New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-19
GENERAL BOWS HONE.

| drinking abolished from the social circle IN
| which he moved.
General Dow looks al the causes which may be
assigned for his haze longevity in somewhat broad
er light perhaps, than hosts OF his sympathetic al
| mrers. While he doubts that he would hevc lived
| so long had he been drinking man. he does not
believe that the fact OF his temperance alone would
| have guaranteed him ninety years Of life. His
father saw nincty-ve and many Il his ancestors and
| relatives passed fourscore. General Dow has al
ways been very regular in his habits. and he prileS
| himself on the fact that he would never allow
worry to rob him OF his sleep, matter what the
| contingency. When he young he was devoted
| to athletics and even now his square shoulders.
! sturdy form and erect carriage are left him as Il
reminder OF his carry training. He could beat the
| other boys In running. leaping and in other physi-
| cal contests. On two occasions he saved n person
| from drowning by his expert swimming. At ninety
| he Is not too old 10 enjoy driving by himself three
or four hours every day when the weather is peas
| ant
| one Of the first public Offices which General Dow
! ever held chief of the Portland Volunteer Fire
| Department. lie introduced a number OF SOLITARY
| reforms. Some complaints were made about his
: severity Of discipline. fireman on one occasion
appealed to the Mayor with this statement:
| "Mr Dow IS altogether too strict At the fire the
other night he ordered NE TO 90 between two build
| ings and their walls likely TO fall at any
| moment. ! wouldn't 60"
! And wha: ga NJ. Dow do when you refused 10
! obey" asked the Mayor.
"IIe was fool enough 10 20 himself"
Even IN his temperance work General Dow's
strong nerves and muscles have served him many
good turns. As he was going along the stree: one
day his attention attracted 10 crowd standing
in front Of q house and gazing inten;ly at open
window in the second story. lie heard the screams
OF a woman. II was the old story OF a drunken
husband beating his wife. The crowd had tried
| unsuccessfuiy to OPEN the door. Mr. Dow seized
hold OF IA adder which leaning up against the
side OF a neighboring building and by means Of 1t
ascenlcd into the room and conquered the drink
crazcd brute.
His first stroke In behalf Of state temperance
form was struck by securing the adjustment Of The
custom among employers OF giving their employees
"A short r"c"ss between meals for drinks. a custom
which now seems absurd but time quite
as firmly established in many cwEnganl towns
that of allowing hour at noon for dinner.
1t was shortly after this that he prompt
cd begin the crusade which ended in State Prohi
billion. lie asked salo0n-kccper not TO sell liquor
to a young man who. If he could conquer this
great weakness. promised a useful and honorable
career. The saloon-kceper reminded MIR. Dow that
he was meld,ing with some one cises business.
The General made vow that he wcu.d not rrst
from the fight until It was against the law Of the
State OF Maine to sell liquor. From ihti moment
until 1851 he Kept UP the agitation OF the question
from the platform and in the press. lie travelled
spring ana fali from village TO village making
speech after speech. meeting at first with many
jocrs and jess and liltlr sympathy but gradually
gaining ground until finally his travels consisted OF
a series OF small trumpbs.
Ills success the more remark IOle because at
that time Maine was rock ribbed liquor state:
The then It'll" town OF Portland alone supported
seven brcwcrts ami two discr.es; the fishing ports
along the coast filed with seagOng and
ship carpenters who sUent what they had earned
during the week Saturday night In the grOg
eaOps and few the rural cuDbOards which dil
not hold bottle Of rye, tlst Of which the farmer
cor sidered necessary before he could proceed
with the day. work. Bu; Mr. Dow never flltcre1.
never compromised. They say even to this day
that many 'o.d salt who carried n plug Of to-
bacco and 2 whiskcy bottle in his hip pocket day
In and day out voted for him and his measures
simply out Of the admlra ton for his courage which
found blunt expression IN 'Es the earnest cold
water chap | ever seen
In ISL General Dow become Mayor OF Portland or
ripe He went 20 the state Legislature with his
prohibtory measure drawn up. The liquor men
iob0ied but he outwitted them. and in a few DAYS
the bill had passed both houses and had been signed
by the Governor Maine awakened find that she
had nothing drink. Its head achcd very badly.
Mr. Dow was defeated for Mayor the second term
The town became divided between the "Dowites'
and the Ants" and finally he was again returned
Office. The Legislature OF SO repealed the law
but the legislature OF IS substantially restored H.
Since then there have been many changes In Its
details. but the principle has remained intact. ana
now 1t Is a part OF the States Constitution.
After its first passage u great deal Of liquor was