Litchfield enquirer., 1878-04-11
Temperance in the County.

The Temperance meetings which began in Winsted last week, have produced equally successful results with those that have marked the movement in the western part of the county. The Herald reports that 247 signed the pledge the first evening; 237, the second 22S. the third; and that the total number at the end of the week had reached over thirteen Hundred. The work has been conducted by the Murphy lecturers, Love and Miller, though, the latter part of last week, MessrS. Bradford and Hill were also expected to be present. Before the end of the week the Winsted News was claim ing that they had beaten New Milford, hither- to the banner town of the county (with about 1900 names), over five hundred. e
 Salisbury has formed temperance society with over HOO signers, and they assert that be- fore two months are passed they will have list of two thousand members. All over the old town; at the Center, at Lakeville, and Lime Rock; they are sweeping everything be- fore them. At Falls Village over 500 people have signed the pledge. As will be seen from our correspondence elsewhere, the movement has begun successfully at Kent. Thomaston was holding very full meetings, all last week, with many signatures. On Tuesday of this week, MessrS. Love and Miller begin their la bors at Wolcottville, after which they are going to Norfolk.
 1t will be observed that the movement takes greatest effect in those communities which mad fha of ha| oF Il ol, stinence-in villages, in manufacturing places, and in the northwestern towns of the county where mines and furnaces employ large num- bers of men. Hitherto, total abstinence has been practiced, if at all in staid, ,sparsely inhab- ited agricultural communities. Now it is gain ing a strong hold everywhere.
 The chief objection urged against the move ment is isthatitmaY only serve temporary pur- pose-that though may sweep lkea wave over the country, it will leave no durable mark be- hind. No doubt many individuals will be on- lyaffected temporarily; but we believe that the community will experience & permanent change of faith, and we hope of practice, in regard to this most important moral question. The similar movement of forty years ago wrought permanent and most beneficent change in the habits of the people of New England. It is easier to make a total abati- nence people of this generation than it was of that, because habits of indulgence do not pre- vail to the extent now that they did then, and because the drinking customs of that day no longer prevail in this. Most are giv- ing the movement their earnest support, and every citizen should be willing to allow fair trial of an experiment which is now promising SO we'll
 The New Milford Temperance Union have had the good sense not to mix Prohibition and Temperance in their constitution. Prohibition IS left to the individual members.
 We recently remarked that anyone could gofrom Canaan, and vicinity, oia the Housatonic for about $s. The News innocently inquiries where one can go for that sum? Anywhere. What man naturally wants is to get out of Canaan, and, if he can do it for $3 he ought to be very thankful
 The Press won victory in the New Milford Lyceum, last week. The question was "lPe, sotOed.-That the Press exerts more influence upon Communities than the Forum James k. Johnson appeared in behalf of the Press James H. McMahon Esq, for the Forum; and the Press had judgment We suspect that Mir. McMahon was little at odds with him. self; the Gazette pulling him one way, and his lawyers habits, the other. James R. Johnson knows no divided allegiance.
 There is to be Teachers Institute at North Canaan. beginning on Thursday the Both day of April, and ending on Saturday. Free re- turn tickets will be issued oyer the Housaton- # and Connecticut Western railroad.