The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-06-06
NATIONAL TEMPERANCE SOCIETY.

The Twenty ninth Anniversary Of the M.
tfonals Temperance Society, Major General
o. o. howard. President. was recently held
in the Broadway Tabernacle. New York City.
The annual report was presented by ]. N.
Stearns, the Corresponding Secretary. Mr..
Stearns said
1--WE passed our twenty-ninth mile pos. to-
day In our march towards final victory. We
are somewhat foot-shore. o little leg-weary,
have been obliged to slow up little for
breakers ahead. but, though somewhat cast
down, are not discouraged or dismayed. It
has been a year of difficulty and triumph.
The Lord of Hosts has been with us, and we
rejoice In His strength.
''This afternoon at our twenty-ninth an
nual meeting. we elected that veteran soldier
and Christian philanthropist, Major General
o. O. Howard, as our President for the COM
ing year, and received reports OF all depart
ments of our work.
''Thirty new publications have been IS
sued, making 20s2 on our list; S.459, ,s65
pages have been printed during the year.
The receipts have been S43. 1865, ofwhlch
$31, ,443. SO are for publications, and SILL
322. 80 for donations: legacies and interest on
invested funds.
"Our missionary work assumes larger pro-
portions every year, covering the nation and
extending It into foreign lands. The publ.
cation and circulation of the literature ts
very largely q missionary work. The great
majority of temperance publications never
pay the cost OF manufacture in dollars and
cents. Our great missionary work Is among
the colored people OF the Southern States.
We have several colored missionaries con-
stantly at work among their own people,
preaching. lecturing. visiting homes. dis.
tributing literature. and in every way posi-
Bile teaching the principles OF total ab.
stinence.
lit WAS my privilege, last March. to visit
many large colored institutions in Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia
and Florida. and to address large audiences
OF colored people in churches and schools,
and was greatly gratified to see the wonder
full progress made and the knowledge and
conviction they have In regard to the evil
nature OF the drink. In all these great
schools and colleges they are studying the
nature and affects Of alcohol upon the human
system. and even children understand that
alcoho! is poison, and not fit for the
healthy human system.
II had the pleasure during my visit tc
Charleston and Columbia: S. c.. to see the
workings of the Dispensary Law OF that
opinion in regard to 1t. I visited the DIS
pensaries where liquor is sold in bottles to
everybody who came, had IN interview With
Governor Tillman, conversed with leading
men OF all parties and denominations, and
was with the constahles in raid upon four
or five blind tigers' in Charleston. where
liquor was illegally sold. Of course We
could not find any of the liquor, for, as in
Maine, Iowa and other prohibitory States.
they had secret hiding places underground,
subterranean passages and out OF way
places where they could put the stuff when
called upon by the constaoles.
There were some good points about the
law rs With all other laws in every other
State where number OF prohibitory clauses
are attached, but 1t gave the sanction. pro-
lection and sustentation OF the State TO the
business. There are no visible reliable
evidences that the volume OF drink or
drunkordness was in any way diminished
throughout the State. Liquor was stored IN
private houses in great abundance. The
Supreme Court, however, declared the law
Unconstitutional, and for the present tho
ghost of State control OF the liquor traffic Is
laid away to rest with hardly chance OF
resurrection"