The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-02
A CENTURY OF REFORM
HISTORY OF TEMPERANCE MOVE
MENTs IN UNITED STATES.
WashinEtOnian Movement Followed
by John ID. Cough, Father Math-
ew, Murphy and others.
K. E. H.. in Detroit Free Press.


In view of the temperance agitation of
to-day, which is resulting in the formation
of anti-saloon leagues all over the country
to restrict the sale of liquor and enforce
existing laws governing that sale, it
is interesting to turn back in Americas
history and note the different phases of the
temperance cause in this country from the
original conception of temperance So
ciety through that wonderfully enthu-
siastic period of 1910 to the formation
of the great unions of men and women to-
day. 1t was not until 1903 that there sprang
up in America a society whose avowed OBJ
ject of existence was to curtail the con-
sumption of spirits among its members,
This organization was formed in the towns
of Moreau and Northumberland, County of
Saratoga, New York. II was the idea in
tangible form of a young man who was
honored afterwards by being elected the
society's first president-one Billy Clarke by
name. A penalty of so cents was imposed
on members who might 'get drunk" and
if one gave liquor to another or drank of
it himself he was fined % cents. 1t is very
probable that this first temperance society
in America was suggested by a book pub
lished in 1904 by DR.. Benjamin Rush, of
Philadelphia, entitled IAN Inquiry Into the
Body and Mind
From this initial movement sprang other
societies in other parts of the country,
Massachusetts forming one in 1873 The
American Temperance Union was founded
in 1898. In this year there were 225 tenn
perance societies in the United States.
Within year the number had reached one
thousand. Fifty distilleres had ceased OPP
erations, four hundred merchants had given
up the traffic and 1900 drunkards had been
reclaimed.
But the pledge Of this day provided for
the nonconsumption of distilled liquors,
and as many of the poorer classes could
not afford wine they signed the document
willingly but continued their use\of fer
mented liquors. 1t was to bring about total
abstinence from all alcoholic beverages that
the pledge known as "teetotal' was intro
duced into America from England where it
had been in use some time previous. Tee
total was the name given the pledge in
England owing to the suffering over the
first letter of total by signer. 1t is
curious fact that many who gladly signed
the former pledge refused to affix their
names to the new one and for a few years
the temperance societies of the country
were not rapid in their growth. But the
cause was not allowed to langush so long
as at it's head worked such men as Delevan,
Norton, Keener, Gerritt Smith, Moses Grant,
Lloyd, Collins, Briggs, Steward and Hoar.
SENSATION NEEDED.
But the writings, in stories, essays and
verses, of these men would only tend to
keep interest in the subject alive. A stir
ring and sensational event was needed to
give it impetus. Such came about in 1885 in
the assault, prosecution and imprisonment
of Rev. George B. Cheever. of Salem, Mass.
I'm hat ba in a local
a description of dream he had had and
which he called, Deacon Giles's Distillery,"
| and in which he made the wine and spirits
demons in hades. The hades referred to
was distillery. Deacon Giles was himself
no person of dreams, but a vertiable indi-
vidual. and after the publication OF the
story the clergyman was set upon by a fore
man in the dstillery and severely beaten
with a raW-hide, to which chaStiSement,
however, he offered no resistance. Subse-
quently the daring minister was sued for
libel by Deacon Giles and imprisoned for
period of thirty days. Rev. Cheever was,
so far as records show, the first martyr to
| to the cause of temperance in this country.
But a greater impetus to the temperance
| movement yet to come 1t was brought
| about by party OF six topers who, in 1840
were accustomed to meet in Chase's Tavern,
| Baltimore, every Friday evening for q de-
| bauch. These men and their occupations
| when sober-were William X. Mitchell
| tailor; John F. Ross, carpenter; David An
! derson, blacksmith; George Steers. black
! smith; James McCurley, coach maker, and
Archibald Campbell silver platter On the
| evening of April 2, 1910. a clergyman spoke
| This party of six in the course of a con-
| versation on the matter decided that four
| of their number should go to the lecture and
afterward report on it back at the tavern.
| The suggestion was adopted. The men were
| greatly impressed by what they had heard,
| and of them said We'll, temperance
| is a good thing, after all.
I'm tell you what let's do exclaimed
RilI Mitchell president
1t was done on the spot The next day
Mitchell appeared among his associates
| annexed, DESTROYS of forming a society for
| our mutual benefit and to guard against
| pernicious practice, which is injurious to
our health, standing and families do hereby
pledge ourselves as gentlemen, that we will
not drink any spirituous or malt liquors.
wine cider"
| The first man to sign this pledge was An
| derson, who, when he did 1t. was in the
| agonies of headache resulting from
days debauch Officers of the society were
elected the next week and each of the orig
| inal six went to work to secure new sign
ers; And then came the question OF name st
| aside as inappropriate. Finally title was
| agreed upon. The society was named in
| honor of Washington, being called the
| Washington Temperance Society, members
being subsequently known as the Washing
' THE WAsHINGTONIANs.
| This society of six Baltimore inebriates
gave the cause of temperance in America
| it's greatest impetus. Members joined with
| the Washingtonians rapidly and it became
| a question how the crowds could interest
| themselves in meetings Mitchell suggested
| the relation of experiences" setting the
| ball rolling by telling his own. These Eek
| perience meetings created a deep impress
| sion on the popular mind, and when the
| pledge was unroled at the end of the ses-
| sions men and women scrambled over
| benches and each other in their desire to
reach and sign it. Men auctually fought
| for an opportunity of putting their names to
| the paper and thousands rallied round the
| Washingtonians' standard.
| The excitement in Baltimore was intense,
and when Mitchell and few of his asso-
| ciates visited New York the crowds that
| thronged the place of meeting were so large
| that speeches had to be delivered out of
/ doors in the parks. The entire country be-
| came aroused. Beacon fires were lighted on
| the hills men sobbed like children at the
| meetings. great temperance paradeS were
| held. women boldly entered the saloons and
kneeelins in the filth of the floors prayed
| for diScontinuance of the liquor traffic
| Children were taught prayers which they
| spoke in the streets, pledge was a fixture
| in every church, and Hawkins, the most IA
| NOUS of all the Washingtonans, man
who had been reclaimed after ten years a
gutter drunkard, moved thousands by the
power of his oratory Crowds cried with
| him and threw up their hats in exultant Joy
! as a tottering inebriate would stagger for