The Portland daily press., 1895-03-21
is 81 YEARS OLD.
General Neal Dow Quietly Celebrated
His Birthday Yesterday.


Across the ocean-He Anticipates a
Busy Year.
| General Neal Dow very quietly cele-
brated his 91st birthday yesterday.
| There was no public demonstration of
any kind, but old friends called and
were graciously received. Hon. W. W..
Thomas, who is four month older than
General Dow, was one of the callers.
| They have worked together for many
years, and it is an interesting fact that
| the two venerable men signed the tenn
peranoe pledge the same day.
| General Dow had another caller yester-
| day morning who was made more than
welcome-Mr. George A. Thomas, who
has had a bad cold for some time, but
who assured the General that he couldn't
| resist the temptation to cal and tender
his congratulations II trust you will
| live as long as you desire to, and be able
| to work as long as you live,n he said
in parting, and General Dow replied,
THANK you. I trust shall be able to
work as long as / live. General Dow
called the attention of Mr.. Thomas to the
fact that he had been Informed that
people sometimes mix them up, but Mr..
Thomas rejoined "They won't do il
much longer, General. I'm getting too
old in my general appearance"
General Dow spoke of his early career.
He said his first speech was written
will -
memory. 1t was delivered just 70 years
ago, before a Wing convention held in
Gray. 1t was q political speech and he
was just past his 21st birth day. He
later delivered anti-slavery addresses
before the great work of his life began.
Il have somewhat changed my method
of preparing speeches" said General Dow
"The thine was when wrote everything
out and then committed it to memory.
gave up that practice because I found
it untitled me for sudden emergencies.
Then used notes, and once in a while,
but very rarely now take with me a
few notes fearing that ] may forget
some point Of late / have got in the
habit of thinking out speech from be-
ginning to end, and find it is the best
plan. I can retain long address in that
way"
In a previous interview the general
spoke of the fact that of late he has
deemed it MS duty on most public occa-
sions to repeat his statement made many
times that when the churches are ready
to say "go" to the saloons, they will go.
but that is the only thing he does repeat
in his public addresses.
General Dow referred to the past year,
and said that it had been very busy
one. II do not see and do not feel any
reason why the coming year may not be
just as we II employed" he said, II GER
talnly expect to keep as busy as ever"
He touched on bis remarkable health,
and said that he has been all his life a
constant worker. 4. Hes.ehad never taken
a vacation In his life because he felt the
need of anything of the kind. / believe
in Vacations" he said. SIN these days
many families count on the yearly vaca-
ton, and it is good practice. I have
been in the habit of taking vacations,
for the sake Of being wi tn friends, or
having good time, but never because
was in condition that made vacation
necessary"
Speaking of the bill reported by the
committee on temperance General Dow
said he had srrong hopes that it would
be adopted. He has lost none of his
Ech
suggested that certain mem Der of the
legislature would make speech in oppo-
sition to the measure, grimly observed,
"That won't do any hurt. / hope he
will"
General Dow said he is warmly in
favor of woman suffrage. 81 was con-
verified many years ago, and very sud
denly ;" he said. ga lady was taking
tea at my house, and she spoke of the
then new idea OF woman suffrage.
and I am almost ashamed to say that /
burst out laughing at the idea OF wom-
en- going to the polls and voting. Then
/ glanced around my table, and thought
6 II ere are two sons and here are two
daugh tiers. The sons it they live to be
twenty-one will vote, and the daughters
who are just as well educated, will be
classed with idiots, Grimm ais and lndi-
ans untaxed.' Then and there / was
converted to the idea of woman suffrage.
and said They ought to vote am
still warmly in favor of woman suffrage. -
General Dow spoke of the recent at
tempt to choose a woman a member of
the school board, and said it was great
pleasure to him to support Mrs. Hunt.
Take it all in all, the General had a
very pleasant birthday. He feels better
than he did year ago, although he has
had touch of the prevailing colds. "a
general complaint it seems just now,n
as he termed it. He expressed his belief
that his work is not yet done, and said
slowly and impresslvely, "Of course | do
not know what the co ming year ma
have in store for me, but while I am
able shall do all l can" There was
certainly nothing in his appearance that
indicated his great age and his copf