The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-01-04

The annual meeting of the League for
the Protection of American Institutions,
was held at Congress hall last evening
Rev. DR.. Blanchard, the first vice presi-
dent presided, and called upon Rev. DR..
Merrill, who offered prayer. J.R. Libby
moved the appointment of committee
of three to nominate ten managers to
serve three years, and j. r. Libby, Rev.
DR.. Merrill, and Rev. E. M. Cousens were
appointed that committee, and reported
through J. R. Ii bby the following list:
S. G. Strout. Alpheus Griffin. George S.
Hunt, Rev. G. M. Howe, Charles S. Fobes,
Rev. Matt. S. Huges, Fritz H. Jordan.
William G.. Davis, Gen. Francis Fessen-
den. Stephen r. Small. At the suggestion
of DR.. Blanchard, Mr.. Libby cast the
vote of the league for the candidates
reported, and they were declared elected.
Secretary L. B. bennett then submitted
his annual report as follows
For the information of the members
of the Maine League for the Protection
submits the following from the records
of the Board of Managers, and other
sources.
The first meeting of the Board after
their election Dec. IA, occurred Dec. 10 at
the Maine Historical Society's room in
Baxter Hall. James P. Baxter was
elected temporary president, and subse-
League. LIB. BENNETT was elected secre-
tary. The further organization of the
Board of Managers was as follows:
Executive Committee-James p. Bax-
ter, chairman, H. HI. Burgess, James E.
Marrett, JohnM. Gould Rev. E. M. Cousens
of Westbrook, Rev. DR.. Henry Blanchard
and Rev. q. NJ. Howe of Lewiston.
Committee on public schools, public
meetings and addresses, and the public
press-Rev. DR.. James G. Merrill, chair
man, Asher G. Kinds, E.P. Wentworth,
WI. Corthell of Gorham, and M. H. KEEL
ley of Saco.
Law Committees. c.. Strout chair
man, sJoseph W. Symonds. George f.
Talbot, Charles F. Libby and L. B. Dem
nett.
Finance Committee. R. Libby, chair
man, Charles S. Fobes, George S. Hunt,
Charles F. Libby. and Horace H. Shaw.
Treasurer-Mark P. Emery.
Immediately after the organization of
the Board vote passed to request the
Law committee to prepare memorial to
the legislature stating the objects of
the League, and asking the legislature
to pass the necessary resolve to submit
the proposed constitutional amendment
to the voters of the State at the biennial
State election to be held in 1894 The
Law Committee prepared a memorial
signed by every member of the commit
tee. ~ aes is Es8A
Both the Argus and PRESS published
the memorial, and in editorials gave it
tb cir hearty approval Both papers have
advocated the proposed con
stitutional amendment The same may
be said of nearly all the newspapers of
the State, which have noticed it at all
Three thousand copies of it were printed
in suitable form to be circulated through
out the Statesfor signature. The Board
OF Managers was not organized until
Dec. 10Th The legislature met the first
Wednesday of January following During
this brief period the memorial had been |
and printed. Immediately |
copy of it was sent by the secretary to |
every member of the House of Represen- /
5atives, and each OF the Senators, and to /
many eminent citizens throughout the |
State.
The difficult task of getting the sigma
lures of voters and eminent citizens |
throughout every county of the State, |
and especially in the cities and larger |
slstently pushed until the vote was taken |
In the legislature. We had to learn |
who were friends of the measure. We
did not know in advance We sent them |
to nearly every clergyman, lawyer, post
master and many of the business men |
in our large towns and cities in every
part Of the State. We enclosed blank
cards for membership. The secretary by
vote of the managers visited the annual |
session of the Maine State Grange, of
Patrons of Husbandry, of which he was
member, and he addressed the Masters
IT the subordinate oranges from every
part of the State assent led in annual
session at Lewiston, and put into circula-
ion through the officers of the grange
,ur memorial, accompanied by letter
If the State Master, NJ. B. Hunt, of Bel
mont, giving the proposed constitutional I
his hearty approval The
'esult WAS most active cooperation of |
,he Patrons of Hus bandry in obtaining
signatures to our petitions for the
in our rural towns
In the meantime several of the Board of
Managers were writing to eminent men
With whom they were acquainted outside
If Portland soliciting their aid. I desire
20 mention Rev. Drs. Henry Blanchard
and James G. Merrill and Mr.. j. r. Libby
rs especially active in this part of the
work.
The Managers arranged for four pub
ic meetings in Lewiston, in Bangor, in
Augusta and in Portland. These meet
ngs were addressed by Rev. James M.
King of New York, the secretary of the
National League PAL.
The meeting in Augusta was especially
.ortunate The Hall of Representatives
vas procured for the purpose, and the
Speaker of the House, Hon. A. r. Savage,
vas invited to preside, and did preside.
t was publicly announced that.the Hon.
Joseph W:Symonds would address the
meeting after Mr.. Kings address. These
TWO admirable addresses made a pro-
.ound and favorable impression upon
jhe members of the legislature, nearly
III of whom were present attracted BY
he eminence of the speakers, and the
of the subject. At the hear
ng before the Judiciary Committee the
Secretary of the League, to whom was
assigned the duty of taking charge of
he hearing on the part of the petitioners,
lad arranged to have the committee adj
iressed by the Hon. J. W. Symonds, HonA.
!. Savage, Hon. George C. Wing, Hon. S,
J Walton and Rev. Matt S. Hughes. But
It the commencement of the hearing
Mr.. Peakes the chairman who was OPP
POSED to this amendment, limited the
hearing to two hours. The Secretary
therefore, very briefly opened the case
II the petitioners, and introduced Judge
'ymonds, who addressed the committee
Upon the legal aspects of the case He'd