Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-01-18
A PROHIBITION PATRIARCH.
Observance of General Neal Dow's
Goth Birthday Anniversary.

1t VIII Occur March goth, and the Ma
tional W. @. +. u. viii Observe the
Event--A General Tribute by all Friends
of Temperance TO the "Father OF Pro-
hibitory Law"
By Francis u. Willard.
The United Kingdom Alliance and the
British Women's Temperance Association
of England have taken up the suggestion
made by tho Worlds and National w. o.
1. U. for u general observance, IN the
interest of temperance reform, of March
2Oth, 1894, the both birthday Of General
Neal Dow, the father Of prohibitory law.
1t is hoped by those who have combined
to bring forward this proposition that
temperance societies in all parts of the
world will give it their endorsement, each
conducting the celebration according to
his own judgment and opportunity and
all sending congratulations to our Grand
Old Man,
1t is needless to say that this would be
done not only for the purpose of honoring
this heroic leader in the temperance re-
form, but with the expectation that the
principles Of total abstinence for the indi-
yidual and total prohibition for the State
would thereby be brought before the pub
licin great many localities and a variety
OF ways, the outcome of the effort being
the advancement of the principles TO
which we are all alike devoted. The w.
q. II. y. has always taken an attitude OF
friendly cooperation with other temper
ance societies, and feel confident that i'll
the present instance we shall not lack the
sympathy and endorsement Of Christian
and Temperance workers.
1t is proposed to publish in all the tenn
perance periodicals the picture OF General
Neal Dow, as he appeared in 1851, when he
was mayor of Portland, Me-, and the Pro-
hibltory law was adopted, and another as
he looks now in his hale and honored age.
With these pictures will doubtless be pub
lished sketch of his life. and some ac-
count OF the success of the Prohibitory
law in Maine, where it has been the
longest tried. Some of the wise and pung-
ent sayings of General Dow, one of the
most incisiye speakers and writer's that the
reform has produced. will be cOllated, and
odes in his honor and hymns commemora-
tive Of prohibition Day." us we might
well name the birthday Of Prohibitions
father will be written, we may well be-
lieve, by. our best pens in all parts of
Christendom.
have long wished that we had tenn
perance Aud Lang Syne," song. and one
mas recently been furnished by the w. q.
I. u, but here is grand opportunity for
our writers, to give US u song of universal
adaptation that shall signalize the birth
day of our noble chief. We have received
o note from Sir Wilfred Lawson, in which
he says: you will see by the report of
our proceedings at the annual meeting of
the United Kingdom Alliance, that your
excellent suggestion has been taken up
and hope that we shall see something
worthy of the grand old American who
has fought the prohibition fight SO long,
and SO unllinchingly.n | have recently
heard from General Dow that he is in
splendid health, that he rises at o'clock
in the morning, as has been his lifelong
custom, walks three miles a day, and in
pleasant weather rides Is to 20 These
facts would be of interest to all intelligent
people whether friends or foes TO the tenn
perance reform.
1t seems to me II would be we'll if the
week previous TO March Goth, 1894, the
religious and temperance papers would
bring out an issue in which our 30 years
old leader was made central figure. The
pictures of him that we need can be had
by writing to Mrs. l.. NJ. N. Stevens, presi.
dent Maine W. @. 4. u. Portland, Maine
also such collection of his best and most
pointed utterances. Such an issue should
contain articles on the different phases of
! the temperance movement, so that the
paper should be widely sought and largely
| quoted from in the temperance meeting Of
the 10Th OF March, which is to be held ire
| spectlve OF sect, sex or membership in any
particular temperance society, and has
been suggested in the interest of no ism,
but simply to advance the broad lines Of
the temperance movement,
In this view feel sure that all good
people will do all they can to help for ward
the proposed celebration, AMI to send their
| congratulations TO General Neal Dow of
| Portland, Name