The Press., 1894-06-28
The Liberal Basis of the Congress.

1nO 1AlUeFal ltttsIs OI UHO OOHSFeBbs Nearly all the great temperance socie- ties united in the call for this gathering, and were represented in it's deliberations. People of all phases of religious belief and of various political affiliations found equal opportunity to express their views. The legal, moral, social and medical I phases of the temperance reform were freely discussed. The congress was mark ed by the courage that dares to discuss controverted questions. Believers in pro- hibition were in 8 large majority, but Gov. Tillman, of South Carolina, had great liberty in discussing the state dispensary' plan. This plan has been declared un- constitutional by the supreme court of his state. That is, the 'dispensary" is unconstitutional, while the part of the law which forbids sales of liquor by any other agency than the "dispensaIies" is declared constitutional. As a result South Carolina is now under accidental prohibition.
 Marked Change of Base.
 At similar meetings heretofore temper ance workers who have not seen the wis., dom of prohibition have agreed upon high license as the best law attainable. At this gathering the high license advocate seemed to be absent. The rum sellers seem to have the monopoly of the high license agitation just now. The failure of high license is conceded now by tem- I nn onr1r l1u ItSf fory duo, cates are now advocating either "state control" c h South Carolina, or the Nor wegian system. Th6se views, therefore, found strong expression in the congress. The failure of high license makes prohi- bition necessary unless some new scheme can be devised; hence the Norwegian system.
 The Catholic Church and Temperance. Prominent positions on the program were assigned to Roman Catholics, and were filled, to the delight and encourage ment of the congress. Father Murphy, of Canada, spoke Sunday evening, insist ing upon the immediate abolishment of liquor selling for beverage purposes as the duty of the christian church. "I am glad," said he, ito be here to tell you that we are way ahead of you on prohibition in Canada. am glad that the Catholics furnished 35 per cent. of the late 100000 majority for it, and 15 per cent of the vote for it in the United States * There is no use in tinkering with this evil. There can be no reconcil liation between righteousness and the ex- isteHce of the liquor traffic. ** We want nothing less than the total abolition | The people want it. The churches must go with the people or the people will leave the churches. Most of the Catholic bishops are prepared for it. Most of the protestant clergy are in favor of it. Let us, the people, force it on the unwilling ones by demanding it in the name of God and of His Christ"
 | At the Monday afternoon session Fath- CT Reagan, of Yonkers, N. Y., said: l ''The prohibition sentiment in the Catho- | tic Total Abstinence Association is rapid ly coming to the front. In the great Catholic University at Washington there is Father Matthew chair, maintained by an endowment of $25, ,000, for instructing the young in the principle of total absti- nence.. The Catholic church is on record as in favor of prohibition, and all priests are bidden to do all in their power to per suade any of their parishioners who may be liquor dealers to leave the business as soon as possible and engage in some more respectable occupation"
 l Such sentiments from Catholics will surprise those who have not made note of the rapidly growing temperance sentiment in the Catholic church. There is large hope in that direction.
 Results of the Congress.
 l On Tuesday evening, June 9th, the con- gress adopted a long address, setting forth "The Reasons for the More than Half Century of Temperance Agitation" " In this address two declarations are made on which it is believed the members of the congress are agreed, and the unani- nous adoption of the address proves the argument:
 Total abstinence from the use of all coholic drinks as an article of diet.
 2-The necessity of legislation that aims to destroy rather than to protect the alcoholic drink traffic.
 The most gratifying results of the con- ference, however, are yet to be mention ed. First, the creation of an advisory board to be composed of the two leading officers of every national temperance so- ciety in this country, and 8 similar advis- ory board for Canada. The board will have only advisory power, but it will pro- vide an avenue for the effective co-opera- tion of the temperance forces of the coun. try. This means much. Our friend, the enemy, are organized into the American Liquor Dealers Protective Association ready always to mass their forces where most needed. Some one has said tha the first battle of Bull Run was contes between a disciplined army and ''an az gregation of town meetings." Much o our work against the organized liquo B traffic has been of similar kind and witt
 similar results. Before the adjournmen !, of the conference about 100 replies ha' : N< /11
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