The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-03-21

impatient to hear, another worthy son
of Maine, General and Ex-Governor
Connor"
General Connor's Remarks.
General Conner was in husky
voice apparently suffering from
severe cold, and it was with
difficulty that he could be distinctly
heard, even at the distance of few feet
from the platform. The address was
marked by that polished diction and
those swelling sen fences which charac-
terize Gen. Connor's oratory, and by
strain of high appreciation of Gen. BOWS
character and mighty life work. Inc
speaker gave concise summary OF the
long and arduous struggle which re-
suited in the final enactment OF the
Maine prohibitory liquor law and It's In
corporation into tie very constitution It
self, and glowing tribute to the
sagacity and courage with which the
movement was led by the man whom
the meeting was honorlng., The dis
tinguishing feature of the law, Gen.
Conner said, was that making liquor
exposed for sale ICON traband OF law.
The spread of the prohibition movement
from Maine to the remotest sections OF
the Union was then touched upon, ana
| it's passage over seas noted. Inc orator,
in conclusion, turned to Gen. Dow, with
an eloquent apostrophe, volclng the
admiration of his fellow citizens and
their hopes for his continued welfare.
Miss Lucia Kimb bali, superintendent of
the Sunday school work of the WET.
u, then read a poem OF cOnsldera Bile
length, Astounding in resonant lines, and
marked by delicate fancy, from the pen
of Caroline Dana Howe. The reading
was interrupted by frequent applause
Rev. Mr. Hughes's Address.
The reading of the poem was followed
by an address, brief and bright, by the
Rev. Matt Hughes, who began by saying
that great reforms have great leaders.
An Exodus must have Moses, the Re
formation Martin Luther, American
Independence a. George Washington,
characterization an Abraham Lincoln, and
Prohibition Neal Dow. we recall too,
that these and other world-leaders are
identified with cities, Savonarola with
Florence and Luther with Witten berg.
So will. the names Of Neal Dow and
Portland go down the ages together.
Gen. Dow IS that anomaly in history, a
prophet not without honor in his own
country.
Is Mr. Hughes said, as the chosen repre-
sentative of the clergy of Portland on
this occasion, he might be expected to
consider the relations of the church to
reform. Unfortunately those relations
have sometimes been strained. The re.
former often believes with Wendell
Phillips, that in order to strike down a
measure we must strike down man,
and SO he alienates the timid and the
conservative. The church too frequent
ly is both timid and conservative In
these matters and the reformer strides
far beyond it. but broad Christianity is
not timid, it does not hesitate. Only it
sees multitude of evils that it must
| confront and overcome, while the reformer
sees but one. He can camp before one
city of sin aud besiege it. Christianity's
| siege line encircles the world.
There was at one time very much
difference in the church as to the best
methods of doing away with intemper-
auce. But it is altogether too late IN the
day here IN Portland to discuss the
principle of prohibition. 1t is too firm
| ly established for that. It has grown
beyond discussion. Indifference is
| crime 1t is now our duty to hold up
| the hands of our officers in the discharge
of their duty, to hold them to strict
account, to discard them il they finch
| in their task If the law is weak in en-
| forcement anywhere it is because the
men behind it are weak. If the law any
where is failure it is because the men
chosen to execute it are failures.
Mr.. Hughes closed with lofty and
impassioned aspostrophe to Neal Dow,
looking to the Promised Land from the
Nebo Of ninety years. As he sat down
he was greeted with round after round
of applause.
The chairman then introduced the
venerable Asa Hutchinson, the survivor
of the noted Hutchinson family, AS an
cd h1 ronGt WalPNnln OuQGt
Mr.. Hutchinson spoke very briefly, men
tioning his visit to Portland more than
fifty years ago, and saying that he hoped
to continue laborer in the temperance
cause some years longer. He gave one
verse of the prohibition rallying song
Roll 1t Along" 1t is unnecessary to
say that he was enthusiastically encored.
The presentation of the oil portrait of
Gen. Dow to the State, to be hung on
the walls of the State House, was then
made in few and meet words by Mrs.
Hannah J Bailey, and responded to very
fe ,icitously by GOV. Cleaves in the fol-
lowing words:
Governor Cleaves's Address.
ssIn the presence of this magnificent
audience. here in the city of his birth
and of his home, on this his Goth ami
versary, in behalf Of the people of the
| state, extend to the distinguished advo-
| cate of noble cause, words of greeting.
| The name of General Dow is being
honored throughout the world; and the
| people of Maine are tonight bestowing
their congratulations and their honors
| upon one of their own citizens, who, for
more than three-quarters of a century,
has been steadfast to his convictions of
duty. You are not only emphasizing
| your appreciation of the high character
] of the man and the citizen, but you are
recognizing his long and ceaseless efforts
| in behalf of the cause of good govern
ment; efforts that have accomplished re-
suits that will live as long as the frame
of human society shall endure. You
| have rendered to the state the portraitsof
| this distinguished citizen; and in the
| name of great and growing and pros
porous commonwealth, in the name of a
great people, who are loyal to our state
| and to every cause that elevates man
kind and strengthens the foundations of
good and pure government, the gift you
| have bestowed is accepted; and / express
! to you the thanks of the commonwealth.
| 1t will be given an appropriate position
at the State Capitol with the portraits of
| other distinguished men who have. in
| the past, honored the State of Maine and
her people.