St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-03-18

Dow, the house in which he was born.
Here, in this pleasant home the old tenn
perance hero is ripening for the distant home,
''where all is made right that so puzzles US
here" A leonine face crowned with pro-
fusion Of snowy white hair, an alert look, a
warm grasp of the hand, and you are well
come to his house-that is, if you leave your
cigar behind you. Short of stature and COM
pactly built, he is still springy of step, and
illustrates the philosophy that has carried
him through lfe and made him the central
figure Of remarkable reform. Follow him
to his den, as he calls his library, and you
shall see him at his best off the platform.
General Dow comes of good old stock, being
descendant on his fathers side in the
seventh generation, from Henry Dow, who
came to this country from Norfolk, England,
in 1887 and on his mothers side from Chris
topher Hall, who came from England in 1915
His extensive reading and talking with men
everywhere, has refined and polished his
style, and given him command of English
quite unusual either upon or off the platform.
His pronunciation is clear and distinct
He was successful business man, dealing
In real estate, was tanner before the war,
and has been connected with many business
enterprises. At the age of seventy-five he
met with misfortune that would have crushed
most men. Rev. D. B. Peck got himself elect
ed Treasurer of the State, and then began to
play with the cash and finally defaulted to the
extent of 500, 900. General Dow, who was on
Peck's bond, had to make up the amount.
Next Cashier Gould, a favorite, followed in
Peck's footsteps with 500, 900, which the Gen
eral had to make up. He honorably stood up
under these losses.
A Wing, while that party lasted, he helped
to organize the Republican party and elected
Mayor of Portland has twice represented the
city in the State Legislature. Much discus
sion has ensued as to the origin of the Maine
Law. General James Appleton, as far back as
1882, urged the restriction of the traffic in in
toxicating drinks, and in 1886 he made re-
port covering the whole subject. But the
fact remains, that until Neal Dow framed the
Maine law, there was no similar enactment
on the statute book of any nation or state.
Sitting in his library to-day he described the
origin of this remarkable law as follows
''It was good many years ago, and 1 was
sitting in this same house quite late one
evening. In answering knock at the door,
1 found lady whom 1 knew very well as the
wife of a government official in this city. He
was periodical drunkard, and on this very
night was down town on spree. His wife
wished me to get him home quietly, because
if he was drunk next day, he might lose his
position. I started out and found him in
the back room of one of the down town
saloons. I said to the keeper in quiet way:
I wish you would sell no more liquor to MIR.
Blank why, Mr.. Dowr he said, this. is
my business; I must supply my customers"
That all may be, replied, but here is this
gentleman, with large family depending on
him for support. If he goes TO his Office to-
morrow, drunk he will lose his place. I wish
you would sell him no more He became