The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-08-29

o be ranked as the friends and best sup
oorters of the liquor traffic. The pro-
noters of drunkenness and drunkard
makers expect no friendly feeling from
heir hapless victims, and realize that
heir interests are not promoted by this
class of unfortunates. The'drunkenness
hat fills police courts and jails, that
sends worse than orphaned children In
penury and filth through street and
alley, makes no friends for the liquor
traffic. The heart-broken wife, the DESC
late freside, the damp cellar and dingy
garnet, unworthy the name of home, to
which alcohol condemns, so often, its
votaries, are revelation of the infamy
that is bred by the influence of the
saloon, and only arouse cry fyengeance
against such debasement. The traffic,
therefore, depends for its abiding sup
port, not on this class, that is the natural,
If shameful, result of its industry, but
looks for encouragement and consolation
to those who have only apologies to offer
for total abstinence societies, and no
sympathy, encouragement or kind wish
es for total abstainers. GentlemeH, il
must be no unimportant part of our
duty to remove this comforting support
to the liquor traffic, to take away this
pillar of so-called conservatism, which in
this instance is but another name for
cowardice, that lends a feeling of Sc
curity and quiet to both the purse and
the conscience of a class of men who
give but poor exchange for the hard
earned money of their patrons.
Voluntary total abstinence from in
toxicants, organized in solid array, as is
our Union, with its purposes plain before
men, is q molder Of public opinion, an
educator of public sentiment, that finds
no equal among all the forces that are
summoned in resistance to alcohol's
dominion to-day. Yet timid, but well
meaning men, lengthen out the time
when we shall witness the final grand
triumph of temperance ideas, by their
diffidence, their want of earnestness and
their lack of perfect appreciation ofthe
enormity of the evil we must conquer.
They weaken the force of the strongest
resistance to alcohols power by their
groundless fear offanaticism. while blind
to the imminent dangers that threaten
us from extreme caution and dilatory
action.
Gentlemen, we are gladdened by the
vision that rises up before us of most
encouraging success. With us in this
struggle are virtue, charity, justice, the
blessing of God and the benediction oil
the church, while all honest men never
weary of praying heaven that our cour-
age may not falter. Against as are
vice. coWardice, deceit, malignant Gun.
ming and defiance of all that is lawful
just or reputable among men. Along
the well-beaten track that has beer
pressed by the tireless feet of men il
this crusade whose example we are
proud to initiate, we see recovered thu
wrecks of ruined homes, we hear thu
glad laugh of childhood in homes wher,
the fathers coming once silenced child
ish glee. We see the bloom of health
and Joy restored to the cheek Of fonC
wives, whose lives were ebbing out il
anguish over the ruin of the idols of thei
hearts fondest devotion. We see th,
dying embers of domestic Joy, that reck
less intemperance had all but extin
guished, aroused again to happy life b,
the freeing of slave from alcohol
bondage. We see souls redeemed
heaven rejoice, and the heart of th
church, our spiritual Mother, beat fond
| ly, that her hayward children are restol
ed again to the benign influence of he
affection and love.
Ours is the enviable mission of plant
| ing lastingly among men q horror of til
sin, the causes of which we aim to n
move, and of perpetuating an organize
hatred of all it's attendant enormities.
| Our Union is assembled in its foul
teenth convention at a time fraugh
with vital significance for us as natio
of freemen. The voices of the tw
great political parties of the nation Wer
heard but yesterday in this great city
clamoling to seat their respective fs
vorites in power. While, as total al
stinence Union, We have no alliance wit
either of the great parties in this nation
al struggle, it is well to remember tn
solemn and truthful words of the mos
disinterested philanthropist our countr
has produced, that, Universal sufrag
is a sham while rum rules the larg
cities"
| The great aim of our organization j
that, by every effort of ours, we may wi
place of power and honor for thos
who shall he benefited by the loyalty c
our quenchless devotion. We seek t
place that man in power who now is
Islave, and work that every man ma
fill that place of power and honor tina
| gives more than kingly dignity to hi
manhood, that he may be the master @
himself, and that no appetite shall rive
on his chains.
We are assembled in the magic cit
of the great and enterprising West
May we catch that spirit of energy an,
tireless effort that, in few short years
has twice lifted this wondrous city from
the trackless prairie, and learn the i'm
portance and the imperative necessitl
of constant, ceaseless labor, if we vii
see realization of our best and fondes
hopes lin the triumphant success of on
most worthy cause.
You will learn from the reports her,
given, that our Union was never in sucl
hopeful condition as now. During th,
past year, thanks to the untiring energy
of our efficient secretary, the Union hal
materially increased and enlarged thu
circle ofits usefulness.
The experience of the past fourteen
years has ripened the skill Of the workers
in this Union.
We gather now the fruits of patient
prudent sowing, done by earnest, honest
men, whose places we now fill. They
planted well the foundations of this
beautiful edifce ). it remains for us, who
have later placed our names on its hon
ored record, to strengthen its walls
and give beauty and comeliness to all its
proportions.
l would recommend that earnest
efforts be made to secure a generous
and permanent campaign fund, by
which the Union may be enabled to
spread broadcast temperance literature
Much has been accomplished during the
past year in this way, and yet only be-
ginning has been made. Study to keep
the local societies active and energetic
bxy m oo11c nf 1o1Ydo h1o oftro ntiopo ord