The Portland daily press., 1865-09-14
TILE rnMPnRANoE PRESS.
CHERRYFIELD, Sept. 8. 1855


To the Editor Of the Press. ~
The suspension of the sod Oaken Bucket,
leads to the consideration, whether a Temper
ance paper can be supported in this State with
out extraneous assistance, and ifnot whether
such aid should be afforded. 1t has been said
that no paper of this description has hitherto
been selfsustained in Maine, notwithstanding
1t claims to be the Pioneer and Banner State
in this important cause. There is some
thing strange and inconsistent in the conduct
of its protested friends in this respect, which
cannot be accounted for, except on the ground
that they are not sincere in their attachment
to this cause, or in believing that, Press is
required to promote it-or that they are not
able to pay for a paper expressly designed for
its support Allowing neither of these reasons
to be true it isplain that they are inexeusably
regardless Of duty which should be sacredly
performed, and that, while the welfare of the
community is endangered. the fame of our
State suffers by their neglect Let them wake
up to a just sense of their obligations and of
the terrible consequences which viii result
from their unfaithfulness. Let them consider
how much good they might do, and at what a
trifing expense by simply offering their names
and influence tomaintain Temperance Press
If the suspension Of the "Oaken Bucket" to
which we have alluded, is owing to the want
Of means in its truehearted proprietor to
procure materials for its publication, viii not
the iberaIity of friends furnish these means
and relieve this messenger of humanity and
reason from embarrassment and thus enable
it to go on its way rejoicing? = Perhaps it is
too much to expect, that any issaioidual should,
from the experience Of the past, supply the de-
feiencies Of expense attending the publication
of a Temperance paper, but if such a friend
as it is generally understood the Temperance
Journal had in J. NJ Wood, cannot now be
found to aid the support of the ssOakea Back-
ct" a naas5er of friends might join to accom-
plish this benevolent object, or other means
could be adopted for this purpose. 1t is very
certain, that some plan should be devised to
sustain it, or the employment of the press to
promote the cause should be abandoned. A
lingering disease with sure prospect of death
is at least discouraging. An unreliable depen-
dence is worse than none. 1t seems to me,
that the latter paper might receive a. perma-
nent support, if there was disposition to af-
ford it. "Where there is win there is way
Let an effort be made to excite this will and
to seek this way. If sufficient subscribers
cannot be obtained to sustain it, why could
there not be interest enough awakened in the
members of the divisions of the Sens of Tenn
perance and of the Good Templars to add
few cents to their quarterly Dues, or why
might not our Temperance lecturers in their
labors through the State, deliver an additional
or special address for the purpose of taking up
a collection for its assistance? An equivalent
in papers could be furnished for distribution to
repay the funds thus raised and received. Let
the friends of Temperance resolve at once eth
er to support its Press as it should be, or relin
quish it altogether, and rely on other means,
to promote the cause they profess to love, or
suffer the cause to take care of itself Indic
ference is more fatal than opposition. c..