Morning journal and courier., 1888-01-19
TEMPERANCE WORKERS.
The Local option Laws Vigorously As. Satled-The Proposed Division of the Revenue From Liquor Licemses- Able SUeAkeFR.

 The Local option Laws Vigorously As.
 sailed-The Proposed Division of
 the Revenue From Liquor Licences
 Able Speakers.
 The convention of the Connecticut Tenn perance union, it's twenty-second annual, was held at the First M. E. church yesterday morning, afternoon and evening. This is non political body. About two hundred delegates were present, besides many ladies and gentlemen from this city, and the meet ings were very interesting. Rev. Mir. Camp, of New Haven, presided. Rev. c. H. Buck of Stamford, formerly of this city, made brief address and the following committee on nominations was made by the chair: Chairman state-at-large, Rev. J. s. Ives; Whitney Elliott, of North Haven, for New Haven county; Henry B. Brown, formerly of Fair Haven, for Middlesex county; F. H. Sharp. .Windham county; Rev. Dr. Johnson, New London county; Mrs. I. w. Foot, Hart ford county; Rev. E. B. Hitchcock, Litch- field county; Rev. J. H. James, Holland county; Nathan Seeley, Fair6eld county.
 Rev. J. R. stupbert of Putnam, Bernard Paine of Old Saybrook and M. s. Phillips of New Haven were appointed the committee on resolutions.
 During the year about s4, TOO were received and there is Q balance in the treasury of $144. The secretary gave report of the visits made and the work done. Rev. MT. Hammond, of Derby, made the annual re- port for the executive committee. MT. Ham, mond and Rev. E. M Billiard of Plymouth reviewed the work that was done at the last session of the legislature in the endeavor to get & bill passed providing that all money received for liquor licenses be equally distributed among the towns in the State Special mention was made of the heavy fighting done against the bill by tke New Haven selectmen. The moral deduced was that the liquor traffic had @ powerful footheld in the State and that the traffic cannot be abolished as long as the 10 cal option laws are in force. Citizens who are temperance men vote to sustain the traf- fc, as without the public revenue derived from it taxes would be higher. They forget that suffering and crime would be much less and much more money saved were the traffic abolished. It seems to be 8 question of money vs. souls. The speaker directed his remarks strongly against the local option laws. The speaker was of the opinion that the liquor interest has a powerful grip on the members of the legislature.
 A delegate interrupted Mir. Billiard, saying the latter was exceeding his privilege-was making an argument when he should simply make 8 report.
 MT. Hilliard replied that he was simply trying to get the cass before the meeting in it's full aspect. MT. H. then offered reso- lution to commit the convention to uncom- promising opposition to local option, and di- recting it's legislative committee to fight local option and give it no quarter.
 MT. Hammond deprecated passing the res olution at the present time. He wanted prohibition-clean out and out prohibition.
 Secretary Winter advised waiting to hear XI,o, aial l,I pared resolutions for discussion.
 A vigorous and spirited debate followed, ended by the tabling of MT. Billiards reso- lution. The morning session cloeed with an address by John N. Stevens, of New York, subject, "The Importance of Temperance Educational Work"
 AFTERNOON AND EVENING SESSIONS.
 In the afternoon Rev. J. K. Wheeler, of Hartford, spoke on ''The Machine and the Saloon" He told of how the saloons injured business, and of what Hartford machine shop did to abolish them. Rev. Dr. Reed of the Trinity M. E. church of this city made short address on "Local Option" He said that local option, while it was not all that was desired, was helpful in part. In place where public sentiment was not in favor of prohibition, local option did some good and therefore had it's advan- tages.
 The main part of the church auditorium was comfortably filled in the evening. w. D. Bissell of Trinity M. E. church led the singing. Mrs. E. L. Mclaughlin of Boston made the address in the evening on Barriers to Success" Mrs. Mclaughlin is an earnest talker and kept her listeners interested for over an hour. She brought out many truths regarding prohibition. ''If we are ever to secure the overthrow of the liquor traffic it must be brought about by constant agitation. We want the saloons closed We look at prohibition as the outcome of civilization. Action, action is needed. When the Chris tian church takes up sides against the traffic it will begin to tremble. Young women should demand strict temperance from their lovers as an indispensable requisite. Begin the re- form also with the children" The speaker re lated several interesting and apropos stories