Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-21
Thousands Send Hearty Congratu.
lations to Neal Dow.
THE CAUSE OF TEMPERANCE
Speeches by Prominent Leaders in
the Old Crusade.
DISTRICT PROHIBITION

temperance in the history of the District
was that which last evening crowded Con-
vention Hall to its utmost capacity. Five
or six thousand persons. young and old,
Protestant and Catholic, white and black
were there to do honor to a man way down
in Maine-a man known throughout the
world for the great work he has done In
the cause of temperance. and man be-
loved and respected by all who know or
have heard Of him-the venerable Neal
Dow of Portland, Me-, who, yesterday,
reached his ninetieth birthday.
The meeting was attended by representa-
tives from all the temperance organizations
of the District, and by thousands, perhaps.
who. while not actively engaged In the
work of temperance, have their sympathies
In ii. The meeting greatly resembled those
held recently in the same hall by Messrs.
Moody and Sankey. There was the same
great platform. the same immense choir
and orchestra, led by Mr.. Percy S. Foster,
and seated en- the platform were many of
the clergymen Of the District, numerous
leaders in temperance, many members of
both houses of Congress- and not a few
prominent citizens. The great choir render
ed many selections preceding the regular
exercises of the evening. and also later in
the program, with excellent effect. The
Rev. Luther B. Wilson of the Washington
District NJ. E. Church presided, and after
the Introductory service of music intro
invoked the divine blessing.
DIR. Sunderland's Prayer.
.Oh, Thou Supreme and Everything God"
he prayed. whose days are ever lasting
and works fail not we come to Thee. We
stand before Thee, amazed and COMPOUNDED
by that black veil which hangs over us.
Out of the depths of this evil Thou hast
these latter days lifted US up and made
clear the way; thanks to those noble men
and women who have. under Thy guidance
and care, done so much to rid the world of
the awful abOmination. We thank Thee
for him whose birthday we observe tonight;
for his work and his example, and that he
Is still spared to us. May the last days
of his noble life be his best days. Bless,
o God. this vast assemblage. and the many
organizations here represented. Bless. too.
all those throughout the world who are
seeking to repress the curse of liquor and
all its evils
Mr. Dingley's Tribute.
Mr.. Wilson then explained that the meet
ing was not held so much with the purpose
Of honoring Gen. Dow, as 1t was to CO.
operate with him in the undertaking which
had characterized his life. But all honored
the noble old man and his life work and
gloried in its success. Mr.. Wilson then pre-
scented Representative Nelson Dfngley OF
Maine. lifelong friend Of Gen. Dow.
Mr.. Dingley said that II was a special
pleasure and honor to stand in the presence
of such a vast audience at the capital Of the
country. gathered together to pay homage
to Neal Dow. He had. forty-three years
ago, when a mere boy, first met Mr.. Dow at
the capital city of the state of Maine where
he was working day and night. In season
and out of season, for the cause of tenn
perance. 1t was then that Neal Dow. see
ing the downward course of a friend ap-
pealed to a rumseller to sell him no more.
The dealers answer was one familiar to all
temperance workers: Il have a license. 1t
Is business % sell liouOr' Raising his
eyes to heaven. Neal Dow exclaimed,
Heaven help us, We will change all that"
And he kept his word, explained Mr. Ding
ley, and since 1851 the licensed sale of in
toxicating liquors in the good old state of
Maine had been made impossible. and, thank
God. its prohibition laws could never be
repealed.
Mr. Dingley then spoke more fully Of the
work OF Neal Dow, not only in his native
state and land, but also throughout the
world Three times he had visited Great
honored and respected by the English than
was Neal Dow. Although ninety years of
age Gen; Dow was today as vigorous IS a
man of fifty, and as active in the work of
temperance as ever before.
Voice From Ohio.
A cornet solo. Hear Us. o, Father" by
Mr.. Edward Tracy. followed Mr.. Dingley's
remarks, and then Mrs. NJ McClelland
Browne, L. D., of Cincinnati, Ohio. was the
next to speak.
Mrs. Browne said to know was wisdom
to do was character. Those points char
acterized the life Of Neal Dow, a man who
grew younger as his days grew more. The
wisdom or Neal DAw was practical oh
tanned by studying humanity and by apply
ing his knowledge to the benefit of that
humanity he so thoughtfully studied. Some
years ago. when she had the distinction of
being the only female speaker on temper
ance in the state of Ohio she met Neal
DOW. and as she listened to his words, hon
est and simple. she learned to honor him
and his life work. 1t was at a time when
the women crusaders were doing such grand
work in Ohio, and Mrs. Browne was loudly
applauded when she said that If the work
OF those women had been followed by the
lawmakers of the state the salvation Of the
people OF the state would have been Sc
cured forever
His Courage.
Courage was one of the leading character
istics of Neal Dow. and his championship
OF the cause OF temperance in the days
long ago best indicated that. Such cham
pionshlp required more courage then on his
part than the going to war for mis- country
In 1867. Would to God, cried Mrs Brown.
that the people of the District would peti-
ton by every means the Congress of the
United States to abolish the saloon De
stroy." said Mrs. Brown, in conclusion, 1T
Is a radical word, but destroy DESTROY the
work of the devil. Do your Masters bid
ding-destroy the saloon"
Mrs. Browns remarks created the great
est enthusiasm, and, after the choir had
rendered Throw Out the Life Line" with
telling effect, Mr. Luther Benson of Indiana
spoke briefly.
The Reflex Action.
Mr.. Benson said that Daniel Webster re-
plying to an inquiry, once said that he
would charge $500 for fifteen minute
speech, and then spoke for an hour for $780,
meaning that 1t was mighty hard to say
anything in ten minutes. lie had but ten
minutes allotted to him, and what he would
say would be like the old womanS tea-not
strong, but cheap. MIR. Benson then gave a
graphic picture of the results of intemper-
ance. There was no temperance, he said,
without prohibition. 1t was said that If you
left whisky alone IL would let you alone.
That was a lie. There were millions of
heartbroken wives In this land, millions OF
starving children, who had left whisky
alone. but 1t had not left them alone.
He referred to the fact that a JUS
tice OF the United States Supreme Court was
presiding at a meeting where woman
spoke of the intemperance of prohibition,
and said such things were wrong.
Represen tative Morse of Massachusetts
was then introduced for a fve-ninute
speech. in which he said that the time was
rapidly approaching. he believed, when a
man will no sooner be allowed to sell liquor
than man would now be allowed to sell
piasue-infected clothing He had seen a
great advancement in recent years of The
work OF temperance. and the years
passed on the good accomplished would be
a rha II VI