The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-12
TEMPERANCE CONGRESS.
THE QUESTION OF PROHIBITION
UNDER DISCUSSION.

Gen. Neal Dow Takes Part in the De-
bate-Alcohol Declared a Poison that
Should Never be Used as Beverage
The Battle of Omaha the Third Topic.
NEW YORK, June 1.-THE national tenn
perance congress opened to-day in the
Broadway Tabernacle. It was called to
order by Col. Alexander S. Bacon. Rev.
DIR. Charles f. Deems was elected president,
and Joseph A. Bombardus secretary. Dr.
Deems announced the one object of the con-
gress to be the promotion Of the cause Of
temperance, with no divergence to partisan
ship or sectarianism.
After prayer by Rev. DIR. Parker the
work of the congress opened with a dis
cussion: "Is state and national prohibi-
tion desirable and feasible"
DIR. NEAL DOW ON HAND.
The first speaker was the venerable Gen.
Neal Dow, who argued that IL was both de
sirable and feasible. Other speakers were
Robert Graham, who was introduced as a
representative Of the church movement in
behalf OF temperance, and who held exactly
to the contrary of Gen. Dow's argument,
and who favored high license.
Mr.. Bolton OF Washington, Mrs. Bitten
bender of the Woman's Christian Temper
ance Union, Mrs. Jennings Demorest of
New York, and Prof. c. Wilkinson of
Tarrytown also spoke in favor of the affirm
ative Of the topic under discussion. Each
speaker was limited to five minutes, and
the time of the entire discussion to one hour.
Mr. Graham was the only speaker in favor
Of high license.
ALCOHOL A POISON.
The uext topic discussed was "Alcohol
Poison Never to be Used for Beverage
Purposes" The discussion opened with the
reading of paper written by N. s. Davis,
Nj. D., of Chicago. 1t was an argument
from a medical standpoint in the affirma-
tive of the proposition that alcohol,
whether in distilled or fermented liquors,
should never be used as a beverage, how
ever moderately.
Prof. Edward D. Wright of New York,
DR.. @. Boocock Of Flatbush, L. l., and DIR.
Lambert of New York spoke of the chem
ical action of alcohol on the human system,
all pronouncipg 1t injurious. Prof. Wright
said majority of physicians were ignorant
of the real effects of alcohol, and arraigned
the medical profession for much of the
| drunkenness existing to-day. DIR. Boococb
said he never heard of total abstainer
being sunstruck. He denied that alcohol
was beneficial in any form as a medicine or
beverage.
THE BATTLE AT OMAHA.
The third topic taken up was tho battle
| at Omaha. The opening address was made
| by A. f. Cornwell of Aberdeen, 3. ID. This
referred to the pending struggle in behalf
of the prohibition amendment in Nebraska.
| The speaker said the struggle was sure to
lead to success throughout the state OF
| Nebraska. The result depended on the city
of Omaha. They needed assistance in their
battle against the saloon power. III the pro-
| hibitionists lost the fight in Nebraska, Iowa
would be wrestled from them, hut If sue
cessful he could foresee an entire northwest
free from liquor.
| Father Lorenzo Waugh, an S2-year-old
veteran of California, spoke briefly on
temperance generally.
TOPICS OF THE AFTERNOON.
The afternoon session was taken up by
discussions on the topics, "The line on
which all enemies of the saloon may unitedly
do battle, whether they be believers in re-
strictIve measures or in radical prohibi-
tion," Systematic prosecution of total
abstinence work essential to overthrow of
the liquor power. ""How may the churches
aid most effectively in the destruction of
the liquor trafficg' and "The coffee house
and other substitutes for the saloon"