The Portland daily press., 1884-08-30

Last Nights Meeting i'm City Hall
Speech by Hen. .BOhn II. Finch of Ne
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The amendment meeting in City Hall last
evening was net as well attended as the one of
Tuesday though despite the wind and rain
there was good audience. Among those &C.
cupyiug chairs upon the platform were Gen.
Neal Dow, Hon W. W. Thomas, S. L. Garlic
ton, Esq, Rev. 81. C. Munson, Maj. H. A.
Shorey, Rev. @. L. Mann OF Florida, Mrs. L.
M. N. Stevens Mrs. Robinson of New York
and other ladies and gentlemen distinguished
IN the temperance cause. DIR. j. II. Nc
Donald Of San Francisco who presented $500
to the ladies of the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union, to carry on their work
III this State, also attended. A solo "Arise
and Shine" by Prof. Stanford Mitchell accom-
panied by the same instrumental talent as at
the previous meeting opened the exercises.
The singing by Prof Mitchell was SO we'll re-
ceived that the audience insisted upon another
selection and then followed "Star Of Temper
ance." After prayer was offered Prof.
Mitchell sang "The Old Oaken Bucket"
Gen. Neal Dow, the chairman Of the meet
ing, arose and with fitting introduction pre-
sented to the audience Hon. John b. Finch of
Nebraska. Mr.. Finch who is one Of the most
talented temperance orators In the country
held the attention Of the gathering for an hour
ana half. Mr.. Finch thought that going
from the West to Maine to tax temperance
seemed ike carrying Goals to Newcastle. He
was not there to enter into full discussion
about the work of temperance, bat to show
what the people OF ether parts Of the world
are hoping that Maine will do. When a
question Of state policy comes up, it is the
duty OF every citizen to make az investigation
OF 1t and then vote as his conscience dictates.
Laws are made on general principles, and
should be thoroughly tested. The temperance
men OF the country would net wage war
against the whiskey seller as a whiskey seller
more than they would against a minister as a
minister il both affeGted society in the same
way. He believed that minister would have as
good right to preach inhdelity to people as
rum seller has to deal out liquor from a bar
which leads to the same result. Society and
It's ofhcers protect life, property and loved
ones. No one can take care of himself and no
man is self made man. Every one should
vote. No one stopped to talk about technicali-
ties when this country was in danger
years ago. He was not telling them
whether to drink cold tea or whiskeybut he
wanted them to hearth i'm for his cause and
then act afterwards. The temperance people
think that whiskey is great curse and they
want to get OF the curse. 1t is a battle tosthe
death to decide whether the bar room or the
church shall control this country. The LIQUOR
traffic is on trial for its life Look over the
records OF the police court, the Jail and the
penitentiary and see what curse this traffic is
II the grog shop is public enemy what ar
gument can there be for its existence. Some
say to the temperance men, "Why not give the
liquor dealers a chance?" But the truth is,
they are running the people and people are
merely defending themselves If the liquor
trade bad behaved itself, there would never
have been an aggressive action made to de-
stroy it. When this traffic was taken into
THIS country 1t was welcomed by social
and religious circles as cordially as any other
traffic, and, In fact, it was the pet of society.
The church has been tried for hundred years
for infdelity and skepticism, but isn't a
minister Just as good now as then? Hasn't
the grocery trade been tried for hundred
years? But isn't man just as good for selling
q cod fish now as then? The rum traffic has
been tried for a hundred years, but isPit lust as
good practice to sell rum now as then? (Cries
OF No. Why is it? Because the ram trade
by its own acts it has brought ruin upon society
II he should arragn the Methodist and
Catholic churches, they would imme-
dlately be defended; so with the dry
would come to the front and make a defense
But no man dare deny that the liquor trade is
curse to society. If he should attack the Re-
publican party, some one would stand up and
say, 81 am Republican" II he should at
tack the Democracy, some Democrat would
rise and say, VI am Democrat" But would
rumseller get up and say 81 am arumseller?''
The minister, the teacher, the blacksmith are
proud OF the results of their efforts. but the
rumseller is not. We would think Just as much
OF the louise as we do of the honey bee il he
made his living in the same way so with the
rumseller We do not object to his complexion
and his clothes, but to the way hel makes his
living. Some say that their desire for whis-
key is inherited from their fathers. 1t is not
SO, for If the appetite could bs transmitted
in this way. why don't the CIR inherit it as
well as the boys. Systems OF bulldozing are
often resorted to for the purpose of compelling
young men to drink.
He had studied the faces OF the young men
OF this State, but none bore the indications of
strong drink, while out in Nebraska the major
ity of law breakers that come before the police
courts are under thirty years of age Mr..
Finch gave an illustration of the evil effects
of the license law in the State OF Nebraska.
The time will come when no State in this ma
ton will grant license to make drunkards of
the husbands Of the women of this country no
more than they will license them to enter the
dressing rooms and steal the jewels from their
breasts.
Mr.. Finchs remarks were we'll received
throughout and his well-drawn illustrations
and striking comparisons were met with
do ne