The Portland daily press., 1884-03-27
A Noble Speech.
Governor Robinson of MassnchusetEs en-
Ihe Temperance Cause and Work.
lF. om the BOSTON Adyerliser.l }

F,om the Boston Advertiser)
Governor Robinson was the guest Of the Social
Temperance Union at its gathering Friday after
noon. prominent company OF leading workers In
the various lines of the temperance cause were
present repr senting all shades Of opinion az 10
method from the extreme prohibition policy Of DR..
Miner TO that Of the Law and Order League. The
Rev. E. E. Hale presided. Or. Hale had spoken,
and the company had been ente taiued with sin
by Professor Mitchell. and a recitation BY Mis-
Carrie Hale, when the Governor came in. He was
given a very cordial greeting. DR.. Miner made a
radical prohibition speech. The Hon. Rufus s.
Frost spoke, and then the Governor was presented:
do not entirely agree with DR.. Miner on the tenn
per,nce question, and he knows do not. laugh
ter) But am delighted to find that in this or
ganization any gentleman and any lady is welcome
who has at heart wi at he OF she believes 10 be the
that there is one association know there more
in which man may stand up and declare himself
in favor of temperance even ( he has not commit
ted himself TO any particular heme of legislation
IL 's act that here JUST as elsewhere we look at
man for what he is, not alone for what he SAYS
(Applause) Life counts for something, and the
temperance cause, beg to assure you,-and say il
with the most frankness and with intense kind
ness,-is Il jqred when we reproaeh men with hard
names no do not agree with upon the details of
legislation. applause Haven't you any warmer
gasp for the man who has through ali his II con-
sisteutly absaiued from intoxicating drinks in oV-
cry form, and has In chu ch and family. in public
ami private life, demnnst ated bv voice aid ex-
ample that he is devoted to the holy and Christian
work of temperance, than you have for the man who
openly ignores you and your cause and haunts his
contradiction in your face? know you have zap
plauss1 When my friend, DIR. Miner, says,-andI
am speaking, OF course, not In any un-
kind criticism, but because he and /,
unconsciously, are working together-that nothing
Is done unless particular Jiece of leg Station u
wrought out. 1 cannot agree with him that Tho
present condition of affairs Is so deplorabe lean
look back over nearly 40 yeTs. can recall the
times then and submit to you thar they better
now. People have higher regard for temperance;
they are more temperate They believe Ia II thor
oughly aud practically, and they believe In it tfur
ther than 70 pin th ir fai politicians, who for
the time being profess to be their friends For they
have learned by experience that some men are
ready to pledge heir zeal TO any doctrine If they
can only get into public office. That Is what they
want, and IL is surprising thing To me to find good
people ready 10 support that XII d OF a man who
falsihes in woid and act Qoud applause aud cries OF
"gao1, every declaration hat he may make fir
political or party gain. WHAT think you Of the
ture md oes Tor extreme prohibition when he is
daily tippler? AMI there are gentlemen here in
this room who have watched the progrss of lsgisa-
ton, who know am speaking out OF the everyday
true.D IL is toJ true, and 1t is shame that 1t Is
true AMI it is greater sh me (near VII mel II the
iempeT ance people of Massachus IT, . going to
put their fnal faith in such men as that. loud
appause). beg to assure you that do not be-
lieve they propose to.
Let me throw out another suggestion upon this
matter Of thiuking that nothing il accomplished IN
I'll absolute prohibition N is written the statute
DO KS; because We are talking here for inf orma ion
tryiag to get at facts. We mus not forget that
what we want is not piece of leg Station but We
want TO save men aud women. Itis human beinRs
we are after, not triumph ON tine statute bOoks.
What we want to do is to stop fashionable drink
ing. Cloud applause) You are a little closer to
The work, when 20 have acc bmplished that, than
you are when you have only written something on
The law book. tApplause.) / pe the time will
come when in every family L will be possible to let
the ganghters be marie with ut ne. That will
come not by prohibition, friends but because good
thinking, honest, Christian humanity comes into
people and Fellowship with them and makes them
fesl that drinking customs outof place and un-
necessary, to say the least Looking over the years
that are past it must be apparent that we have
made real gam in this direction.
Mr.. Faxon-No question abouc It,
Inc Governor No QUESTION about IL, my friend
Conmonweal h. (.oud laughter and spplause)
Dr.. Miner-Compare 1867 with to-day, and do
you think there is an improvement; and, II there
has been any improvement, do you think license
laws have helped it, or has it been in spite Of license
laws7
The Governor-As think of the matter. taking
the course OF years down, fail to an, break
the year 1857 1t may be that there is bot 1t does
not Yet attract my attention Now, to the other
part of tie question, to whether we helped
hndered by the license law. Friends you haven't
enforced the license law yet (appause) and till you
have got all the strength out Of that, let me sug
sest TO you that 1t is no hindr nee 70 you 1t may
not have all the strength YOU wish, but you should
use ali there is of It (appause), aud 1t is very
powerful piece of legislation If the people will take
hold OF it and apply i5 for all it is worth There is
no doubt about it. If town or city votes no license,
there are gentlemen in this loom who know that
he screws can be put on so tight that tt Is prOhib
ton for that town. Appl 'use.) Ono cannot do
Justice to himself and certainly not to his subject
In the mid-t of a cfoss-tire. (Laughter.) But no
BODY has right to expect 10 come to meeting in
which SO many diverse views are Tepresentei 9Th
e nt L goGa asa bseH Spoken @ because when Il
sposen in a mans face he meet 1t, and, perhaps
be himself Is the best answer to any unnecessary
suspicious. (Applause)
l am not here to speak for the Common
wealth this afternoon QAught-r); / am ony
long, WitAc-: quiveI or variation. been not only
a temperance man, but total-abstiaence man
prolonged applause and cries of s'Goot," Good -
and being devoted to that in home and society and
church aud in state have nothing but heart full
Of kindness for any man who supposes ! am not as
good a temperance man as he. daughter and ap-
plause.) love him all the better for it Qaughter)
because know he is an immense power for good IN
the land-better than any lighthouse on the storm
your presence, ladies' and gentlemen, active workers
In the cause of temperance. Crowd up a little; 1t
will do 10 harm. daughter and applause) You
may have the flint and the steel. Lay them on the
Sable apart and nothiI comes Of them; knock
hem together and there is spark Hit on me,
you corners (rOars OF lauR and applause
and possibly we will get up conhagraton. What
ever you do, be sure that my heart aud nv best
wishes are with you. If your home is home In
which little chill lren grow up into good meu and
women, If by your word and by your example. by
munity in which you m We brighter aud better, you
have doue Gods viii surely, and you have helped 10
make Massachusetts better State. tremendous