Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-19
famous first Maine law Which had outlawed
the dranishop In that state.
Representative Morse's Speech. >

famous first Maine law Which had outlawed
the dramshop in that state. ,
Representative M0rse's Speech. -
Congressman Morse of Massachusetts was
the second speaker. He referred plea sanity
to the manner in which Mr.. Dingley had
used UP the subject. He told the tale of
Abou Ben Adhen1 who found his name writ
ten In the golden book because he had told
the angel that he loved his fellow man.
Mr., Morse said that he sometimes doubted
whether he loved the Lord as much as he
should but he never had reason to doubt
his love for his fellow man. For this reason
he was a. temperance man. He referred to
the example set by Webster of abstinenee
from drink. He said that probably the
greatest hindrance to temperance progress
was lack OF cooperation among its adyo-
Gates. In answer to the argument that
liquor licenses were productive of revenue,
he said that 1t would be just as rational to
ulnoculate people with smallpox and raise
the revenue by a tax on collins. Money that
went over the DEVILS back went under his
belly and there wasn't any money In it. He
repeated the statement once made by Father
Mathew, that II a grain consumed IN drink
In ireland had been made into -four, there
would have been no famine. He exhorted
The people TO be total abstainers for the
sake of their children. Look out for the
safe path, for the boys are following" He
believed in bending all suasions to the
work; moral, legal and religious suasi6ns
In conclusion. DIR. Morse read a congratula-
tory :aiegram which he would have sent
TO Gen. Dow, and President Dingley stated
that 1t would be done
Dakota congressman.
Congressman Johnson OF North Dakota
ure at being present and taking part-in the
oldest temperance society in America. Con-
gresham Ellis of Oregon reported progress
In his state. He felt that the theory of total
abstinence was progressing even among the
saloon men, for they recognized that no
business success was possible without sobri-
ETY.. He did not believe in license; he be-
lieyed that it is wrong to compromise an
evil, but at the present stage of the game
this compromise might be good policy, be-
cause ground was very often lost by being
too radical. Representative Picker of South
Dakota followed. and opened with some
complimentary illusions to the company In
which he was 1t was getting, he said, to
be quite respectable to be a prohibitionist
If half the church men in the United States
would take the stand of the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union, the question
would not last twelve months. The temper
ance people of the District of Columbia
would produce better results by working
In the committees Of Congress rather than
by fighting against the bill after II had been
introduced. He thought that If the moral
element of the city would unite, 1t could get
from Congress what is wanted.
The Recent Suspension.
Then he went into the action of the Com
mtssioners suspending the rule providing
that saloons Should be 400 feet distant from
a church till an exception should be made
In favor OF hotels. What right had the
Commissioners, he said. to suspend a law
that hotels might run bars? He did not
know where their authority came from, and
thought that 1t would be a good idea for
Congress TO inquire into it. He-had never
voted for license. and never would. His
point was that the temperance people of
Washington ought to make Congress under
stand that they meant Business. Prohibit
ton was nowhere a failure, and only its
enemies had announced that It was. Sup
pose there had been no fight against the
habit of intemperance, where would the
ton have been now" He believed that
work and prayer, In Gods own time would
sweep the evil from the face OF the. earth.
EX-Gov. Elliott was the last speaker. He
told Of the temperance movement made in
Maine and quoted much temperance statisti-
cal data. Prayer by Rev. DR.. Johnston
closed the meeting.