Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-02-25
The New Temperance Crusade.
REMARKABLE SUCCESS OF THE MovEMEN'

Whatever opinion may be entertained
concerning the permanent results OF the
recently inaugurated Womans campaign
against liquor.sellug, all must admit that
its imme liate effects have been OF most
remarkable character Although it is less
than ten weeks since that little baud OF
praying women took the first aggressive
step at fIillsboro', Ohio, yet the movement
is sweeping over the prairies with almost
the rapidity of the wind, and producing
results never dreamed Of by its originators.
So, before, have the living sparks Of truth
been famed into great relormations The
spectacle Of ladies' Of the first responsibility
gathering around liquor saloons, and hold
ipg religious exercises in behalf of the
cause of temperance is novel indeed -
Driven from the saloons, they kncel in the
muddy streets, regardless alike of chilling
winds or petiug rain, aud Of all the ngeni-
Gus devices which the enemy eau invent
Here a coarse aud hardened dealer throws
snuff amid the praying band there a ruff
fan assaults them with poker; indecent
caricatures are paraded in tho windows ;
vulgar jests are banded about the law is
invoked to expe the trespassers but, seem
ingly ike their Divine Master, none of
these things move the patient toilers, and
the already long record Of victories achieved
is lengthening every doy Already the
movement has reached more than hundred
towns and villages in Ohio, besides some
twenty in adjoining States, aud the results
may be summarized thus: 0nc hundred
and fifty saloons have been closed, "never
to be reopened again; largo number
are temporarily closed, waiting for the
excitement to die away - seventy.fve drug.
gsts have signed the druggists pledge,
and nearly or quite fifty thousand have
signed the pledge Of total abstinence. Nor
has the influence Of the movement stopped
OeIA lOI vi u hIEt uuhu'I VI lHo'hHNeo
city and town councils have been induced
to pass the strctest prohiliicry ordinances
and a moral power has been brought to bear
upon the State Constitutional Convention
which will doubtless result in placing the
liquor traffic under the ban of the organic
law of the State.
For what has been done, we are pro
I fouudly grateful For what may yet be
r done, provided the powerful forces now il
: use are properly guided and controlled, we arC
full of hope. If extravagances are avoided
o and the courage faith, patience, and phys
o ical endurance Of the women are equal tC
e the emergency, the whole region may be
r regenerated We do not expect intcmper
r ance will be destroyed, nor the liquor traf
l. fc entirely suppressed; but we trust it will
> make both disreputable, AID that it vii
save thousands whose case is not yet hope
-. less, aud tens Of thousands Of those who's,
$ feet have not taken the FIRST step in tn,
IS downward road.
i The suhjoined account Of the good worl
f. at Xcuia, Ohio, one Of the strong-holIs o
lie the liquor traffic, may be taken as a sampl
lie of the progress of the work
D. XExlA. Ohio, February l0-The creates
victory yet achieved in the Temperance wa
has been gained here to-day in Nhtema
lie street The nine saloons on that short stree
five within the space Of 300 yards -hav
gained an unenviahle reputation and are know
about town as Shades Of Death" He'll
Half acre, ~" certain Death, - " Mules Ear =
T. and Devils Dem For three days the ladie
in have labored almost incessanty IN front Of tn
Shades of DEATH the pruprietors onl
re seeming u grow more stubborn, but at . p. N
or to-day he opened his doors, invited the ade
in, and announced his unconditional surrender
n Tie news ilew rs On the winds over the town
v and in few minutes It seemed that all the poE
ulalOn were hurryin toward Nhlteman stree
H. dispatch was sent to the State Convention
Mt Graneers, and that body, numbering 600, ros
and INDUCED in three hearty cheers. All III
u church bells were set ringing, and the entiI
Mt town turned out to rejoice.
Reaching the srcue ct victory | found Il
proprietor rolling out his liquors and delive
re ing them to the women, the htter neanwh
=, waking the echoes OF tie narrow street Wit
~ - Praise God, from whom all blessings How.
Not only the women, but ministers, merchun
and men Of all professions and trades SCENE
lal overwhelmed with joy. Barrels and kegs we
W. poured into the gutter AMID the paudi
Of a thousand people. Then the leadr
OF lady Of the praying band made her addrts
on in which she announced that Mr. Philhl
had quit the liquor traffic without exacting
single condition that he purposed to emit
he another business, and they all felt it TO be the
Christian duty to support him Another sho
eu and another song, and the assembly BEGAN
nd too happy for manifestation. Nothing was
be witnessed but tears, songs, prayers, han
'u' shakingS, and congratulations In the GU
IAN skirts OF the crowd was an old lady, shOutin
B." Bless the Lord q o o Bless the Lord
i've On inquiry learned that she belonged to o.
ich of the first families in the city, and is ordin
20 rily most quiet, placid lady. One son :
u has LOST by ntemperance, and another is
danger To her this victory over the sal No
was a contamination long prayed for,
ION Four large bands spent the day in song a
ice prayer before other saloons, and Il d. zen smi
- companies visited other places. Before mig
sell 1t was rumOrod that three more saloons b
,si. agreed to surrender tomorrow morning.
j., notable feature OF the war in this city for I
lr. last two days has been the presence of lar
In. school OF guls, led by their teacher, singing
- iOIt tue sdtODIlS sutll songs as oty, mT. ID
Dle keeper, has father been here - and " FAITH
,ws dear father, come home" 1t is seriously p
posed to close all the schools and husin,
ors houses for portion OF each day, that the VIII
re. population may he brought To bear on
saloons. This is o night Of rejoicing in Men
re- Those best acquainted with the situation
IN so sanguine as to believe that not a month "
: pass before every saloon in <enia will be clos
10 The Shades OF Death" they say, was
backbone OF the rebellion"
CoLUMBUs, February 20,-A DRILLING II
en- has prevailed good portion OF the day thruul
;nr out the State, and rendered the outdoor W,
of the crusaders extremely disagreeabIe.
this nearly every point, however, the heroines HI
ont brayed the storm, and persistently followed
their abors among the whisky dealers.
1t prayer meetings are growing in strength h
,eet daily, and public interest in temperance is
-, creasing. No definite plan Of action has
Ed been agreed upon. An effort was made TOT
God in the House to call up the amendment to
Adair law, but the motion was tabled by a v
ipg, OF fortyhve to thirty.one. This is Wet
Ink. for the Temperance party. Politicians
growing uneasy over the movement, fear
cal that unless it soon subsidies it will becom
be- political question and cause them trout
The sangulne friends of the cause believe t
eh'r the people now are becoming thoroug
aroused, and that the crusade will sweep
entire country. In support Of this they {
IS the spread OF it through this State, its incre
lao in Indiana, and its appearance in the extre