The Brookhaven leader., 1884-02-21

Address of the President of the National
League, Giving sketch of the Move
Inent, and the Plan for Its Extension in
1854
To the Friends of Law and Order:
In response 10 numerous inquiries the fol-
lowing Information l. given:
The CITIZENS Law and Order League OF the
United States was organized in fremont
Temple, Boston. Mass, February %. 1888, by
delegates representing twenty-five Law and
order Leagues, located in glt of the United
States. The attendance was large, the inter
est deep, and the meeting in ali respects
success.
The origin of the law and order movement
was an effort on tue part of few citizens of
Chicago in the ia / of III, to enforce the
laws iorbidding tho sale of liquors t minors.
TIE cause of the movement was the discUv-
cry of the appalling fact that, in VIC az on OF
those laws the saloon keepers OF chicago
were selling intoXlcat ng liquors to many
thousands OF Chicago boys.
The process of the movement was cXtrerge-
ly simple. One or two reliable witnesses made
notes OF persons and places violating the law,
and then cmmcnced prosecutions against
the offenders for such violations. before po-
lice magistrates or justices of the peace and
upon the trial of the complaints proved the
facts. and demanded judgments lntictlng the
penalties of fine ana imprisonment prescribed
The practical success of a persistent de-
mand that the laws be enforced and obeyed
was SIMPLY wonderful The working force of
the Chicago League did not exceed half
dozen men, with the encouragement and sup
port OF not more tnan n nun ifeu citEenS
Treai ing the movement al first with derlSlon,
the saOon-kCene-S soon found It too serious
and potent to resist, and yielded, with more or
less of protest and opposition, an Obedience
which they found themselves unable to with
ho'd. at is estimated that hve-Sixths OF the
evils OF selling liquor to minors have been per-
manenty suppressed in the city of Chicago
through the efforts of the Citizens League,
with corresponding benefits to families. tax
payers and the community generally. These
statements are male on the basis OF the
official reports of the Chicago League. Those
reports have been freely published in the
newspapers of the city, and have been the
subject of frequent comment in the public
press and in public addresses, and their cor
rcclness has never been seriously questioned
SO far as | am informed.
Actual experiment proved that equally great
and decisive results wei obtained by ii similar
course in smaller cities. and in country towns
In some cases the results were even more
complete and satisfactory.
The accounts published in the newspapers
stimulated similar organizations in other
States. Like results followed wherever the
effort was faithfully made, and the movement
advanced from city TO city and from state to
State, until it finally eliminated in the organ
iZation of a National Law and Order League,
as above stated.
Calls for information and personal assist
ance have been received from many parts of
the Union and inquiries for documents and
directions have also come! to hand from for
cign countries.
The inherent merit of the movement alone
has spread its influence and multiplied its
organizations 1t has no propagandist in the
field. The officers and advocates of the exist
ing Law and Order societies have only gone
where they have been called, and in most
cases only where the calls have been urgent
and repeated This has not been from any
unwil!ingness to do the noble work of the
movement, but because they are all busy men
with many responsibilities and cares, who find
ii difficult to spare the time to make Journeys
and a ssist in organizing Citizens Leagues in
other localities.
To promote the organization of Law and
Order Lea gues i'll places where they do not
80 in
which such organizations may be effected, is
the specific object of this address. The con-
stituiions and hy-lawSpf the Citizens Leagues
and NJ ssachusettS and the United
States are appended to the printed
proceediqgs Of the SeGnSi,aG convention o6yy by
may be obta ned by writing to the Secretary,
Mr.. J. c. Shaifer, 26 Washington street, Chi
pendix thereto contain all necessary informal
ton tor the organization of law and order
societies, with other interesting matter, in.
Guiding brief reports of the speeshes of
Bishop Il. Ii. Paddock Rev. James Freeman
Clarke, Ex-Governor Thomas Talbot, Hon.
Rufus :. Frost DR.. Daniel Dorchester, Andrew
Paxton, resident +. +. Elmcudorf, and
Others at the National Convention. The en-
tire proceedings show that the National
League was the result of spontaneous move
ment in favor of a better enforcement or the
laws, and that the organization entered upon
its work with an earnestness prophetic of
success.
Mr.. Elmendorf departed this life October II,
1888, and at a meeting of the Exec Itive Com
mittee, held in Boston December 3, the under
signed was elected to succeed him as Presi-
dent of the League. have on another occa-
sion paid my tribute of esteem for his Char
acter and services, and sorrow for the loss
sustained in his decease, and therefore for
Dear TO dwell upon them here. hoped and
expected that his successor would be an emf
nent citizen of Boston. but L have not felt at
liberty to decline the respons biities imposed
by the choice of my associates in the impOr-
tant work of law enforcement.
The proceeding to organize Law and Or
der League is not difficult. Any good citizen
can effect such an organization in his locality
He need at first only obtain forms of organ-
zation from the Secretary, and invite few of
his fellow citizens to meet him and consider
the matter. If they agree, they can at once
select officers and form a League. The work
ing ing force REQUIRED Is proSeo1ting lug Age agent II
pay the agent and defray the incidental ex-
penses. Public meetings of Citizens Leagues
are generally held in churches, ana on Sun
day evening, the enforcement of the laws be-
ing recognized as promotiVe or all the best In
terests of society.
prompt report of all Organizations that have
heretofore been, or shall hereafter be, organ
lied be transmitted to the Secretary.of the
United States League. IL is important that
this be done. that the central office may have
the necessary information of the extent and
success of the movement, and that documents
may be sent to the proper officers of the diff
ferent State and local organizations.
The annual meeting of the United States
League Tor 1854 Will PROBABLY De neiu IN
August. Due notice will be given of the time
and place of the meeting, that the State
Leagues may send delegates. The member
ship of the National Convention viii consist OF
delegates chosen by State Associations that
agree with the object of the United States
League, which is to secure by all proper means
the enforcement of such laws and ordinances
as may from time to time exist in the United
States and the several States of the Union,
relating TO the liquor traffic II is therefore
important that all local Leagues shall become
members of State organization, in order that
the delegates to be appointed may properly
represent the different Leagues within the
several States.
While the present work of the law and order
movement is concentrated on the single point
of enforcing the laws tor the regulation and
restraint of the liquor traffic, and especially
the preservation of the youth of the country
from the evils it engenders, the vital principle
| of the movement Is as broad as the domain oi
| government, and Is essential to the endurance
| Of constitutional liberty. The vital principle
/ is-the supremacy of the laws Liberty mus
i be obedient to the laws that sclf-governmonl
| enacts, or liberty itself will degenerate into
/ anarchy and perish. lt is generally admitted
that the laws Tor the restriction OF the hqnol
/ traffic are the most difficult of enforcement
/ If they can be enforced, any others which
/ public opinion approves can be carried mt