Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-06-22
TEMPERANCE TALK.
Discussion of the Lodge Work in Convention
dresses of Secretary Parker and Mrs. Stone

Discussion of the Lodge Work in Conventlon-Ad-
dresses of Secretary Parker and Mrs. stone.
The District Convention e.isthe l. 0.
G. L. commenced its session pfomptly
on time last Wednesday morning, in the
social room of the Congregational
church. The pleasant weather brought
out good number of delegates and
great interest was manifested. Papers
presented were listened to with attention
and discussed with vigor and discrim-
nation.
1t had been expected that L. M.
Kanouse, chief of the Grand Lodge of
the State, would be present and deliver
an address Wednesday. Being absent
in Iowa assisting in the campaign in
that state, his place was filled by Secre-
tary Parker of the Grand Lodge.
After some excellent music by the
choir and q prayer from Rev. S. w.
Eaton, Mr.. Parker was introduced by
District Deputy UT. Following IS an
abridged report of Mr. Parker address:
| do not believe in the view taken by
many who live in this beautiful land that
we ought to be happy people and
would be if it were not for this all abb
sorbing curse of intemperance, we have
the power, and the curse remains be-
cause we will it so. With a constit Ition
the power to regulate the liquor traffic
it only remains with us because we will
it. If we put that power to good use
the final overthrow of this curse will not
be long delayed. 1t is not now for me
to argue that it is best to do so or for
our best interests. That has been set
tied and believe that ine-tenths of this
audience are opposed to intemperance.
But the question now before us is what
are we to do with this curse and how
are we to destroy it.
About five years ago | recommended
a plan to the Grand Lodge looking to-
wards an effectual suppression of the
liquor traffic. That plan has since been
adopted in nearly every state in the
Union and in twenty of them has it not
only been found the best thing proposed
but has proven successful.
We have failed in our state and will
show the reason of our failure. We
have no organization, no political party
and that situation is still unchanged.
Now had always been a strong party
man. When young mani tramped
over the country four nights in the week
with the wide awakes in the Lincoln
campaign. When the South resolved to
20 into rebellion | was one of the bows
who said we will see about that and in
1861 went to Milwaukee, enlisted, and
served four years, and always after that
acted in connection with the Republican
party. | believed in its traditions. its
purposes. and it was hard work to get
my mind in a state that would admit nv
withdrawing from it. When this tenn
perance question arose ] said let us sub
NIT the amendment to the party. never
supposing for a moment that the leaders
would rufuse to submit the amendment
to the people.
claimed then and claim now that if
a majority of the people were in favor
of a license system they ought to have it
am in favor of that. But, if on the
other hand, a majority Of the people
ought to have it and have yet TO find
man who objects to this as not good
common sense.
Now | win give you little of the past
history of our movement. We first cir
culated petitions asking the legislature
to submit tn {restion of prohibitory-
amendment = ne people, we had
many thousand signers, many from this
county and some from Lancaster and
presented it to the legislature. which re-
fused to submit the question to the
people But the leaders Of the domin-
ant party said il will not DO to get them
down upon us. We win coax them
along and so allowed the question of
submission to receive an encouraging
support. This gave us strong hopes
and the next year we sent it up again,
only to have it sat down on. Then we
went to work and got more signers. One
old gentleman from this county present
ed petition bearing the name Of sever
al thousand signers which he had tram
pied over many miles to secure and