The Portland daily press., 1900-09-27

Opening of the Annual Session at
Calais Yesterday.

good attendance, including four general
officers, ten vice-presidents and a good
proportion of superintendent.
The only important business transacted
at the morning session was the annual
recommendation of the state president,
and the appointment OF general commit
tees. The convention Will continue
throughout the week.
The recommendation by Mrs. Il. EN-
N. Stevens, the state president, are as
follows:
L rejoice greatly in the increased and
renewed activity among the Young
Women, the organization of many Us
and the addition OF young women smem-
bers to existing unions. l am pleased
TO know that young men are Joining as
honorary members, and in some In
stances uniting with the local society on
the same basis as the young women so
far as the local work is concerned, the
difference being, all of their membership
Zee is retained for local work, while that
OF the young women Is divided the same
as that OF their older sisters in the w.
q. Il. u, thus emitting them to repre-
sentatlon In County, State, National and
World W. 4. Il. u. conventions. 1t is
desirable that the offices be held by the
young women, and II the young men are
really chivalric they VIII encourage and
make this plan easy 30 carry out.
/ heartily hope ana pray that the Us
may make gain in Maine OF live hundred,
ana so have q part in Benefit Night at
the coming National Convention in
Washington, ID. o., the last of Novem-
Der.
/ cannot say too much in praise of the
remarkably good work done by this
Branch in Maine this year, of Miss Etfie
Llttleheld as organizer and those as
ISOLATED with her. L would say much
more on this point were it not that this
branch OF organization viii be considered
later In the Convention, and besides an
entire evening is to be given to the young
folk to tell their own story in theic own
delightful way.
One department under Preventive is
Non Alcoholic Medication. The National
superintendent, Mrs. Allen, Is capable
and enthusiastic, and has Just brought
out a most valuable book, copies OF which
are for sale at this Convention. / wish
one might go into every home IN the
state.
& presume there is not a person here who
/ does not know of some one who has &C
Quired the appetite for alcoholic drink
| by taking it first as a medicine. 1t is
indeed encouraging to know that some of
the leading physicians do not prescribe
1t and that nearly all others do so less
frequently than formerly, and that when
the family physician is asked for substi
| tutes fOl alcoholics he usually finds
them. L recommend the careful study CT
| this question, let it be the topic in
Mothers Meetings, in the home circle as
we'll as at the regular local union
at our last convention we discussed
fully the position taken by Prof. AtWater
concerning alcohol as a food.
His declarations have not perceptibly
affected the temperance question other
than to lead to invasti cation and study,
which has advanced rather than retarded
the total abstinence theory. Those en-
gayed inthe liquor business OF the coun-
try took advantage OF the wave of public
interest created by Atwater's funny ex-
pertinent and with their accustomed
alertness planned to attack in subtle
ways the scientific temperance instruc-
ton, laws which exist IN every state
and territory, save Georgia and Utah {;
but their weak devices did not carry.
The scientific temperance Instruction
laws still stand and in several states
have been made stronger, and although
the W. Z. Il. Us OF Virginia have worked
and petitiOned for the law several years
it was not given them until last winter,
when it was granted without one dissent
ing vote and promptly signed by the Gov
ernOr. The white rtbbOners OF Georgia
and Utah confidently hope that their
next state legislatures viii give the same
laws to these delinquent States. The
teacher or the superintendent who is a
drinker is not much sought after these
days, and while he may now and then be
/ tolerated for q time It is under a con-
scieDtious protest, and the consoiences
Of the people concerning the right exam
pie Tor their children viii have right OF
way sooner or later. Let as do orr part
that 1t may not be anywhere IN Maine
long delayed. am assured that ninety
per cent. of our educators are with US
hnr sI~F
Maine Is blessed with State Superin-
tendent OF schools who is interested in
the moral welfare of the youth Of the
state, and we are grateful indeed that
he arranged to have Miss Eleanor Barrett
OF Emerson College, Boston, attend the
Maine summer schools as instructor OF
scientific temperance.
The chairman OF the educational COM
nlttee OF the last legislature declared
that great responsibility rested upon
the white ribboners, that they were
largely responsible for the present law,
and that they more than any others
could by expressing their interest, en-
couraging the teachers and educators
help to make IL effective. Let &c not be
said that any of Us failed in this respect
We shall all be Interested and helped by
the report our able superintendent of
this department, Mrs. Anna Sergeant
Hunt, Will bring to us,
The Evangelistic divisions of our work
are many and are as you know those
which more especially or directly apper-
tain to. or are characteristic OF the gospel
Not that any of our departments are
different in this, but such departments
as Sabbath observance, purity. mercy,
work in the prisons and aims houses,
bible readings, etc., come more directly
In this line and with our do Every
thing" policy we need them all, and l
am thankful thai they are carried on in
this state with such consecrated women
at the head Of the several departments.
But after all, in my opinion, there is
nothing more In accord with the gospel
Of Christ than to seek to overcome by
legislation that which is the greatest
hindrance to the building up of Christ's
kingdom upon the earth, hence l rejoice
in ali that has been done along the line
OF legislation and petitions, and l
heartily recommend that we do more and
more of his Kind of NZnrL- LII aIuuars mug