The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-17
NO-LICENSE MEN.
Satisfactory Meeting of temperance Men
In Music Hall.

hdAis
The mass no-license meeting in Music
Hall last evening would have been a
grand success IL the hall had been small
enough for the audiencs to fill it. As IL
was, there was fair audience, considering
the weather, and the interest shown must
have been very agreeable 10 the chairman,
MIR. Thomas w. Bicknell, and the gentle
men Mr. On thG Tth the him meeting He
said that the home is permanent and the
saloon only temporary. He asked where
we are today with 400 licensed saloons and
the 500 kitchen barrooms that General
Brennan tells about. These with the
wholesalers make over 1900 rum shops in
Providence. The police have become in
different aud the condition of things is
most painful Ii we can get no license,
be thought, we might be able to drive
the devil from some of our wards at any
rate. The State has committed itself to
no-license by providing for teaching the
public school children how nefarious and
insidious is alcoholic poison. There are
many honest hearted and pure minded
people IN Providencs who may be afraid
to be with Us today, but the time will
come when they will be glad to come out
and say they are In favor of no-license.
Mr.. Bickneli wound up with a plea for
high license, II we must have license,
like that pertaining in Boston.
President Il. b. Capen Of Tufts College,
Medford, Mass, was the main. speaker OF
the eveningsand 1t was a shame that there
were not more persons present to hear
this really gifted man. lie is "gifted"
because he is honest, not because he is
what might be called brilliant orator,
for he is rather rashful.
His most telling remark was that IL we
must have licenses the place for the liquor
"a 10 go sk,aa.
the rristocracy." He knew of no cause
calculated TO draw together the Catholic
and Protestant churches more than no-li-
cense and he paid the Rev. Father
tfhomss Scufiy of 6uD1britge, MUS, n
glowing tribute because of his activity
and influence in securing no-license for
that city and helping TO maintain il for
seven or eight years.
He told about the referendum i'm Massa-
chusetts and its growing popularity; how
every year the question is put TO the peo-
pie: "Will you have the saloonV Con-
ditions have come to the point, he said,
when we look confidently Tor a no-license
movement in the city OF Boston.
In speaking OF Cambridge, Professor
Capen said: sit was city which had
large population addicted particularly to
liquor, East Cam bridge particularly.
There were streets in East Cambridge
where almost every store was a saloon
and when Somerville went no-license the
saloons were almost multiplied in Cam
bridge and that Is what woke the people
up TO the evil" he then told how the
movement began and grew with the com
bined help of "the largest and hraVest
and most patriotic Father Scully," Har-
ward College and the ministers. Then i'm
Hon. William h. Russell, Cam bridge had
a Mayor, who, although license man,
said The law shall be enforced aud It was
enforced"
Professor Capen cited an instance in
Someryille here the Mayor and police
claimed they could not get evidence" "
but he found IL for them and showed
that IL could be obtained.
Rev. i. N. Decker, the last speaker,
made a strong plea ia favor of the cause
and the meeting adjourned.