Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-02-07

Inc annual meeting OF the Maine State
Temperance Society convened in Union Hall,
yesterday. The attendance was fair, about
so persons being present in the morning
Among them we noticed Gen. Neal Dow of
Portland, Camp Meeting John Allen. Rev. Mr..
Munson, Geo. E. Bracket, Esq. of Belfast,
Rev. Mr.. LeLaeheur. Judge Tolman, B. C..
Torsey, Grand Worthy Chief Templar of the
Order of Good Templars in Maine, and W.
T. Eustis.
The forenoon session opened at ii O'Clock.
A. NJ, with President Neal Dow in the chair
Prayer was offered by Rev. Mr.. LeLacheur
Voted, That the necessary committees be
appointed by the chair.
Brother John Allen being called on stated
that he had become sort of snperanuared, but
vas As strong in favor of the cause of tenn
perance Is ever. He was in favor of passing
the amendment We have got law enough,
but it is not enforced. / am prepared,
think, to 60 on with any measures, how
ever ultra. Was IN favor of sending men to
State Prison who sold liquor. This amend
ment must come and intend to vote early
and vote often for it,
Messrs. Luce, LIE Lacheur and Nye were
appointed q committee on Order of Business.
hSv. NIL 1Auusoh bciuB CoAtcu VII 5alu
We must all feel alike in regard to this cues
ton which has brought us together. believe
we shall carry the constitutional prohlbitory
amendment because we have a Methodist
church in Maine. 1 believe we are going to
win because we are going to work.
We must have work in order to
arouse our people. There never has
been such time as this in the history of our
cause. We are all going to work together.
This is the only way we can win. The dan
ger is that the friends of temperance may be
somewhat Indifferent. There is a strong op-
position to the amendment, but our
plans are all laid and rum sellers
will be surprised when they learn
of them. We will not be caught nap
ping. Maine has covered herself with glory
in the temperance battle. Her name has ex.
tended over the entire Union and has been a
mighty power everywhere in the prosecution
of the temperance work. We cannot have
good government in this country until our
rum shops are dispensed with, and their
places filled by school houses, churches and
factories. Let US arouse ourselves, fellow
temperance men. Why not arouse now?
Let US hold cow entiOns, meetings and use
every legitimate means in our power to carry
the amendment and overcome the rum shops.
Brothers and sisters, let US stand like the
heroes of Thermopyla and overthrow the
enemy!
Geo. f. Bracket, Esq, of Belfast, the
editor Of the new temperance paper, was
called upon. He was alive to the necessity
of earnest work and labor in the coming cam
paign.
Judge Toman said: believe we ought
to look beyond the amendment. There is q
work to be carried on beyond that. Let US
do something besides voting for this amend
ment. Let us have the law enforced. What
we want is to shut up the shops in these large
cities. 1t is not necessary to have one drop
of liquor sold under the present law if it is
enforced. The rum sellers don't hesitate to
publish their business. l ask you, how you
can stop it if you want to? I'll tell you.
We can have somebody to enforce the law
and if they don't we will turn them out. t"It
will come about bye and bye" exclaimed q
voice in the audience.)
Charles Diplock was of the opinion that we
should stop the sale of liquor by beginning
At the agencies and suppressing them.
The Committee on Order of Business re-
ported
Adjourned until 2 o'clock P. M.
AFTERNOON.
The afternoon session opened with
much larger attendance than in the morning.
VOtcu tuht tuS Shah nPpoAhe . VA
nominations.
The chair announced the following COM
mittees:
On Resolutions, D. B. Randall, B. C. Tor
sey, w. T. Eustis.
On Finance, Joshua Nye, H. c.
Munson. Rev. ID. Martin.
On Nominations, Joshua Nye, Geo. E.
Bracket. Rev. Mr.. Luce, Judge Tolman.
W. T. Eustis addressed the convention on
ssThe Enforcement of the Law" Bro. Nun
son in his address this forenoon left out one
arm of this great temperance organization,
the Reform Clubs. We cannot estimate the
work Of these clubs. l feel that men differ
on this great question of prohibition and the
enforcement of the law. Why is not the law
more thoroughly enforced in the State of
Maine? 1t is the fault of the officers of the law.
Why do they not enforce it? Because they
are not supported by the dominant party in
power. Behind it all, the dominant party in
power is in league with the liquor traffic.
The question comes to me every day how
shall we crush out this traffic? L say only by
organization within the State. There are
many men in the republican party. to-day,
who are drinking men. How can that party
enforce the law with these men in it! have
endeavored in the old parties to sweep
the evil away, but have been disappointed
We ehall never, suppress tue aaihe
until we drop our ballots into the ballot
box Immediately against the evil. o let our
ballots count directly against int emperance.
Slavery has disappeared. But this other
evil of rum is still here. What is our dutyT
1t is fact that the temperance vote is
divided all over the State. Why should 1t
be so? Why should earnest men and women
not unite on this great question of the day? We
shut our eyes to the fact that we are strug-
Cling along with the liquor traffic. There is
a monied monopoly behind the liquor inter-
est supporting the rumsellers in their infam.
Gus bushes. Why is not the law enforced!
is the question. The law is controlled by the
dominant party so that it is dead letter.
counted seven open bar rooms on Exchange
street, Bangor, yesterday. l say it /"
shame and a disgrace that such state OF
things exist The powers that are in the
State of Maine, do not do their duty. l do
not have very strong confidence in the amend
ment. 1t may have some influence
over the enforcement of the prohi-
bitory laws, but l do not be-
lieve there will be much change. Do not
Law the blame on the officers elected, for the
non-enforcement of the law, for they act In
accordance with the dictates OF their party
L. ~