Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-28
A NO-LICENSE GUN.
Spencer Business Men Air Their
Various Views.
Cannot See Where the Town Can Be-
Benefited BY License How To
Prevent Its Presence.

Spencer March 27-The greatest In
terest thus far taken in the temperance
campaign was that shown tonight at
the no-license meeting. The speakers
were the business and professional men
of Spencer who are interested in the
welfare of the town. over 200 people
were present. William H. Prouty pre-
sided at the melting. Appropriate selec-
tlons were sung by the Universalist
Church choir, Miss Corbin pianist w.
H. Prouty said in introduction that the
purpose of the meeting was to arouse
more interest among the temperance
people of the town and give the BUSH
ness men an opportunity TO tell why
they desired to have Spencer in the mo-
license columns. He said: The tenn
port of the officers on the nc-hcense
ticket. 1t has been said by the license
advocates that this tempe erance work
was all a farce, but l deny it. There is
no man who has a license, but what
knows when he takes it out that he
cannot keep it without violating it. You
can find no man who ever took out a
license who ever helped to suppress an
Illegal rum-hole. He wouldu dare to do
expose him.
w. C. Fickett, superintendent of
schools, was the next speaker He said
in part: II do not know all about this
subject. 1 don't know how the manu-
facture and sale of liquor is tc, be sup
pressed The temperance question has
changed vastly. 1t was considered
years ago to be an infrbng ngement on the
individual rights Of a person to suppress
1n 4o1a ~
granted the towns to vote whether or
not liquor shall be sold Now is it right
for Spencer to grant its people the right
to buy liquor? l have heard a good
many things the past few weeks that
don't believe. l don't believe that
that SO much liquor is sold in the section
OF the town called Canada as is told
about. I boarded at the M&ssasoit Hotel
some time, and I never saw drop of
liquor sold there. heard it said that
the police force could be bought up by
the illegal liquor sellers, but don't be-
lieve it."
Mr.. Fickett mentioned instances
where rum had been driven out of COM
munities by a concentrated effort OF
town citizens.
Charles w. Powers spoke in regard
to tntemperance from an economical
| standpoint. He read statistics given in
the report of the commissioner of in
| ternal revenue.
James H. Ames spoke in substance as
follows: 'T have been asked to say
| what influence license would have on
the business prospects of the town. 1t
| has been stated that in the years of IL
cense in Spencer over 100000 has been
paid out for liquor. There may be a
certain amount of this spent for liquor
| during the no-license years; but from
observation as a resident, 7 don't be-
| lieve that anywhere near as much uq-
uor can be sold under no-license as un-
! der license. L was told by a merchant
here in town that he favored license
because 1t would bring more business
| into town. want to get more business
into town in every way fair and hon
| orable, but I don't want to do 1t by
having licensed saloons. This money
that is paid for liquor goes into the
| hands of d few saloon keepers, and
| very little Of it goes to the community
at large. I believe, my friends, that we
don't want the saloons in Spencer; we
/ don't want the rum trade brought into
! Spencer"
DR.. E. A MurdSck spoke of the IL
effects the licensed saloons would have
on the community
| Nathaniel c. Bryant said in substance
| ''If you corrupt the working class by
1
| younger class by drink, you have de-
! stroyed the commonwealth beyond youl
| power to save 1t. The good that is in
| society will not be matched by the evil
| that pulls 1T down"
| Charles N. Prouty, superintendent OF
| the Isaac Prouty & Go. shoe corpora
| ton, was the next speaker He said
| that sufficient influence ought to be ex-
ercised over the 400 voters in Spencer
! who refuse to vote on the license ques-
ton, to have them use their right of
franchise.
| He spoke as follows: eve do not toll
| crate drinking men in our factory; we
have no use for them Occasionally we
| tolerate q man who drinks, for a time
on account of his family. In my opin-
ion, every right-minded man in the COM
munity is In favor of no-license I am
convinced the best people in the town
who have the best welfare of the town
at heart, are heartily in favor of having
Spencer remain in the no-license col
unn. I am not aware that there are
80 or 40 places where liquor is sold ille-
gally. I should consider this slur on
certain part of the town. If these
places were on my street, I should feel
myself disgraced and would act in some
| way"
DR.. E. w. Norwood spoke of the ruin
and misery which saloons would bring
into the town, and was very emphatic
| in saying that the open bar was never
known to bring good into a community.
He said "Is there anything for the
young man to gain in a social way at
| the saloon7 You know what the inf1u-
ence of the saloon is on those who pat
ronize it. Our only attitude toward the
saloon should be one of opposition. The
only way to meet the saloon is to fight
| it; the only way to meet the saloon is to
| Danish it, Let our attitude be one of
steady, persistent opposition to the open
| saloon.
The meeting closed with singing by
the Universalist quartet.
AMONG THE CHURCHES.
Rev. Sherman w. Brown preached at
the Congregational Church this fore
noon, the subject of his sermon being:
"The name above every name" The
topic for the Y. P. S. c. z. meeting, at
F6 O'Clock p. m, was; "God's unfailing
promises"
The w. C. t. U. will meet in their
rooms in bank block, Friday at 8 p. m.
Rev. f. E. Heath preached to a large
congregation at the Baptist Church this
morning. His theme was: Control
your thoughts"
There will be a meeting of the dis
trict leaders in the church parlors Tues
day at $50 .. m.
Rev. and Mrs F. E. Heath viii receive
at their home on Grove street, Wednes-
day.
The Ladies Foreign Missionary Socie-
ty will meet Saturday at $50 p, M, with
Mrs. Pease.
Rev. George H. Hastings OF North
Crocvenordala Conn. occuDied the NIL