Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-10-09

r va hou. NeisOn Dlngley,
o''o' Lewiston. The meeting was called to or.
oef oy Joshua K OsRood, chairman of the com.
m'''ee OF arrangements. who introduced
mayor William Perkins a, president of ,b..
evening. On taking the chair Mr. Pert;n.
read the following pertinent address:
:, Ladies and Gentlemen-I thank Won IN,
his manifestation of your confidence in me
anu your respect for the Office which repre.
'ent, In calling me to preside over this "A
80. vi the representative men and women
vi the alHerent temperance organization. in
our city, and of the moral and relioions s,a'
Inent OF this community. l can assure Won
'nat am IN sympathy with the great cause
you represent, and heartily Cooperate with
you In the grand work Of staying the progress,
Vi ihtemperance, and purifying the soci Il and
moral atmosphere by expelling the terrible
miasmas which arise from the dens of traffic
In intoxicating drinks
Eight hundred millions of dollars are spen,
annually IN this country for intoxicauts ar in
Inc interests OF the liquor traffic Four ifths
W AL the crime and pauperism Of the United
states Is caused by strong drink: and 80 pe r
cent OF the iliotic children born into the
world are the progeny of drunken parents
ne enormity of this evil when measured nv
money standard is gigantic but whe1 looked
at from moral standpoint it is appalling
NO int lligent man or woman can be ignorant
vi the terrible consequences that result from
Indulgence and traffic in intoxicating drink.
No argument need be used to establish the
TACT that drunkenness is more fearful in its
ravages than the pestilence that walketb AT
noon and presents a more terrible array of
victims than the carnage of cruel and deyas
tatlng war. This evil has existed for ages in
defiance of law and despite the efforts and
In2enuites of man to arrest its progress
DECEASED appetites of the fathers have gener-
ated uncomfortable passions in their sons.
Long continued indulgences and the universal
use OF strong drink as a beverage corrupted
the tastes and debauched the sentiments of
the people Of New England during the past
century and the first quarter of the prese nt
The influence of these abnormal desires still
fingers among The education of the
masses and the creation of a correct public
sentiment is work of years. and requires the
Constant practice and application of those
manly and Christian virtues patience and
perseverance. The question that presents
itself for our consideration tonight is, what
can be done that shall constantly lessen and
ultimately remove the evils of intemper-
ance! do not claim to be wise enough to
devise rules, or establish a code of law that
shall govern the actions and sentiments of
every man or woman engaged in this great
reform, and it would be unwise for me to de-
nounce any individual who differs with me AS
to the means which shall accomplish the end
sought by all who desire the suppression of
this devastating evil.
The fanatical denunciations of ranters do
not disprove the fact that the great mass of
intelligent men and women-the members of
our churches-the strength of our industries
tha af M,,r hA, A..
with true temperance reform and the sup.
preston of the liquor traffic by the stern man
date of law.
1t is not my purpose to occupy the time this
evening with an extended speech. Able rep
resentatives of your organizations will adj
dress you and interest you to renewed activity
in the work before you. Ladies and gentle
men, again thank you for your indulgence,
and invite your attention to the opening ex-
ercises of the evening.
PRAYER was offered by Rev. Mr.. Minard.
His Honor the Mayor then introduced, as
the speaker of the evening, our honored rep
resentative in Congress, Hon. Nelson Dingley,
Jr., who spoke for an hour and a half. and
held the undivided attention of his audience.
His address was able, logical and effective.
He said 1t is surprising that we could con-
template the enormty of this gigantic evil so
torcibly portrayed by the chairman in his
opening address, and be so little stirred. 1t
seemed verification of the old apothegm that
Familiarity breeds contempt" There
no doubt but that public sentiment was in
sympathy with the temperance movement,
and in favor of the removal of the evils of
intemperance. 1t was dormant public SEN
timent The evil is so common that every
body seemed to regard it with apathy. We
were in a state of helplessness. What we
Ipl W. m
ment. He came here to incite more activity
in himself. and to put renewed courage into
the hearts of his hearers. We must not sit
and grumble because others do not act but
go to work ourselves.
The great agency in the temperance reform
was moral suasion. Temperance must be
taught 1t should be talked in our homes.
Mothers should iterate and reiterate this SEN
timent to their young children. and lay the
foundation whereon to build a noble manhood.
Young men should put no confidence in the
oft repeated declaration, Il can drink or let
it alone" wine is mocker, and whose is
deceived thereby is not wise." Seven out of
every ten who thought to be moderate
drinkers would fail 1t was not the weak who
were enslaved by appetite. Old Samuel
johnson was right when he said. Il know
that | can sbstain; | do not know that can
drink moderately. Self restraint is public
sentiment in action. Cardinal Manning mad
said. There was no evil but what could be
mitigated by combined human effort" An
active public sentiment should back the OH
GERS in the execution of law and the prosecu-
ton of transgressons. Moral suasion should
be supplemented by legal enactments. Ii
is often said YOU cannot make men virtuOus
by law. Perhaps not; but If men desire to be
virtuous the law will help them. Gladstone
uttered a truism when he said, "Good laws
help men to be good"
Prohibitory law was essential to the success
of moral reform. Moral suasion for the
drinker but primitive law for the rumseller.
Everywhere the ale of flour, corn, etc, was
free, ut tLroughou the civilized world re-
s,rictions were placed upon the traffic In in
toxicating liquors. Why? Because they
were considered dangerous to the safety OF
the people. The prohibitory Law In Name
was not a failure. 1t had accomplished much
There are $50 towns in the State where not
a glass of liquor can be bought; 40 towns
and villages where sales are made with ex-
trcme caution and only Is cities and villages
where il is sold with any degree of publicity
The speaker closed with an appeal to his
auii. nee To stand by the law and vote for the
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