Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-01-22
Mrs. Stevens on prohibition"

The Methodist church was filled Thurs
day evening to hear the address Of Mrs. l..
NJ. n. Stevens, president OF the national
w. c. T. T., ON the question OF "Prohibi-
tion or License ?" The preliminary SER
vices included scripture reading and
PRAYER by Rev. f. g. Rainey; solo, 'sThrow
Out the Life-l ine,n Rev. Brown Il. Smith,
and chorus; introduction OF the speaker
by Mrs. 5. S. Clark, president OF the local
W. c. T. u.
s'Not BY might. nor by power, but by
my spirit. saith the Lord" Mrs. Stevens
took as her text. 1t was the spirit OF God,
she said, that led the women OF TINS
country, nearly three decades ago, to start
the great reform for the aid of the home.
The w. c. T. u. is today organized not
only IN every state and territory, but in 5o
different countries. A feeling allusion to
the late head Of the order, Miss Willard,
was here made.
The speaker quoted Gladstone, Morrill,
and Carroll ID. Wright TO show the deep
shame and injury OF the liquor traffic from
different points of view. In one way, the
financial question is the least consldera-
ton. but il deserves attention. BY means
OF differently colored ribbons on wand,
Mrs. Stevens demonstrated that vastly
more money is expended in the United
States for liquor than for churches, mis-
sions and education combined.
The two basic principles OF our reform
are total abstinence and prohibitions one
leading to the other. There is more total
abstinence now than ever before. The
temperance sentiment is growing, as older
people can testify. Many railroad COM
panies now require total abstinence OF
their employees.
Turning to prohibition, Mrs. Stevens be-
lieved that the ''thou shalt mott OF the
prohibitory law is as God-inspired and
holy as the "thou shalt not" of the ten
commandments. Prohibition at its worst
is better, in practical operation, than Ii
cense at its best. For 30 years the speaker
said she had studied all kinds of liquor
laws in various states. Names statesmen
and Congressman invariably defend pro-
hibition. and well they may. IL has made
Maine one of the richest, most prosperous
and most respected of states. In Maine,
prohibition is constitutional; in Vermont
It is statutory. Would that before the
enemy had come i'm and throttled II, yours,
too. had been made constitutional. In
stead of being subjected TO sneers and
abuse. prohibition deserves your praise
and homage for what II has done Tor you.
Mrs. Stevens said that a year ago the
National Liquor Dealers ASSOCIATION had
raised an immense fund to overturn pro-
hibition in those states where II now op-
tains, and intimated that some OF TINS
money had been or would De USED IN YER
mont.
Ii Is queer logic which says that prohi-
bition should be repealed because It is not
enforced. We do not talk about other
criminal laws that way.
The restrictive features OF license are al
WAYS harder to enforce than prohibition.
She had read the proposed law, and didn't
wonder that it took the judges so long 70
interpret il, for it was the most idiotlc oil
All laws she had ever seen.
II il were not for the plaustbly worded
clauses restricting sales, nobody would
consider license, and these, in practice,
amount to next to nothing. She described
the efforts she had seen made in various
states to prevent Sunday selling, selling 10
minors and to dtunkards.
III prohibition were strictly enforced
there would be no selling for beverage; II
license were strictly enforced, there would
be open saloons and free selling. The IL
censed sellers do not seek to prevent the
dive traffic, for they are implicated IN II
themselves, furnishing the liquor and re-
ceiving a share of the profits.
The speaker urged "No' vote IN YER
mont, the home of the parents OF Frances
Willard, to whose grave in Rose Hill Gem
etery goes each year from this state a
wreath OF green
Mrs. 81. ems is an earnest, but not an
especially pleasing speaker. Her voice is
mournful. and lacks life. Her address
was short, but contained many points
bearing on the subject in hand.
An offering was taken, and ;he evange-
list. Mr.. Dockrell, closed the meeting with
brief remarks.