New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-03

General Neal Dow famous throughout this coun-
,rv and England a prohibition leader and as the
author Of the Maine law" was born In the city Of
portland Me, on March 20. 1904. His father a
tanner and the son. after public school educa-
zion entered the business at the age Of fifteen.
x,,ble growing up and prospecting in his trade.
young Dow became interested In public questions.
and with ready tongue and faciie pen, soon
Gained a local reputation.
His attention was FIRST attracted TO the liquor
question by his connection with the Portland Fire
nenortrent. of which he became chief. with l.4Oo
mon under him. on the occasion OF an anniver-
a-v simmer of the fire company which he first
,o,raa and OF which he had been made captain
when only twenty-one years Old ne mao a Sigor-
GUS opposition TO the providing oi aSnnornJ Cs
rom From that time dates his nle'9ne Iisnt LOT r
The principle Of prohibition-a heh, l" Wnich ne
~ 'unoxn,,.;ad successes In a STATE where the
gros snop We for yenrs in private way for the
- ~ r,roh,bi,iou Mr.. Dow began the public
,,at,on If The question. and In 1873 induced the
Portland board Of Aldermen TO o pn. nee
marty prevailed By majority Of 80 votes Moth
ing dauned he e2n'" was "a AGAIN submitted to the
popular vote. and no license was carried by a
Hsving CONQUERED the enemy In his native city, he
set out 10 give him battle In wider field. In his
own SggI for the rest OF the year There were no rail-
roads in Maine in those days) he travelled up and
CSW s and schooihonses IN the woods and
crossroads wherever people would come to listen,
ard Soyds Covered the State knee deep with
temperance literature"
In 1876 he appeared before the Maine Legislature
the passage OF prohibitory law. The law was
M Nor Of Portland on Prohibition wave He had
been In office less than a month before ne was al
the state than his rs one WSch had not
succeeded in suppressng the liquor traffic Again
his bill was passed. and the Mayor returned TO
10 letter.
Maine law" and the way Mayor Dow enforced II
against intense opposition made IT famous through
oil The country 1t was repealed in 1856 but was
re-enacied in the following year with severer pen en-
allies ATTACHED Since then 1t has renamed on the
Mr. Dow's public spirit and his successful busi;
ness qualities caused ms coopeTaon n naSery
sought He became member OF the School boa t
manufacturing company and president OK gas
AZ the close OF his term Of Office as Mayor he was
went England and labored there from mo, ui
h was TfTaed ey w sne years old
President Lincoln issued his first procamation Tor
Volunteers and might have held himself excused
from active service. but he did not. Governor
Washburn asked his assistance In raising men aia
service to the country in any position he ready
his best. He succeeded in raising near W Ho
18th. which started for the seat OF war in February
1862 to join In the expedition OF Genera nr he
was wounded, ard later captured ana Sortndd' fnr
Libby Prison for year. He was exGha h,na iE IN
Fitzhurh Lee and ne returned 10 ms nome III
Portland in 1866 broken down in health ,,
Such. however. the4vigor OF his cohsti,u.iiol
that he was soon actively promulgating prohib,ion
doctrines again. and he made a second crusau . :
visit TO England. HE acted with the hei,dolcan
party until after the defeat of Mr. Blaine he was
nominated as the first Presidential cahdlua.t Vi
the Prohbitonists. but not accepting me noniha "a
ton he labored for General Garfield. Up TO WITHIN
a short time he had been the leader Of the >, to
hihtion party and had been consulted IN an "s
nominations. 49, -, rossaa
The latter part of his life had been passed
quietly in his Portland home His nineteth Dlr'h u,
dav was celebrated no; only in Portland but IN
many cities of this country. and by the fronini u,
tionists Of London. with Lady Henry Somerset d.
their head He preserved a remarkable Vieor up u
the last years Of his life