The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-24
independence Lodge, Good Temp
lars, Attest Appreciation of the
Work Done by Mr.. Thomas For
the Temperance Cause
FEATURE OF THE NIGHT
ASPEECH BY w. R. MILL
He Thinks Ministers Are Out of
Place at the Head of the Tenn
perance Federation and Says
the Work Would Be Better
Without Them

A reception was rendered Rev. Leo
Boone Thomas last night by Indepen-
dence Lodge, I. O. G. r., in it's hall,
AIS Main Street. There were about 40
present.
The feature Of the evening was a
speech by w. r. Mill, secretary of the
Temperance Federation, who stated
some facts in regard to the work of
the last campaign. Referring to the
previous year when Mr., Thomas was
president of the federation, he said
that Mr.. Thomas never had much to
say and when there was any fighting
to be done quietly withdrew.
This year. he said, Mr.. Thomas was
very much missed. The whole burden
of the work fell upon TIVE men, Mr..
Mill, and c. e. Slocumb. The president,
Rev. f. w. Beidler, wanted to resign
some time before election. but decided
to stay in and was finally kept out of
the campaign by sickness
This" said Mr. Mill, twas a mis-
fortune for it left two men in charge
of the Federation, one of whom want
ed to do it all, while the other was
willing to do the best he could. 1t
takes two to make a quarrel" said Mr..
Mill, land there wasn't any" Mr.. Mill
said that the Federation did not have
the support of the temperance people
in the city nor the financial backing it
had had the previous year Had we
had Thomas or any other man we
would have made much better show
ing" he continued
Mr.. Mill then touched upon the
question of the clergy in relation to
the Federation. He said, 1--WE don't
want the ministers in the Temperance
Federation They are simply a hind
rance" He said that he spoke to Rev
Daniel f. McGillicuddy on this subject
and Father McGillicuddy had advised
letting the ministers stay out. He said,
4 never knew minister to be prom
inent in the agitation of any question
but what he had to go somewhere
else"
Mr.. Mill then expressed his appreci-
alton of Mr. Thomas services in be-
half of temperance, speaking for In
dependence Lodge. He extended to him
the best wishes any minister can get
from mixed crowd, and presented to
him a silver card dish as a token of
the lodges esteem.
Mr.. Thomas in reply thanked the
lodge for the gift and said it would al
ways occupy a place in his home.
He went on to speak of the great i'm
portance of temperance work and gave
several examples OF the misery Whlcn
intemDerance causes in Worcester He
then referred to his connection with
temperance work here and said that
he should always look back at it with
pleasure. The only trouble he had had
while president of the Federation was
in compelling every cent of the money
collected to be accounted for. This he
said, he insisted upon. He thanked
those who had assisted him in the
work, mentioning by name w. H Rob
inson, Mrs. Emma Hall and Charles E.
Slocomb. The latter. he said, had
worked as no other man for the cause
of temperance.
In closing Mr.. Thomas urged upon
his hearers the Importance of express
ing their appreciation for services
while they are being given and not
waiting until afterward.
Mr.. Mill and Rev. Mr.. Thomas were
the two last speakers. Mr.. Mill was
the chairman of the meeting and the
first speaker was j. H. Bartlett. Rev.
A. c. Thompson followed. He urged
that a business man be elected presi-
dent of the Temperance Federation.
John e. Mayhem spoke in behalf of
the Reform Club.
During the evening there were duets |
by ]. H. Bartlett and Thomas Sewers |
and J. H. Bartlett and Mrs. f. M |
Young, a cornet solo by Mr.. Winsow. |
The committee in charge of the |
meeting was NJ M. Berman, H. A. |
Topper and Thomas Edwards.