Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-01-29
fFor the Ellsworth AmericanI
Georgia Pulsifer Porter as Petitioner.

Knowing how impolitic it is to run the
risk of being called a "croaker." still with
that danger ahead Of me, as the time for
petitions to amend laws and make new ones
to right all the wrongs of our land, has ar
rived, l am going to dare and present my
petition, which would be that men would
not throw all the responsibility Of right
living on to the legislators and state off,
GERS. The petition would also beg that
women would not expect Sunday school
teachers and teachers of the public schools
to give their children all the religious and
moral instruction that they receive.
Perhaps it is necessary for the petitioner
to explain the meaning or cause of this
petition heing made, while believing that
laws cannot be too stringent nor the en-
forcement too exacting of laws forbid
ding the liquor traffic, nor can there be
too much instruction as to the evil effects
of liquor drinking, but the need does not
end there If after laws are made men are
indifferent to the enforcement of the same,
If after the instruction at school the
mothers are unmindful of the example and
precept at home there will not be good
results. Instead of sending petitions to
| the Legislature to have various laws made
more stringent, why not for the next two
years try personal appeals? Why not send
delegates from churches, temperance So
cietics and the different organizations for
the upbuilding of humanity to the door Of
every home in our state? Why not make
personal appeals for right living TO those
who are suffering, some all unmindfu of
the enormlty of the sins, instead of max
then not having the laws enforced? Some
Of our laws are 80 stringent that this can
easily be done. There is the prohbitorv
law, the tfuent law, the law for temper
ance education, if enforced, are they not
strong enough? And why not try the
effect Of having them oheyed "peaceably If
possible" and this would he helped along
by personal appeals.
Then let there be discussions Of such
subjects at the Y. NJ c. A. rooms, at the
debating clubs, ard the Y. p. S. of c. f.,
first swelling the numbers of all these So
cietieS by the personal invitations. one
Of the active members of the Bangor
Ladies Auxiliary of the Y. NJ. c. A. told
me that that auxiliary had reached its
a III, no h ny @ Nor
sonal invitations extended than in any
other way. 1t should also be petitioned
that temperance workers should forget
politics enough not to quarrel over that
question, forget the partisan ard non
partisan enough to work with might and
main for temperance.
The petition would ask that the Y. NJ
c. A. and Young Peoples Society of
Christian Endeavor should forget evan
gelical and liberal. and welcome am and
all who desired TO be and TO do better also
that all workers in improvement societies
see how wide are the avenues to sin, how
strong the ho.t on that side; and let all
the workers for right be equally as united,
lest while divided by some triaing ques-
tions our family and friends are driven to
the wrong side. II the petition seemed
too liberal, let Whittier be quoted
is 1t choice whereby the Parsee
kneeIs before his mothers fire:
In his black tent did the Tartar
Choose his wandering sire:
He alone whose hand is bounding
Human power and human will.
Looking through each soul's surrounding,
Knows its good or ill.,
This petition could not be made were our
laws less stringent, but it seems unneCes-
sary to have any more societies or appeals
for amendments, until what now may be
done is rel tone.