The Portland daily press., 1897-03-30
Mission Of the New Christian Civ.
ic League.
AN ASSOCIATION ORGANIZED IN
WATERVILLE MONDAY.
One Hundred Members Wore In Attend
ancs-Educate the People And Arouse
Reverence For Law, Enact Good Laws
AndlEnforce Them, Ostensible Object of
Association.

AndIEnforce Them, OstensibIe Object of
Association.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.l
Waterville. Me-, March e0.-A new or
ganisation has stepped into the field to
ENFORCE the celebrated Maine law. The
constitution Of the Christian Civic
league states in general terms that its
object IL to secure the enforcement OF
law. but the gentlemen who participated
In the formation Of the organization
this afternoon devoted their remarks al
most exclusively to discussing the pho
hibitory law.
and just now the leaguers claim that it
is dry and arid city. although on the
other hand 1t Is said that the thirsty
can still quenoh their thirst in Water.
Vile without resort to water
Ths Civic Christian League is the out
come of action taken at the last annual
conference of the Maine Congregational
churches when resolutions were adopted
and a committee appointed with the
view of securing the better enforcement
OF the Maine law. Later the Baptists
and Free Baptists in their anpual seq
sions, appointed comm ittees to act with
the Congregationalists. The other de-
nominations had held their annual gath
erings before the Congregationa1ists, but
they have co-operated SO far as possible.
especially the Methodists. The commits
tee thus raised held several meetings
and appointed subcommittee which
issned the call for today's meeting. That
call has been already printed. 1t states,
among other things:
A growing spirit OF lawlessness in our
state has developed feeling of alarm,
This alarm Is manifest in the organiza-
tion of Civic Leagues In many of the
larger centres.
"More than HOO liquor sellers are do
Ing business in our state In defiance Of
our constitution and statutes. The con-
stituted authorities, with few exceptions.
are making 10 effort to suppress this
lawlessness; but are directing their
efforts solely to a moderate replenish-
ment of the county treasures through
fines imposed, and SO, in effect, are perpet-
uating the saloon.
l"The statutes already enacted are
amply sufficient practically to Danish the
saloon, and a disposition faithfully to en-
force these statutes on the part of the
proper authorities is the present need.
ftnthar 1QWc N Hko -
ing violated with impunity. Twelve
murders were committed in the state
last year, and II persons were sentenced
to the state prison ut the last term of the
Superior Court in Cumberland county.
Lawlessness is rapidly increasing in our
state. and for this increase the saloon is
largely responsible.
The call was signed by Rev. NJ essr s.
A. T. Dunn, g. D. b. Pepper and W.
F. Berry, the sub. committee. II was
the means of getting together in the
Baptist charoh here this afternoon near
ly 100 gentlemen. many OF whom are en-
titled to the prefix Reverend. The COM
mittee had draft of constitution of
UuO OuIl6u1hA OlN1O 1odkuo VI malu6 III
readiness and this the meeting adopted.
Officers were then elected and the league
is now ready for business.
The meeting twas called to order by
Rev. DR.. Dunn, and temporary organi-
zasion was effected with President Hyde
Of Bowdoin College as chairman, and
Mr.. Grant Rogers of Richmond as score.
tary.
Rev. g. R. Palmer who was present,
with a number of his brethren of the Me-
thodist church, conducted brief devotion
al exercises Then Prof. Geo. c. Pur-
rington of Farmington. reported for the
general committee. briefly outlining the
steps taken in starting the movement and
calling this movement
DIR. Dunn of the sub-com mittee stated
that the league already had mem bers In
80 towns and at the close of the meetin q
would have membership of between 200
and 300.
Much of the work of the committees
was EN- bodied in the draft of the oonsti-
tuition which was then taken up section
by section and adopted without change
and without a dissenting vote. The con-
stitution speaks for itself and Incidental
ly throws some light on the way in
which the league proposes TO go to work.
1t oontains the following provisions:
ARTICLE I-NAME.
The name Of this organization shall be
The Christian Civic League Of Maine.
ARTICLE II.-PURPOSE.
1t purpose shall be, by all the means at
our command and by cooperation with
our existing agencies, 1, to educate the
people in all TINT pertains to good citi-
zenship; ., to arouse and maintain
throughout the state a reverence for
law; 3. to secure the enactment of the
best possible laws, their impartial exc
cution, and tie choice of competent
officials to that end.
ARTICLE III. I.-MEMBERSHIf.
Any person in sympathy with the pur-
pose of this league may become men,
ber by signing the constitution.
ARTICLE IV.-OFFICERS.
. The officers shall be president. vice.