison；　and　the　use　of　it　is　a　vice。
I　was　arrested；　stood　my　trial　and　was　being　sent　to　jail；　when　Mr。
Tilyou；　Manager　of　Steeple…Chase　Park；　took　me　from　the　〃Black　Maria。〃
The　policeman　who　had　the　prisoners　in　charge　was　purple　and　bloated
from　beer　drinking；　he　wanted　me　to　go　in　a　place　in　the　front　that　was
already　crowded　with　women。　I　refused　and　he　struck　me　on　the　hand
that　was　holding　to　the　iron　bars　of　the　little　window　and　broke　a　bone；
causing　it　to　swell　up。　I　said：　〃Never　mind；　you　beer…swelled；　whiskey…
soaked　saturn　faced　man；　God　will　strike　you。〃　In　six　weeks　from　that
time　this　man　fell　dead　on　the　streets　of　Coney　Island。　This　was　the
first　time　I　every　had　handcuffs　on。　I　saw　in　this　experience　in　Police
Courts　in　Coney　Island　what　I　never　saw　before；　eight　or　ten　women
sentenced　for　drunkenness；　one　the　mother　of　five　children；　and　the
others　nice　looking　young　ladies；　and　most　of　them　were　weeping。　When
they　received　their　sentences　there　would　be　a　smothered　laugh　from　the
audience　of　bloated　men　present；　and　I　turned　and　said：　〃Shame　on　you；
for　laughing　at　the　sorrows　of　these　poor　women。〃　I　thought　how　heartless
it　was　for　men　to　laugh　at　the　disgrace　of　women。　I　got　out　by
paying　for　the　destruction　of　the　cigar　case。

I　was　very　successful　and　made　enough　money　to　pay　125　a　month
to　have　my　SMASHER'S　MAIL　published　in　the　form　of　a　magazine；
but　having　no　one　in　Topeka　that　could　edit　the　magazine；　doing　justice
to　me；　I　returned　and　closed　the　business。



CHAPTER　X。

LEGAL　STATUS　OF　PROHIBITION　AND　JOINT　SMASHING；


The　very　highest　judicial　authority；　the　Supreme　Court　of　the　Nation；
has　made　a　most　radical　ruling；　towit：　〃No　legislature　can　bargain
away　the　public　health　or　the　public　morals。　The　people　themselves　cannot
do　it；　much　less　their　servants。　Government　is　organized　with　a　view
to　their　preservation　and　cannot　divest　itself　of　the　power　to　provide
for　them。〃101　U。　S。　816。

No　state；　therefore；　can　license　or　legalize　immorality；　vice　or　crime。
All　such　efforts　are　treason　to　society　and　organized　government。

Again；　the　Supreme　Court　of　the　United　States　has　declared：　〃If
the　public　safety　or　the　public　morals　require　the　discontinuance　of　any
manufacture　or　traffic；　the　hand　of　the　legislature　cannot　be　stayed　from
providing　for　its　discontinuance；　by　any　incidental　inconvenience　which
individuals　or　corporations　may　suffer。〃97　U。　S。　32。　Thus　the　legislature
of　any　state　can　confiscate　property　by　wholesale　if　necessary　for
the　protection　of　the　community。　Powder　mills；　slaughter　houses　and
pest　houses；　necessary　institutions；　are　frequently　so　condemned　and
rendered　absolutely　worthless。

The　Federal　Supreme　Court　gives　ample　power　to　all　states　to　enforce
this　great　fundamental　principle。　It　says：　〃The　state　cannot　by　any
contract　limit　the　exercise　of　her　power　to　the　prejudice　of　the　public
health　and　the　public　morals。〃111　U。　S。　751。

Speaking　specifically；　a　sweeping　decision　of　the　highest　tribunal　of
the　land；　is　as　follows：　〃There　is　no　inherent　right　in　a　citizen　to　thus
sell　intoxicating　liquors　by　retail；　it　is　not　a　privilege　of　a　citizen　of　a
state　or　a　citizen　of　the　United　States。〃137　U。　S。　86。

No　state　or　citizen　of　the　United　States　then　has　any　power；　authority
or　right　to　vend　intoxicating　liquors　at　all。

That　there　may　be　no　misconception　or　misconstruction；　in　a　case
from　Kansas；　this　final　court　of　appeal　in　American　jurisprudence；　said：
〃For　we　cannot　shut　out　of　view　the　fact；　within　the　knowledge　of　all；
that　the　public　health；　the　public　morals；　and　the　public　safety　may　be
endangered　by　the　general　use　of　intoxicating　drinks；　nor　the　fact；
established
by　statistics　accessible　to　everyone；　that　the　idleness；　disorder；
pauperism；　and　crime　existing　in　the　country　are；　in　some　degree　at　least；
traceable　to　the　evil；〃Mugler　vs。　Kansas；　123　U。　S。　623。

And　again：　〃The　statistics　of　every　state　show　a　greater　amount
of　crime　and　misery　attributable　to　the　use　of　ardent　spirits　obtained　at
these　liquor　saloons　than　to　any　other　source。〃137　U。　S。　86。

Hon。　Justice　Grier　said：　〃It　is　not　necessary　to　array　the　appalling
statistics　of　misery；　pauperism；　and　crime　that　have　their　origin　in　the　use
and　abuse　of　ardent　spirits。　The　police　power；　which　is　exclusively　in
the　state；　is　competent　to　the　correction　of　these　great　evils；　and　all
measures
of　restraint　or　prohibition　necessary　to　effect　that　purpose　are　within
the　scope　of　that　authority；　and　if　a　loss　of　revenue　should　accrue　to　the
United　States；　from　a　diminished　consumption　of　ardent　spirits；　she　will
be　a　gainer　a　thousand…fold　in　health；　wealth　and　happiness　of　the
people。〃5　Howard　532。

These　far…reaching　decisions　settle　forever　the　disloyalty　and　un…
Americanism　of　any　state　or　citizen　presuming　to　authorize　or　condone
liquor　selling。　The　whole　license　system　of　the　United　States　is　clearly
illegal　and　unconstitutional。

Abraham　Lincoln　interprete