Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-09-19
Opens Its 33d Annual
Convention at Lewiston.
Pointed Talk by the President,
Mrs. |. N. n. Stevens.
Work for the Cause Of Temperance
Must Be Sustained.

Lewiston, Ne, sept. Inc "ou
annual convention Of the Maine
Womens Christian Temperance In
ion was called to order today by the
president, Mrs. Lillian NJ. y. Stevens
Of Portland, who also Is president OF
the national body and vice president
at-large Of the Worlds w. c. T. U.
The convention. which will continue
through tomorrow and Friday, is ia
vored by the presence OF Miss Harriet
NJ. Johnson of Liverpool, Eng, one
OF the Worlds w. c. T. L. superin-
tendents whose special work in Great
Britain IS for the prevention of the
sale Of intoxicants to children.
The convention was preceded by d
devotional service, led by Mrs Lucy a.
Snow OF Massachusetts. formerly Il
Quaker preacher.
The executive committees report
was not ready, the committee an
nounclng that it would be made later.
State Treasurer Mrs. Adelaide S.
Johnston reported balance Of $500 In
the treasury. Reports Of superinten-
dents on mercy, school savings banks,
anti-narcoticS, hygienic reform and
physival culture. and medical temper
ance were made.
Mrs, Stevens in her recommended
tons as State president touched upon
number Of topics of especial inter-
est She said In part:
No doubt efforts will be made next
winter for the repeal Of the national
law which prohibits the sale of beer or
IN,
exchange or canteen or any transport
or upon any premises used for military
purposes by the United States. / DO
not believe Congress will be Influenced
by the liquor element to repeal the
so-called anti-canteen bill.
Next winter we must do our utmost
to secure the passage of the Littlefield
bill All right minded people recOg
niZe the injustice of permitting intoXi-
eating drinks to be brought into pro-
hibtion territory and then to prevent
It's seizure until it is in the possession
of the consignees. The bogus express
companies and many of the other
crooked ways employed to evade the
law would be banished or largely
overcome IL this bill passes as we be-
lieve it will. The Maine w. c. T. L.
must do its part to bring it about
LAS you well know the Maine law
prohibits advertising liquor in the
State and there Is very little violation
Of this law by Maine people, but we
suffer much from outside liquor sell
ers sending their advertisements
through the mail. There Is a national
law which prohibits sending obscene
literature or gambling advertisements
through the United States mail. BY
the same token there should be a law
prohibiting the sending OF liquor adj
vertisements, especially into prohibit
ton states
1T can be said to the honor of the
Maine newspapers that there is only
one paper which chooses to defy the
lw and advertise the sale of liquor, and
that transgressor Is sometimes troub-
led and he ought to be troubled enough
to force him to quit such illegal bust
ness. We are grateful to the railroad
companies that they do not permit IL
legal advertising In connection with
their business"
The session this evening was we'll
attended. Mrs. Stevens presided and
prayer was offered by Mrs. Hannah
]. Bailey Of Winthrop Center. Mrs.
Sarah Hall Herrick of Boston sang
several solos, Miss Florence A. WenI,
pianist and Frank Holding, violinist,
accompanying her. Addresses Of well
come were given by Mayor +. A. Nor
ey on behalf Of the city: by Prof a.
w. Anthony on behalf Of the churches.
and by Mrs. c. Y. Newman on behalf
of the local w. c. T. U. To all of
these. Mrs Gertrude Stevens Leavitt
OF Portland, responded.
The chief address was delivered by
the president. Mrs. Stevens, who open
ed by briefly defining the work and
purpose of the w. c. T. u. She noted
prohibition Names pleasure in being
able to send a telegram of greeting
and rejoicing to prohibition Georgia,
ana to Oklahoma. She compared the
drink evil to slavery, saying that this
drink curse Is more destructive to life
and happiness than was African slav-
cry.
Mrs. Stevens called attention to the
fact that the w. G. T. U. is opposed
to reSubmisSion
In closing she said that the w. c.
I. U. and other temperance organi-
cations will continue to do all in their
power to maintain the prohibitory law
and its enforcement