Putnam patriot., 1908-06-12

in behalf of temperance.
 Thompson was not pioneer in this
 movement--that honor belongs to our sister towns of Brooklyn and Canter-
 bury. And Daniel Pratt, of Canterbu- ". gave the first temperance lecture In
 ISIS. His plain, literal setting forth of the evil effects of liquor drinking,
 made deep impression upon his hear CTS. He enlisted the hearts, and the
 consciences of good men and women X temperance society was formed, H.
 quor WAS banished from daily family and social use, it's retail sale in village
 stores abandoned, but no attempt was
 made 10 reform the drunkard.
 Then came that grand, sweeping Washingtonian temperance movement when John Hawkins spoke night af- 1 ter night to crowded audiences in the old meeting house, and drunkards came
 forward to sign the pledge under the
 shadow of the pulpit.
 That movement closed the bar of the
 old Stiles tavern, and awakened wide spread public sentiment. But still the
 battle was not won. There were no,o-
 rious "Line taNerns" on the borders of Massachusetts and Rhode island, ins
 fecting outlying sections of the town.
 and even here, on the hill, were two
 obstinate drinking places-not taen
 dieniaed by the name of saloon. One was Neritaole runl-hole, under
 the store of "Ponag' (name imported
 from Rhode Island, stood on the point
 of the Common. So, when this Town
 House was built, ill isiS. temperance ! campaign was opened, with John B. Cough as leader. IL began on sunday | night, in this audience room--then first opened lo the publie--and was fol- lowed by Il week 's labor, in all parts of the town, with visits to all the school houses-speaking every night in some available center. On Saturday after | noon the children were gathered from all parts of the town, and paraded the | Common with banners, .and singing. and were marshalled in this Town Hoase-where the closing meeting WAS held on sunday evening.
 | That week s solid work Jeff lasting l impression upon the town. And SD,
 when the responsibility of authorizing
 the sale of liquor was ieft b each town
 for decision, our voters were ready with
 an emphatic "No License for fhomp-
 sen-and that attitude has been sleadi. ly maintained.
 Changes have come, local societies haVe come and gone, efforts have been
 made to reopen the question--hat in
 every instance the town has risen To
 the occasion, with q strong vote against 1 it.
 The local patriotism which insists
 that as Thompson never had town
 debt, il shall never have one--is equal ly strenuous in the matter Of license. Two years ago, when thirty eight pe- 1 titioners asked that the sales of liquor l HtlSnl bt ltiiiitttdf Suf otettis VI the l W. C. T. l. came to the rescue. Great 1 interest was aroused-a public meeting was held, and 50 strong was the pres | sure that even one petitioner sueeumb-
 ed, and only g votes were cast for H.
 cense-which We call fine show in a population of five or six thousand. 1 Should not the Temperance Union give three cheers for old Thoinpson?l And 50 we most heartily welcome l the County N. C. r. |. for their aid in the furthefence of the good work. We
 know that ''perpetuaI vigilance Is the
 price Of freedom. We recognize the power of federation and mutual help 1 falness, If our old temperance town
 needed the power of this Order, how l much greater the need in towns less l favored. Me rejoice in our zeal and de
 termination, and all the good you have
 accomplished. Me rejoice in the priv
 ilege of making your acquaintance.
 Personally 1 feel greatly indebted to
 the Temperance Union for bringing me into Knowledge and fellowship with so 1 many good women, whom should not 1 otherwise have known. And l trust l this meeting today will prove lasting l benefit and ins nj afion to all