St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-04-26
TEMPERANCE REFORM.
Mass Meeting i'm Music Hall Sunday
Night-The Anti-saloon League-Ad-
dress by Rev. q. w. Morrow.

Mass Meeting i'm Music Hall Sunday
Night-The Anti-saloOn League-Ad-
dress by Rev. q. w. Morrow.
In response to a call from the pastors
of the various churches OF the village,
mass meeting was held in Music Hall,
Sunday evening, in behalf of temperance
reform in St. Johnsbury.
For many months, intemperance and
it's concomitant evils have been preva-
lent to an increasing and demoralizing
extent. The absence of clearly defined
and positively expressed public senti-
ment has been great drawback
in the work of the prosecuting Off
GERS. Feeling the need of an awaken
ing in behalf of morality and good citi-
zenship, Rev. Dr. Edward T. Fairbanks
started movement in February among
the clergy which resulted in the call refer
red to above, signed by every church
pastor in the village. 1t is an interest
ing fact that this is the first instance in
which all the churches, Roman Catholic
and Protestant, have joined in move.
ment of this kind in st. Johnsbury.
The meeting opened with selections by
the united choirs of the North and South
churches, scripture reading by Rev. G. c.
Waterman and prayer by Rev. A. C..
Hussey.
In his Introductory remarks Rev. Dr.
Fairbanks referred to the past good
reputation Of st. Johnsbury in regard to
temperance and to the condition OF
things which render immediate action
necessary if that reputation is to be re-
gained and preserved. A year ago there
were 13 government licenses held in the
village. There are now &c, costing their
holders in the aggregate of $500. The
speaker of the evening was Rev. G. w.
Morrow of Burlington, superintendent
OF the Vermont state Anti-Saloon
League. Mr.. Morrow was formerly
pastor of the Christian church at Ram
dolph, but resigned his pastorate to give
his entire time to the work of temper.
ance reform in Vermont. The address
abounded in incidents. humorous and
pathetic, and was a strong and vigorous
appeal for temperance, good govern
ment, good citizenship, purity and right
eousness. Sixty members of the last
legislature voted for the high license ant
local option bill, representing over one
third of the population OF the state. II
is high time, he said, that something be
done to quicken the public conscience to
save Vermont from the effects of the
liquor traffic. We have got the best law
on this subject of any state in the Union
The reason the law is in disrepute is be-
cause it is not sustained, it is not en-
forced.
The corner-stones of intemperance are
ambition, avarice, appetite, apathy
the ambition and avarice of the rum
seller, the APPETITE OF the victim of drink
the apathy of the public.
1t is against these things that the
work of the Anti-Saloon League is di
rected. The League was started in Ohio
in 1898. Its work is largely directed
through the churches and kindred organ
izations; it asserts that the church is
the strongest factor in the fight against
strong drink. The various temperance
societies have done good work in Their
way, but divided attack can never ac
| ,1,. u 1oc,c,ua &c =
defence. The forces OF the rumseller are
all united. The Anti-Saloon League
unites all classes without regard tc
party, sect or creed. 1t is omnipartisan
nterdenomnational, and does not re
quire total abstinence pledge as q
qualification for membership. The three
departments Of it's work are, the agita
tion department, the legislative, and the
enforcement departments. The first
seeks by public meetings, speeches and
!, the distribution of literature to arouse
the people to realization Of the condi
, tions that confront them and stimulate
vigorous concerted action; the second is
practically a good citizenship depart
, ment, and it aims to get men to go to
. the primaries, caucuses and elections, to
nominate and elect good men to public
office and to back up and protect off
: cials in doing their duty; the third de
partment seeks to promote a vigorous
enforcement of law, to work through
the regularly elected officers and cooper
ate with them.
} At the close Of the address generou:
collection was taken for the work of tn,
state league.
A temporary organization was mad,
with Rev. DR.. Edward T. Fairbanks
president, and Prof. A. H. Barbour, sec
retary. An effort will be made at one,
to perfect the organization of st
Johnsbury Anti-Saloon League.