Evening star., 1903-06-24
TENTH ANNIVERSARY
District Anti-Saloon League
Reviews It's Work.
ANNUAL MEETING HELD
PROGRAM OF EXERCISES AT YVES
LEY M. E. CHURCH.
Welcoming Address by Rev. DR.. W. M.
Ferguson and Response by
President Ewin.

The tenth anniversary of the orgariza-
| ton of the District of Columbia Anti
| Saloon League was celebrated last even
| ing with big mass meeting held In Wes-
| ley M. E. Church The large audience pres
ent was composed Of members of the
league and representatives of affiliated So
cieties, in addition to large number OF
pastors of local churches Of various de-
nominations The representatives Ct the
| various churches and societies who partici-
pated in the program were Rev. DIR. Walter
H Brooks of the Baptist Church, Rev. DR..
J. G. Butler of the Lutheran Church, Rev.
Dr. w. M. Ferguson of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church, Mr.. F. M. Bradley, G. w. p,
Sons of Temperance; Mr.. Jesse G.. Suter,
p G. c., Good Templars; Mr.. Frank T.
Israel, president District Epworth League;
Rev. Charles H. Butler, president Lutheran
Young Peoples Union, and Rev. George r.
Wilson of the Presbyterian Church. Mr..
James L. Ewin president of the A. s. L: OF
the District, presided over the exercises
and made short address, and Mr.. A. T..
Shoemaker, attorney of the league, and
Mr.. Hermon C. Metcalf, member of the
executive committee, also made snort ao-
dresses.
The platform was handsomely decorated
with palms, plants and flowers and on the
wall in the rear of the pulpit was banner
evergreen while the leagues war-cry. The
Saloon Must Co. was conspicuously dis
played in the Church.
Welcoming Address and Response.
Following an organ prelude, by Profess
sor Theo. 1. King, the audience sang On
ward Christian Soldiers after which Rev.
DR.. Brooks, the chaplain, offered the In
vocation, and DR.. Butler read the Scriptural
lesson. pleasing solo by Miss Elizabeth
Wahly was followed by the address Of
welcome delivered by DR.. Ferguson, pastor
of Wesley Church.
The response to the address Of welcome
was made by President Ewin In which he
spoke briefly of the appropriateness of
holding the celebration in a Methodist
church during the Wesley year. He told OF
the work of the league and of its hopes
for the future.
A bass solo The Recessional," sung eff
fectively by Mr.. ]. Walter Humphrey. was
followed by an address by Mr.. F. M.
Bradley, whose subject was Before the
Beginning" The speaker told of the tenn
perance work in the District previous to
the organization of the Anti-Saloon League.
He mentioned the fact that the Sons of
Temperance were organized in 1S43, and
in 1852 the Good Templars' organization
was formed followed in 1873 by the w. c.
T. u. These societies, he said, paved the
way for the organization of the Antt-Saloon
League in 1893.
Mr. ]. c. Suter spoke on the subject
early Years, IN WHICH lie lOlu VI tliO
work Of the temperance advocates before
the forma alton of the league, and mention
ed some of the incidents in crusades against
national legislators who opposed the move
mentS of the temperance people In the DIS
trict. One incident in particular spoken of
by Mr.. Suter was the fight made against
Jerry Simpson of Kansas.
Before Excise Board.
At the conclusion Of baritone solo by
Mr. r. T. Shelse, Attorney Shoemaker
spoke of the work of the league before the
excise board. The board, he said, some
times granted the requests Of the league
and at other times opposed them, but prog
ress had been made The speaker declared
that in some cases of alleged violation OF
the liquor laws the authorities of the Dis
trict do not properly cooperate with the
league. He criticised particular decisions
in the Police Court and said: THE Police
Court does not, in all cases, deal out JUS
tice to the licensed lawbreakers as the
Anti-Saloon League wants 1t to do
Mr. Metcalf then presented the interests
of the official publication of the District
league, after which Mr.. F. T. Israel spoke
briefly of the sympathy and cooperation
between the Epworth League and the anti
saloon movement. In referring to the
motto of the league, ''The Saloon Must
Co." the speaker recommended that the
war cry should read, THE Saloon Must and
Will Co." Rev. C. H. Butler extended con-
gratulations to the league on behalf of the
Lutheran young people of the District and
declared that the temperance cause was
closely identified with the interests of the
young people in that denomination.
The Battle Hymn of the Republic was
then sung by the audience, Mr. Shelse
singing the solo, and the benedicton was
pronounced by Rev. DR.. Wilson.
Refreshments Served.
At the close of the program the audience
was invited to adjourn to the lecture ROOM
where refreshments were served and a So
cial hour was spent.
The general committee in charge of the
anniversary consisted of A. N. Canfield,
chairman; Owen P. Kellar, Mrs. Isabel
Helmick, Mrs. Mary w. Noerr and Charles
S. Smith.
The Anti-Saloon League of the District
was organized in Fletcher NJ E. Church,
June %. 1893. The bodies now affiliated
with the temperance work of the District
organization include nearly all the church,
es and young peoples societies of nine de-
nominations, besides many other organiza-
tionS.