The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-09-24
For God and Home and Native
Land

| Union of Montana, whose First
| Anniversary was held in Helena on
August 10Th and Goth, 1854, send the
following Appeal 10 the citizens of
this Territory: :
Friends Of Humanity and Truth:
We apI cal to you in behalf of your
own interests, your homes and our
highest welfare Of our rapidly grow
ing Territory. We voice not
alone the wishes of the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union of
Montana, with its eight local unions
or auxiliary societies. We voice the
appeal of more than one hundred
thousand highminded and loyal
women connected with the two
thousand five hundred and
2igbty-fOur local societies scattered
through the forty-eight States and
Territories, having thirteen separate
departments ard at many sub
departments of systemized labor,
whose declaration of PRINCIPLES are:
First-Ittal abstinence from all
intOxicants FIR the indiAdual:
Second-PrOhibitiOn of the man.
ufacture and sale of all spirituous
and mat liquors in the States and
Territories:
Third-Temperance franchise for
woman equally with man.
l. We ask. you to remember that
public sentiment, which rules society
is fOstered in the home life, and that
in the homes of our country are laid
! the foundations of our State and
National Governments.
| We urge. therefore, the great impor-
tance Of inculcating and practicing
the principles OF temperance in the
home of childhood, that realm OF
lies formative period where the
| mother rules as queen and puts her
fashioning hand on the future destiny
OF her home and country.
We call attention to the frequent
use of int0xicants as a medicine,
wien something far better, and
cheaper, are just as easl]yobtained,
and can be used without any of the
deleterious effects of alcohol.
2. We call to your notice the we'll
established fact, according to actuary
reports, and life insurance tables,
that the average lengh of life of an
.ntemptta e man is less than twenty
| years. "IreveDtiOn is better than
cure" 1t is far easier to prevent
our youth from becoming drunkards
than to reform our inebriates.
We therefore, appeal to YOU for all
| legitimate assistance in securing the
introduction of temperance text
books in cur public schools. that our
children may be instructed in tenn
perance hygiene.
No rnInf xvn,, <o tho OS0 00O
licensed dram shols of our country
which averages one place Of misery,
sorrow, and nusery of crime to
every two hundred of our pop
ulation.
We call to your mind that these
are all sanctioned and Endorsed by
| municipal and State autholiti
under which they are protected; that
we have the most uDimreachable
! authority for declaring that the rum
traffic causes the levy of three-fourths
Of ali the taxes ana produces seven
| eighths of al the crime in our land;
and that, by an iHcOntroVertibie law
of logic, TO license the rum trscftic, is
| also licensing the results of that
| traffic.
We, therefore, ask your help in
) seeking to destroy the strength OF the
liquor traffic in Montana, by annul-
! ling the law which protec 1t
! T. While the formation of dis
tinct Prohibition party may not be
| wise at present, we ask your CO.
| operation in endeavoring to secure
| candidates for the next Territorial
Legislature who will stand squarely
and unequivocally for temperance,
irrespective of any other party *fflll-
alton, The men who will give us
laws for the protection Of our homes,
our property, and our lives, are the
safest legislators to care tor the
educational. social, and financial
| interest of our Territory, all of which
are largely affected by the curse OF
intemperance, and vastj y lnecmnen-
surate with it in point VI nhai-cia'
expenditure.
5. We ask for your influence in
securing a clause in the proposed
Constitution of our Territory. now
! looking towards admission to the
sisterhood of States, prohibiting the
sale and manufacture OF intoxicating
| drinks.
The most conspicuous feature OF
legislative temperance work al Tue
nresent time Is along the line OF
constitutional amendment, and the
OK ,erience ofthe States now engaged
| in this work teaches us that our most
favored opportunity is in the nfS'
framing of the State Constitution,
and not in it's subsequent amend
ment.
With not far from two thousand
Good Templars in the Ierritory,
with the mothers in our homes, 'he
primary source OF public oplnloh'
and with the aid of many temp
erance people not yet enrolled under
orr banner, we may create puohc
sentiment and effect at this tlme
what NAV cause long years OF delay
ii the present opportunity is neg
lected. ,os
! If it he said that prohibition does
| net absolutely prohibit, so can 1e
said that education does not lu'ly
pdrcata nor civilization civlilZe, nor
Christianity Christianixe. But every
Intelligent person knows that fairly
enforced prhlbition does render
,ntoxjcatlon more difficult, thereby
lessening vice and crime, and does
so far save our children from the
ssnares of the fowler, and from a.
noisome pestilence that walketh III
darkness and destruction tha'
wasteth at MONDAY.
6. We appeal to ali ministt rs ana
churches in Montana to use unief.
ment.d wine in the celebra&en OF the
Lords Supper, it is an undisputed
fact tnat some "weak" brethren
have had slumbering Appetite,
awakened by tie Use OF termented
wine in this ordinance, and since
the world is looking to you for al
example in this great reform, now So
largely occupying the attention T.? o. ?1
all intelligent minds, we make this
appeal on the broad ground OF chris
tian expediency, and human welfare.
occupied by the Apostle Paul When
| he said, if '.meat make my brother
Ito offend, 1 will, eat no flesh whlie
the world standetb, lest l make my
brother to otfend.'