Appendix III

Temperance Songs

From Anti-Saloon Campaign Songs (Chicago: Hope Publishing Co., ca. 1910).


Free Your Town

(Tune—Yankee Doodle)

Words: Rev. E[lisha] A. Hoffman


We’ll vote the curse of liquor down,   

The People’s ruination

We’ll vote the evil from our town,   

And from our noble nation

(Chorus)

We’ve resolved to free the town,   

And to free the nation,

From the curse that causes only Crime   

and ruination.

We to the polls will early go,   

The friends of Prohibition,

Assured we have the people’s votes   

To carry its adoption

(Chorus)

’Tis not the man of the saloon   

We temp’rance folks are after,

It is the traffic we condemn,   

A robber and a grafter

(Chorus)

For men who like ourselves have souls  

We have a kindly feeling,

But we are tired of the saloon,   

The trade in which they’re dealing

(Chorus)

Too long we have submitted   

to the traffic’s domination,

At last we hurl at the saloon   

Our wrath and condemnation

(Chorus)


The Skies Are Bright

(Tune—When Johnny Comes Marching Home)

Words: Rev. Elisha A. Hoffman


The skies are very bright at last,   

Hur-rah! Hur-rah!

The hour of doubt is overpast,   

Hur-rah! Hur-rah!

We have the votes to win the day, 

The folks have come to think our way,

They will cast their votes   

to put the saloon away.

We knew when people came to think,  

Hur-rah! Hur-rah!

They would destroy the curse of drink,  

Hur-rah! Hur-rah!

They’ve done some thinking,   

sure, of late, 

And learned the evil thing to hate,

And to drive it out with   

ballots they only wait.

This enemy of land and home,   

Hur-rah! Hur-rah!

Will at last be overcome,   

Hur-rah! Hur-rah!

Its death is up in heav’n decreed, 

And local option will succeed,

And to cast their votes is all   

that the people need.

Then one more song of hope and cheer,  

Hur-rah! Hur-rah!

The better day is drawing near,   

Hur-rah! Hur-rah!

For glorious victory we pray, 

We’ll win the fight, it looks that way,

In a few more days we’ll   

put the saloon away.