Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-12-26
IL STATE Temperance society.

VI. State Temperance Society.
The Annual Meeting of the Vermont state
Temperance Society for its 18th year, was helu
at Waterbury on Wednesday, Dec H. 100
The meeting was called to order at 10, A. NJ py
the Secretary, and Rev. J. c. W. Coke eieeieu
Chairman.prO tenn. Prayer was offered Dy i,eN'
III. A. Spencer. A. III. Selleck and Rev. MI
Truax of Waterbury, were appointed commit
tee to arrange for the exercises OF the evening;
and. on motion, 1t was voted that the afternoon
session commence at halfpast one.
The reports being called for, Col. Knapp
Chairman of the Executive Committee, present.
ed the following:
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
To the II. State Temperance Society;
The Executive Committee, in making this
| briet report for the year 1873, find much cause
| for rejoicing and encouragement, rs wen u
occasion for regret, and certainly very hlucn
| reason for renewed and more VigorOhs ehoIt on
the part of the Society and friends oil temper
| ance in our State.
Some of the causes of congratulation are, the
| knowledge that our work is one when has tle
approval of God and all the wisest anu best men
| in the State that it is recognized by the pupilc
| conscience or moral sense and sentiment oil tue
| people as just; that the laws OF our eOlhihon-
| wealth which relate to the subject, are IN our
| favor; that for twenty years the prohibition oi
the rum traffic has been the settled policy OF tue
| State that to-day we are stronger than ever
| before, for the accomplishment of any project
which the best Judgment of the people silaii
dictate, for the suppression of the Vle0 OF mteN-
/ ication and the crime of selling Intoxicating
| liquors and finally that the agencies OF moral
| suasion are happily combined with the effective
use of legal enactments. in the methods now
| most employed and approved in the endeavor
to suppress this giant evil. And there's another
| encouraging sign that the temperance reform Is
| progressing. and securing iirmer hold upon the
| hearts and consciences of men, to which we VIII
| only refer. If we rightly read the signs OF the
| times that powerful agency,the cOnstabulhry or
police system, which has, for several years, been
| used with such great success IN sister STATE i
| growing in favor among our staunch temper
ance men, and is likely soon to become mcorpo-
rated in our laws
| The numerous and in many places enthusias-
| tie gatherings of earnest temperance men and
women. during the past wear, have been OF great
| service in arOusing the public attention, ana IN
| bringing the people into SympathyWith our OBJ
| iect and work. Many of these meetings have
| been held under the direction ofGood Iemplars.
| and especially in connection with their county
| meetings large and enthusiastic gatherings have
| been secured, by which healthy sentiment has
| ALWAYS been promoted and sometimes, perhaps,
| created. In some places the temperance peo-
| pie have been doing very elective WORK
! through Good Samaritan and other open town
1 ~
| ladies have organized distnctyely. and there
NAV be noted some Of the best effects OF temper
ance effort. We only wish we had more OF TINS
| form of work to report. County >Ocietlss nave
| in some instances at least, made their power
| felt tor good by meetings, resolutions, the &c
| zion of committees, and in various ways. The
| Templars of Honor and Sons Of Temperance
have also. we are informed, done very good
work in some places. The members of all these
organizations are recognized by our CONSTITUTION
F. aaNrnnN AfaTa
In prosecuting the work specially pertaining
10 this Society," il seemed TO your Executive
| Committee. proper that an agent should De EN-
ploved, As has been the custom in former year,
10 lecture and organize local societies anu 10 All
| the apprOpriate work Of his Office. PROVIDED Il
| suitable person could be found who would be
! willing to engage in :he work on such terms a.
we were able 10 offer. Accordingly in January
| last, Rev. Z. y. Granger was elected ana duly
| commissioned a. General Agent Tor the society
| for the ensuing year. Since the time OF hls a.
| ccptaucc Of the arduOus work thus imposed up
| on him. he has been labOrng with a zeal AMI
| fidelity which must have been born OF high
sense of responsibility and a clear recognition
! Of great need. And We desire at this time, To
express our appreciation OF the eilclent service
! which he has rendered in labOring for the cause
Of reform. everywhere and in all circumstances.
even when ANNOYED and sometimes almost
| thwaried by the embarTassments arising from
| the unfortunate relations TO the society Of i
| former acent.l His own report will show the
nature and extent Of his labors.
One of the chief embarrassments in our work
| has been the want Of financial basis Of action.
| Having no money in the treasury and no pledges
| on which reliance could be placed for future
need. the agent employed could have no as>u-
| rance Of compensation from any other source
| than out Of the collections he should make for
the Socety-which, with any solicitor of our
! present Agents characteristic modesty, must
be- INADEQUATE. This. together it'll the clrcum-
| stances under which he took the field, subjected
him to annOyances which the society should
seek TO remedy, hereafter, if this form Of labor
j, 10 be employed. II some financial basis could
be- dcN i-ed. think tho efficiency Of the Nocle-
| u would De greatly increased.
| Among the agencies for carrying on our work
OF reform. the press. when IL influence l. right
| Is directed, must be acknOw lodged As among
I the most important; and we take this Opportu-
| nifty 10 make this public acknowledgement OF
the valuable services TO the cause Of temper
| ance " hoh has been contributed by many Of
/ the newspapers of the state. And especially do
| we commend TO the favorable consideration OF
| the temperance people Of the stale the fR-
| MONT WITNESS. published at Burlington by
| the Secretary Of the Society, which makes
specially Of this subject in all Of it. departments
and is fearless in advocating all right and ol-
posing all wrong.
| With such nsan, in operation. we have rcas-
on 10 thank God and take courage. The cause
{, Iii, and lie viii bring j: 10 sure ami final tri-
| umph We know the cause for which we labor
j, just. and the right must prevail. In this con-
| hdeucc we appeal 20 all friends OF the great re-
.orm 10 do all in their power to aid IN the over
| throw Of the monster evil. Let Us strive by
moral and Christian influence and legal power
not bv PRAYERS al0ne-but by money and work
! and votes, The rum demon viii not die easily
! or willingly. The drinking customs Of society
| can be reformed only by long, patient and earn
est effort. and The Use Of all the agencies At our
command That intOlerable nuisance - that
| hell-born agency ofdestruction. the rum traffic,
/ Will yield % nothing else than the crushing
/ machino' Of human law, OF divine Judgments.
But lis day Of doom approaches. LIT Us learn
] 20 labor while we wait.
! For the Committee.
LYMAN L. KNAPP, Chm.
! W. W. ATW ATEE, Secretary.