The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-12-19
THE CAUSE OF TEMPERANCE
Conference of Those Who Desire to De-
stroy the Traffic in Strong Drinks.
Organization and Short Talks from Several
Delegates as to the Object to Be Obtained
Address by a Noted Temperance Lecturer.
BUSINESS OF THE CONFERENCE.
appointment of Committees and Short Talks
by Delegates.


by Delegates.
The main floor of the assembly hall IN
the Y. NJ. G.. A. Building was filled to over
flowing yesterday afternoon with earnest
looking men and women from all parts of
the State in response to a call for n tenn
perance conference. Over the stage a
broad strip of white muslin bore the words.
The liquor traffic is a universal public
enemy, and on the front edge of the plat
form was tackled q similar banner bearing
the words. 1T cannot be legalized without
sim, The meeting was called to order at 2
o'clock. and opened with prayer by Rev.
DIR. Parkhurst, of Greencastle. Rev.
ID. T.. WOolpert, Of Warsaw. was
chosen as temporary chairman, with
Rev. DR.. 7. A. Goodwin, of this city,
as temporary secretary. BY this time
the galleries had begun to fill mp rapidly,
and when the meeting was fairly under
way there were almost as many persons in
the upper as in the lower portion of the
house. Most of those present were elderly
men, and there was a generous representa-
ton of the clergy of the city and State.
Among the ladies were several in Quaker
dress, and every denomination seemed to
have its representatives. On motion Of
DIR. Goodwin the call under which the con-
ference assembled was read. and all persons
present who were in harmony with its pur-
poses were declared entitled to participate
in its proceedings. In brief, the call set
forth the object of the conference as fol-
lows: ITO consult as to the best method of
procuring prohibition. State and national,
and pending the success of this movement
how best to secure aud enforce such laws as
shall tend to the closing of the saloon, but
in no case to form. or aid, or assall any
political party as snch."
On motion of Eli +. Ritter it vas de-
termined to appoint committees, composed
OF one member from each congressional
district. OH permanent organization, reso-
buttons and plan for permanent work. and
the delegates from the various districts got
together for that purpose. There was a
little confusion attending this process.
some of the delegates not being posted as to
the districts in which they resided. but
matters were finally Strengthened. and the
committees Only reported as follows:
Permanent Work-Rev. DIR. Van Dyke, G. f..
Line, 5. Y. Wright, G. ". Tnlley, DR.. Morrison,
John A Maxwell, d. f. Myers, ID. c. woolpert.
Resolutions-W j. Beckett. DIR. NJ. NJ. Park
hurst, c.. W. Osborn. Eli +. Ritter, j. q. Camp
bell. James Sanders, Rev. A. Jones, NJ. II. Mott,
j. III. Barker.
Permanent OrganiZatiOn--Luther o. Dounell,
son, Z. b.. Town, Rev. W. p. McKinzie, G.. S. Davi-
son. NJ. 5. Wadeness, Noah Harper.
The last named committee reported the
following as permanent officers of the CON
ference:
President-Rev ID. c. woolpert.
Vice residents-Frank De Souchet, Rev. DIR.
Van Dyke, c. 4. Line. II. b. Whiteman, Joseph
Allen: John Morris. f. +. Ritter, Allen Lewis, L.
VI. Crist, j. A. Maxwell, T. Nj. McWhinney, Les
lie j. NaffZQpF. Noah Harper.
Secretary-Rev. DIR. Il. A. Goodwin.
Assistant secretary-H. M. Middleton.
The report of the committee was adopted
unanimously. and President Woolpert, in
assuming his duties, spoke briefly but elO-
quently on the objects and purposes of the
conference. It's plan, he said. should be to
crystallizeits work above political partisan
ship. so that all good men interested in
temperance reform could stand on one
broad platform. 1.-The best thing for onr
homes and young men" he remarked. lis
the question the conference is called upon
to consider: and on it surely we can all
stand ogether.o
Captain Ritter called upon Father Bes-
sonies for an address,. and the venerable
clergyman was heartily cheered when he
came to the platform. He said
a prominent stand i'm favor of
favor of prohibition. He favored high
license, Sunday closing and the prevention
of liquor selling to minors. That high
license tended to check intemperance had
been demonstrated in this city, where it
had reduced the number of drinking places
and the amounto of intemperance. If drink
ing wine was a sin he was not without
fault. for be had drank it three times a
day during a large portion of his life. but
he held it a sin to drink to excess. and
would not countenance such drinking.
With any movement to remove intemper-
ance he was in hearty accord. DR..
Ryland t.. Brown was also called
upon. and reviewed his con-
in this State since 1897. giving the history
of the prohibition campaign of 1854. in
which the State was carried for prohibit
ton, and promising that the same result
could be accomplished again if the proper
effort was made. The trouble was that
something remained after an election was
carried. The whole temperance question
might be settled in the present conference.
but 1T would remain to put the conclusion
into the form of legislation. and the ques-
ton for the body TO consider was what it
would do with q victory if one should be
attained.
DR.. T. A. Goodwin spoke briefly in the
same strain, closing by Introducing
Gen. Samuel I. Carey, of Cincinnati,
who excused himself from making a
lengthy address on the ground that he was
to speak in the evening.
On motion. oil resolutions were referred
TO the committee on resolutions without
debate. and the convention adjourned un-
til $50 this morning. to give the committees
time TO prepare their reports.
Several humorous incidents occurred dur
ing the afternoon session, and the cOnven-
ton generally was kept wide awake and
in good humor by the discussions. One
member objected to the placard. 1T cam
not be legalized without sin." which was
credited to the Methodist Episcopal Cen
eral Conference. and as several of the
Methodist ministers present thought the
General Conference was misrepresented in
the quotation. the offending sentence was
finally torn down.