The Somerset reporter., 1897-01-14
A Washington Letter.

The following letter written for the
Caribou Republican under the date OF
Dec. 10, 90, will he of interest To many
readers of the REPORTER, especially To
the members of the temperance societies.
"Iour many readers will be gratiied
to know that the cause of temperance
has, for the past week or NOR. received
special attention in the Capitol city Of
our nation. The great American Anti
Saloon League Convention which opened
its second annual meeting in this city the
Sth instant, is conceded by all to have
been the most important temperance
gathering ever held in the United States,
not excepting the Temperance Congress
held in Chicago in '93-for that Was in
ternational, while this meeting was
especially United States meeting deal.
ing with the questions pertaining to the
liquor traffic in our nation. There werr
no side issues. "rhe saloon Must Co
was the thought emphasizt by thai ua-
paralleled gathering of leading minds,
Withouf regard TO UNCONVENTIONAL pre-
ferrnees or political party faith. This
convention was composed of one hnndr, d
and fourteen different State and National
religious and temperance organic itons,
This society is based strictly upon non
partisan and non-sectariau principles
though comprising every political faith
and almost every denOmiuatioual creed.
A. "A result of the meeting congressman
We're interyie~ we'd, suggestions made and
bills formulated which we're acted upon
by Congress with IA fair prospect Of
final passage. Maine received due re-
coguiflon on committees, etc. Scarcely
had the delegation from the PiHe Tree
State entered the convention When Mrs..
Florence {. Porter, of Caribou. Wis ciIl-
ed 10 the front and made assistant ,ecre-
tary. and Mrs. Agnes c. Paul. of Fort
Fairfield. WAS made one of the executive
committee
The convention endorsed the publea-
tious OF the National Temperance Sc
cirtY. the Non Partisan W. = l. L.
Publ biag Association supplemented BY
The provision that nothing of 4 pfftisan
character should be Included. Y at
evidence Of the importance attached In
this meeting President Cleveland ten
drred reception at the executive laan-
sion 10 the League in Il body. Mr.. Bur
r.ngton of Belfast, and Mrs j. H. Bur
leigh Of south Berwick, were espeeialIy
honored by a private interview with MI,
Cleveland, whom the ladies pronounced
as being charming in personnel. Thelast
session Of the League WAS ON the afternoon
of the 10Th inst. This was followed by the
opening of the seventh Annual Conven-
ton Of The National Nou-Partisan w. l.
r L. Eloquent addresses of welcome
were given by Mrs. }. Ellen Foster, the
pastor of Foundry NJ. f. church where
the meeting was held, aud also by the
oldest member of the church. In Nj.
Fosters remarks she paid IA beautiful
tribute to Mrs. President Hayes. who
was member of this church. rs tenn.
perance woman. The response was
given by Mrs. Weeks, wife of Hon. Jos.
d. Weeks, of Pittsburg, Pa, we'll
known writer on economies. An address
by the President, Mrs. G. c. Afford of
Bernardston, Mass, was listened tn with
much interest. Congressman Morse of
Massachusetts and Senator FRYE adj
dressed the meeting and were enthusas-
tically interested in the work of the
Non-Partisans.
BY invitation of Representative Morse
the convention in Il body visited the
Capitol. Friday, at II o'clock the hour
of opening the session. A bill prohibit
ing the sale of intoxicating drinks in the
Capitol building had passed the house,
Thursday, but technicality in relation
to quorum called for reconsideration
and the convention was there to cheer
and encourage the men who were doing
all in their power to blot out that nation
al disgrace. As they listened to the in
vocation of the blind Chaplain,
Rev. Cowden, they heard the welcome
words, 20 Lord, We thank thee that the
House of Representatives is no longer
responsible for the sale of liquor vi hin
the walls of the Capitol building
The meetings were continued Friday
and Saturday and evenings, with fine
addresses Sunday morning, afternoon
and evening. Reports from the several
States were very encouraging. The
meetings were exceptionally harmonious
and characterized by zeal aud enthu-i-
asm. The broad platform of Non-Parti-
sanship was vndcated during these
meetings as never before, and the out
look was never more encouraging. The
election of officers resulted in the choice
of the following: Mrs. Annie NJ Wit
tenmver, Saratoga, Pa, president; Mrs.
r. b. Walker, Minneapolis, Mimi. vice
president; Mrs. Ellen j. Phinuey, CleVe.
land, Ohio, general secretary; Mrs.
Florence c. Porter, Caribou, Me, re.
cording secretary; Mrs. II. NJ. Ingram,
Cleveland. Ohio, treasurer; Mrs. j. ID.
Weeks, Pttsburg, Pa, editor of Tenn
perance Tribune.
A post-executive meeting was held
Monday morning in the parlor of the
Legislative Secretary, Mrs. Lydia II.
Tilton, who rendered the committee
dainty lunch, which was followed by
vote of thanks aid tributes of appre-
citation of Mrs. Iilton's valuable servi-
ces, during the convention. These two
conventions will be long remembered "a
the beginning of great temperance
awakening. L.
The Discovery saved His Life.
Mr.. c. Caillouette, druggist, Beavers