The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-08-07
TEMPERANCE RALLY.
Addresses by Mrs. L. N. n. stevens.
National President w. c. r. u, and
Anna Gordon.

| A union temperance meeting OF the
Westhfook churches was held Sundsy
evening at the Methodist church. The
meeting was well attended the church
being 1lisd to It's utmost capacity. The
ssrsiors opened with congregational slug
Ing. after which fervsnt prayer Ia the
interest Of the cause Of Temperance was
offered by Rev. W. b. whitney. the tenn
porary pastor OF the Baptist church. The
prayer was followed BY seleotion By she
choir after which the scriptures were read
by Rev. Mr. Whitney
After the singing Of anotner congrega-
tional hymn the pastor Of tho chursh,
Rsv. q. q. Pheian, introduced Mrs. l.
nj. N. Stevens OF stroud water, president
CT the National W. @. I. u. who said:
Tbs basic principles Of tao W. Q. 7. U.
are three In number, Purity, Loyalty and
Prohibition.
Mrs. st,vens announced that she should
speak on the subject of prohibition.
1t j. we'll known that pr Tor to 1851 be-
foro the enactnsnt oftse prohibit3ry law,
Maine was one OF the pooro1t ststss. Our
Overlooking. Breweries and distilieries
were closed In the stats after the enact
msnt Of tae law. aud at once tie condi-
tons OF business began t, improve. In
1856 the law was repeated but the people
soon saw what 1t mea-t t1 reinstit3 tao
trewer.es and so IN ls5S the law was
put back On the lt,t-ts books. In 1854 by
| - ~ :. - eto
that the prohibitory law should stand.
Ths irtaliigent. thoughtful peopls Of
Maine know that prohibition is right
an appreciat It's benoEtl.
Our people have more money in the
savings banks than the people Of the
brewing tt.tss. according to our size.
The people In Maine are saving about
g, 000, 000 year. High license has always
proven n failure. The restrictive features
of the high license ore as hard IL not
harder to enforce than ara the prohibit,ry
laws. The restrictive measure of depriving
the saloon keepsr from selling TO minors
and to men known to be drunkards are
not observed as they should be.
The dispensary system of South Caro-
liza and other strongly advocated systems
have been tried but they all havo their
weak points. 1t has been said in a recent
publication that there was more crime
In Maine than In any of the license states.
Figures however show this to be untrue.
November s0t 1spS, there were behind the
bars in Massachusetts, I. 45l prisoners, or
u ratio of 80 to every 10000 Inhabitants
The same date in Maine there were S41
prisoners, or ratio of Is to every 10. 90
inhabitants. am told that here in West
brook the prchibitory law is not enforced
as 1t should be. l am toll that the prohi
bition sentiment in Wsstbrook and Port
land In weak. believe howsver IL vote
was taken that the vote would be strong
in favor OF prohibition and its enforce
ment. / ask that each of you do your
duty in the way of urging the suppress
sion Of tie liquor traffic ana the saving
Of so uls from ruin.
Rev. MIR. Phelan then introduced Miss
Anna Gordon of Boston, for long time
secretary TO Miss Willard, as the oonclud-
Ing speaker.
Miss Gordon said there are two ways OF
looking at every question. We can look
on ths bright or the dark side. There are
those who say that there are lions In the
way and the law cannot be enforced.
On the other sids thers are thoss who be-
lisve the lions can he removed from the
path and the law strictly enforced What
We want Is an enfoIoere1t OF tie Law
with the regularity OF tides, and not
spasmodicaily. II this were done the rum
sesrs would take up their tents and fly
away. Chicago has 6. eco sslcons. To come
to the State of Maine and see the Inv
70 well enforced Is blessed sight. In
Maine rum seller is criminal.
Miss Gordon thel went on to maks an
eloquent appeal for purity and temper
ance Instruction and protection for the
children aud youth of the land from c7ii.
Miss Gordon In conclusion said that she
was pleased to know that there was a
very much different manner Of disposing
OF large amou mt of liquors, and that is
by the liquor deputies who have 'sspilline
days" and dump largo quantities. of the
| Illicit stuff into the sewer.
The meeti ne concluded Iy the singing
of congregational hymn and the bene-
diction.