The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-04-30
Prohibition sn Rhode
Island.

1
Island.
/ Praise the Lord, all yc His people, for
| His right hand and holy arm hath gotten
us thc victory The constitutional pa
| hibitory amendment has carried in Rhode
| Island and will soon become part of the
constitutions The time wasshort aiterit was
submitted to the people for their approval
or rejection before the decision was to be
made, but there was an under current OF
public sentiment in its favor ready to be
aroused into action, and no efforts were
spared to intensity and bring it to 4 focus.
The w. c. r. L., the prohibitionSts the
radical temperance men in both the re-
publican and democratic parties, have
done all that was possible in its behalf by
their own work and by bringing the best
and most experienced speakers from abroad
to discuss and instruct rs ia its Importance
and persuade its adoption, and yet hardly
dared hope for victory, for the reasons
that Il three fifthS vote was required to
amend the constitution, and the county
population was so much less comparative
ly than that of the cities. Moreover, the
leading republican Journals (thc state is
heavily republican, entirely ignored the
amendment But Providence and Woon-
socket went in its favor, and the vote in
East Providence for it was more than
double that against it.
The ". G. +. [. were everywhere active
at the polls A little episode occurred at
the polls here which | cannot forbear re-
ating. A w. G. T. t. lady WAS sitting ut
her table at the door of the polling room,
when drunken Irshmau came in 10 cast
his vote, saying, rs she accnstcd him, that
he had, got sick wife at home and he
wanted to vote for the women. She gave
him the ballot for the amendment
pledGng him to cast it, and then fearing
Gas there were men there in the interest of
liquor and license bent ON entrapping the
unwary) that he might DC dissuaded from
it, took him by the arm, went through the
crowd to the platform, warding off all
efforts made 10 give him the contrary ballot,
and saw him deposit it rightly. coming
back to her place ut the door with tears
flowing and cheers greeting her. The
husbands of the women stood nobly by
The scene at the polls was one of instruc-
ton and entreaty. mon and women max
ing it point to talk kindly but earnestly
with liquor dealers, drinkers and selfish
politicians to lead them to better things.
May God help us to faithful enforce
mcnt ofthe amendment.
Yours for God and home and native land.
Hrs. .Sarah H. Weaver in Union Signd}.
The following extract we take from an
essay written by q member of Woodstown
Grange, and read at the last literary meet
ing Of the Order:
don't believe that Il good woman is
any better than a good man, but the past
shows that where she has gone rs 4 re-
sponsible power, she has carried Il good in
fluence-as i'll the temperance cause. When
men act it is not so much to control the
grog shops, rs to reduce the taxes.
Speeches, essays, prayers and songs are
good and pleasant, but will moi accomplish
much toward a rcformation Prohibition
seems to ne the only cure for this terrible
evil, and expect that will fail until woman
holds the ballot, then | expect success.
Only think, it takes the bread ont of the
mouths of hungry children, clothes from
their backs, and shoes from their feet. and
deprivcs wives of the actual neccsSarcs of
life. Think of the hundred years that fol
lowed our independence. how we went ON
selling human beings as beasts of burden.
How dread the oppression we inflicted,
and how awful the rctrbution melted out
to MS in the end. This land was rocked to
its centre By the question: shall human
slavery continue? We know the result
and the suffering that followed, but awful
rs it was, the tide Of ntcmperance in
whislley that is sweeping over our land is
worse. Veal suffer from it, if not ut home
We do abroad, if our husband and brother
be clear of its use. We cannot walk the
streets W ithout coming in contact with it
in some form. We need another revolution
to rid MS of this monster evil, and the
sooner it comes the better, is the opinion Of
tlis member