The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-06-17
THE THIRD PARTY,
Proceedings at the Meetings in City
Building Yesterday.
Abstract of Ex-Governor St. Johns
Speech.

| City Hall in the afternoon and evening
There was about 200 ladies and gentlemen
on hand in the morning and about half that
number in the afternoon.
woMEN's CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION
The melting was called to order almost on
the hour, ten o'clock, by Mrs. j. w. Bash
| ford, president of the devotional department
| of the W. G. t. u, who, in few pleasant
words. introduced Miss Lucia E. f. Kimball
of Chicago, as president of the meeting.
Upon taking the chair Miss Kimball an
nounced the favorite hymn.
| "All Hail the Power of Jesus Name"
| which was sung with much fervor, and was
| accompanied by Bent's orchestra, in excel
lent style. Upon the conclusion of the hymn
Miss Kimball said prayer would be offered
by one ''who had done so much work for
your city in aid of those confined behind
prison bars,' remarking that if we had
national prohibitory law our PRISONS and
jails would be empty Miss Abbie Leavitt
then made a feeling prayer, after which
| hymn 1873 was sung.
Miss Lucia Kimball then made an address
| that was excellent in material, and delivered
with force and spirit. She made many good
points that were readily recognized by all
| whatever their convictions. She said the
third party should rest not on prohibition
alone, but on purity and righteousness.
She thought although the third party was
small in numbers yet clothed with the power
| of God it was ultimately sure of success.
| Gods words were prohibitory way back in
| the very earliest ages "Thou shalt not
was his command. The prohibitory law of
Maine has drawn the public sentiment in
favor of prohibition throughout the country
| more and mere steadily and surely than the
| public imagine. 1t has educated public SEN
| timent in advance. / do not believe, said
Miss Kimball that any one can say we want
| a third party because somebody else wants
It, / think the w. c. T. U. had this idea of
third party fully established in their minds
before they knew any one else wanted it.
Miss Kimball then read the story of Jonath-
an from the Bible, applying it to the prohi-
bitionists of the the third party of today.
Let us not see today that we are hiding in
| our caves and pits, said she, on account
| of our fears in regard to the liquor traffic.
| No great deed is ever accomplished by wait
| ing for a certainty. The third party must
| take hold with frmness, but will not save
| the land if they don't trust in God. People
| spoke of the foolishness of throwing away
votes on third party, 1t is by growth that
| all parties become strong. She called upon
the audience to sing ''The Morning Light is
Breaking on account of the great things
| accomplished by prohibition the past year,
which they did with JUNCTION.
H. i
the church and State should be disconnected.
A gentleman said he was sorry to see the
church brought into politics. She thought
Christ had been neglected in politics. She
| thought if it was worth while to ask Gods
blessing on this platform at the opening of a
convention it was worth while to have it
| pervade the action of the party
Mrs. L. M. n. Stevens of the w. G. L. U.
| believes that Gods spirit permeates their
| work. She doubted if it had not been so
that the institution would have met with
such glorious success. We believe, said she,
| that the spirit of God bands together the
| 10000 women of the w. G. T. U. and leads
| them.
Volney B. Cushing of Bangor, didn't be-
lieve gospel politicians would do what poll
tician are doing now, "Crucifying Christ and
| releasing Barubbas." We believe the coun-
try relies upon the integrity of its pc ople
If our people are notpure the Republic can't
live. Many are coming to the conclusion
that the prohibition that saves homes, if it
hibition party is really breaking it up.
j. Gushee of Appleton, called on God to
bless the w. c. I. U. He said it had been
claimed that nothing of any Importance was
Oh, fIof
was not identified with, and he believed it.
| He had said In the past, and reiterated it
| now, that if the husbands and sons would
regard the sayings of their wives and sisters
| they would sweep intemperance from the
| land. He believed wives should walk arm
and arm with their husbands, that they
| should vote with them as well as pray with
| them.
An old gentleman, Hallett Dunton of Som
| erset, said he was with the abolitionists in
| 1910. and he was with the new party now.
| Miss Kimball said they had so many pleas
| ant things said about the w. c. 7. U. by
| their brothers, and they had known SO many
| who had stood up for them and for their
| they felt they could thank God that he had
| answered their past cry 'God give us men. y
Remarks, brief in their nature, were made
| by several others.
| PRAYER was then offered and after singing
| the HYMN ''Blest be the tie that binds" the
4
| a. m. this morning.
| After the adjournment of the women's
meeting, Col. Eustis called the Third Party
convention to order at 1890 p. M, saying
that the blessing of higher power should
| be invoked on their deliberations, and that
the audience were requested to sing 'Hold
| the Fort" Rev. Mr.. Fiske was then called
on for prayer, who prayed for additions to
| their number, righteousness and devotion.
| Col Eustis then introduced Rev. DR.. J. w.
| Bashford, who said:
| Gentlemen of the Convention:
| 1t gives me great pleasure to speak these few
words of welcome because l believe with you
with all my heart; because l believe every good
work should begin and end in the Lord. This
| 1t it will succeed l congratulate youon the good
| ly number here today. When we met before in
| convention, we numbered but 43, and am glad
| to see the great increase on this occasion, and
| know that the succeeding trains will add largely
| to our forces There are several things to which
| / wish to call your attention.
| Frst-We ought not to allow the impression to
| go abroad that the prohibitory law is failure.
| When you consider the statistics showing the
amount of money piled up in the savings banks of
/ the State, the statistics of the jas, and compare
them with the statistics of like institutions else
where when you compare also the testimony OF
readily conceded that Maine instead of being be-
| hind her sister States is twenty five years ahead
|
/ is the good condition of Maine, why do you seek
| to form separate political organization? think
it will be admitted that each of rhe two existing
| old parties has large yielding temperance ele-
ment, and an aggressive rum element. The rum
element demands the privilege for personal ndul-
gence or gain, of tlamplng upon the Constitution
| Of the State, of humanity and of God. There is
another element that does not believe in prohibit
ton Neither of these old parties will divorce it.
| self from the rum element by demanding an i'm
partial enforcement of the laws as test of party
| fealty. We shall be glad to discuss the question
| with them this fall. We believe that by passing
| the liquor law by majority of lat 900, that we
have right to ask that the liquor law be enforced
What is the attitude of the Democratic party to-
| day on this question? They ask the Democratic
Prohibitionists to vote with them In their State
| Convention they didnt.touch on this fundamental
| ISSUE They recognized the national platform
which repndiates it. How then can conscen-
| tiouS prohibition Democrat vote with the party
without repudating his convictions? Will you
cast your vote for party that fdares not express
itself on this question? (Cries of no. What is the
to itself much glory for what the party has done
in the past. Does it give us single pledge that
it Will carry out the enforcement Of the liquor
law? In the convention of 1884 they had decla-
ration that they would wipe out the rum curse.
Haveithey dared to repeat this this year? (Cries
of MOI. The party doesn't dare to declare they
will enforce the law. In the national platform
there is praise of prohibition or declaration in
regard to 1t.
great many honest Republicans and Demo-
Gratis say that in voting their party tickets they
are voting for the triumph of the temperance ele
ment inside their party. So long however, as in