The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1889-01-31

temperance literature or listen to tenn
perance addresses, were drawn in to
witness this truthful expose of sthe
strong drink iniquity. The play, if it
may be SO called, has not lost its power
to make impressions where they are
needed. The movement for the sup
preston of intemperance was OF course
far less exciting than Kidding the north
from the arrogance of the slave power.
But the great majority of people now
living have no just conception Of the
prejudices it encountered. A single
historical fact will show something of
the magnitude Of the early opposition.
In a single county in the central part of
the state Of New York, settled almost
exclusively by an American population,
having thirty FIVE ministers representing
that number of churches of different
denominations, there were in 1923 only
four ministers in favor of temperance
societies, the majority holding that such
movement against spirituous liquors
was unscriptural Of the four 10 favor,
one was Presbyterian, one Baptist, one
Episcopalian and one Methodist. This
is no disparagement Of ministers; they
were in the front rank OF the religious
sentiment of the churches, and could
not be expected to advance more rapid
ly than other rejecting men who sought
the good Of humanity
The drama has been an inhuentiaT
factor in moulding public opinion in
past ages. In old Rome, long before
the publication Of newspapers, the
drama or theatre, in the absence Of
these modern agencies, was employed to
herald the virtues Of worthy men, de-
serving Of public office, and also repre-
senting the faults and vices of such as
sought positions Of public trust. TIE
drama has been an influential agent in
the work of reform. It was such in
awakening public sentiment to the ter
rible wrongs Of chattel slavery. After
Mrs. Stowe wrote that remarkable story,
"Uncle Toms CABIN it was drama
tized and brought on the stage in the
Bowery theatre, New York 1t had a
run Of seventy successive nights, with
the exception Of Sundays This was
remarkable from the fact that at the
time of this theatrical event there was
not prominent man in New York who
ventured to speak of the wickedness Of
slavery; the pulpits were all silent and
dared not utter word on the subject.
The theatre represented slave life with
all its iniqulties and cruelty, without
molestation; hundreds and probably
thousands, for the first time had their
attention wildly directed to the iniqui-
tous system of human bondage. The
representation Of Uncle Toms Cabin in
other cities was attended with like sue
cess. 1t was only little before this
that the eminent philanthropist, William
Lloyd Garrison. was led through the
streets of Boston with rope around his
neck: and for what? He had denounced
the wrong Of Southern slavery The
prejudice against aDti-slavery advocates
was strong and violent. The imprison-
ment of Sherman Booth, Of Milwaukee,
and the bitter controversy following it,
caused by his attempt to aid fugitive
slave, who was trying to make his es-
cape to Canada, is still well remembered.
In 1912 an anti-slavery lecture was
advertised to be delivered here (then
Southport). One Of the principal bust
ness men in this place declared the Ice
ture should not be allowed, and if the
lecturer came and persisted in giving
his lecture, force would, if necessary, be
employed to prevent him. The speaker
did not come