The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-02-16

possibly pleasant anticipations the old
gentleman replied: The fee provided
by the statutes of the state of Wisconsin
for the solemnization of the marriage
ceremony is seventy five cents, but this
imposes no limitation and you are
entirely tree to give the minister what
you may DESIRE" With somewhat OF
a sigh of relief the young man feeling
free to follow his desires (and possibly
his necessities) laborionsly extracted a
quarter of a dollar which the old
gentleman took with as much grace as
if it had been the expected five or ten
dollars
/ would speak to you today of the
three causes which, outside of the
proclamation of the gospel message
most engaged the interest and effort OF
Mr.. Deming. He was in the front
ranks and among the earliest of the
number of those who advocateda pledge
for total abstinence. From early man
hood until the end of his days his voice
was forever on the side of every tenn
perance movement.
Early in the century, perhaps largely
because of the increased cheapness in
the sale of Intoxicating liquors, the
woes and evils of intemperance began
to engage the attention of thoughtful
men. The United States fairly led the
world in the reform movement, and
between 1886 and 1850 it gained great
momentum. Public meetings were
held, societies were formed, pledges
taken, pamphlets and tracts printed
and widely distributed. In 1849
Father Matthew brought his persuas-
i've and fiery eloquence to the United
States and gave fresh impetus to the
movement. AS a Roman Catholic
priest he had plead and persuaded
with such power that in 1888 not far
from $50, 900 people took the pledge in
and about Cork. In 1910 six drunk
ards in Baltimore joined in a pledge of
total abstinence and instituted that
Washingtonian movement which spread
over the country. In lS49 laws were
passed in Wisconsin making the vendor
of liquor responsible in certain cases for
damages resulting from the acts of
persons intoxicated by the liquor.
Laws of this kind were far from &C,
ceptable to many people at that time,
and on March 4th, 1850, mob in Mil
waukee wrecked the house of John B.
Smith as rebuke to him for having
introduced in the Wisconsin Legislature
what we're called blue liquor laws. "
Through these years Mr.. Deming
followed these efforts with deepest
interest. He was in correspondence
with Horace Mann, that wonderful son
of Massachusetts, to whom this nation
owes an imperishable debt for his SER
vices for public education and temper
ance. He was also in correspondence
with Jacob Burnett, United States Sena-
tor from Ohio, who did so much to
forward educational interests in this
western world. The sorrows and woes
of the liquor habit stirred Mr.. Deming
to the depths of his nature. He could
see the folly of it, the ruin of homes, the
neglect of children, the public burdens
which it caused in the increased ex-
penses in courts, jails, poor houses and
asylums. To many at tnat time absti-
hence seemed an unnecessary and all
burden. | find letter
written to my grandfather Deming
when he was member of the territorial
legislature by one of his Southport
constituents. After giving the local
political news the writer on January
Goth, 1910, proceeds:
+" We have had tremendous excite
ment in town for few days past in
consequence of communication which
recently appeared in the Milwaukee
Sentinel, having allusion to the sewing
society and the Epicopal church in this
place. The Episcopals are in great
uproar about it, but they deserve to be
castigated Mr.. Alanson gave tenn
perance address in which he advocated
the use of wine and the temperate use
of ardent spirits! This church (the
EpiscopaI is working the ruin of the
young men and women of this place.
We have resolved to have a protracted
meeting as soon as the legislature ad-
iourns, then let US try to make an in
road upon the powers of darkness about
us. Nothing but the spirit of the living
God can save Southport from the moral
desolation which now threatens this
community. I hope you will come
home armed with the panoply of the
gospel. We need your aid"
It is needless to say that the gloomy
forebodings as to the effect of the
Episcopal church have not been realized
but on the contrary it has been a bless
ing in the community, and | am sure
that it's rector, Mr.. Thompson, whom |
see here today, can with us join in the
smile at the fears of this earnest writer
in those early days.