Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1908-03-18
FIRST DAYS SESSION
OF THE LEAGUERS
Many Delegates From Every Sec
ton Of Florida Were There.
MEETING. A GRAND SUCCESS

Who Participated, AZ They Felt They
Were Here In the Cause Of God and
communIty--Todsy's Program.
With q large number OF delegates,
gentlemen and ladies', preachers and
laymen, In attendance, the first annual
session Of the Florida Anti-SalOon
League, OF which Rev. We r.! Lambert
Of this city IS president, was called
70 order at the Tabernacle Tuesday
evening at 1880 o'clock-and II was
ono of the happiest moments in the
lives Of many people. The big Taber-
Racls. even seemed TO CULVER with de-
light and satisfaction, as the sweet
songs and eloquent pleas In behalf Of
temperance and the abolition Of the
saloon from the land were raised to
the large audience present. There
were delegates present from the
most important 10 the most remote
sections Of the State, and the first
meeting OF the frst session was
grand union and love-ieaa among
them, many Of whom had been formerly
acquainted. and many whom many had
never seen before; but there were no
formalitIes, and It did not require
long for everyone to feel perfectly at
home, after the meeting had been we'll
oiled with the spirit OF enthusiasm.
The convention was opened with de.
votionai exercises, conducted by Rev.
Thos.' p. Hay. OF the First Presbyte.
rlan church, This was followed by an
address Of welcome by Hon. Christie.
pheF Matheson, representing May.
or w. r. Thomas, who is suffering
from throat trouble. Mr.. Matheson
stated that he believed that this meet.
ing was one OF the Godsends which
had fallen to Gainesville, which he
deemed not only the best interior city
Of the State, but the very best, moral.
ly and otherwise. lie told OF tho great
blessing and benefit TO the city aud
It's people the driving out OF the aa'
looms had worked for Gainesville,
and thanked God for the change. He
felt suro that never again would the
people Of Gainesville and this commun'
ity be cursed with the presence OF 50.
looms. the sin and obsoenity Of which
could not be- fully realized until after
they had gone, We are living In
clean, moral, Christian. God.iearing
town now, which was blessing 10
every man. woman and child In Il,
whether they realize II or not,
AZ the most impressive evidence
of the beneft derived form prohibl'
ton. II Ia citod that the records OF the
city tax assessor show an increase IN
valuation four years prior to the time
saloons were abolished to be S3O,0 900.
while the increase in valuation for
the four years succeeding was $780,
900. From this increase one may
Judge whether the saloon 10 q beneft
ar a detttment TO community,
Rev. W. A. HObson. d, D., Of Jack
sonville. responded TO Mr. Mathcsons
address IN = clever. entertaining and
impressive manner
After greetings from church and
temperance organizations, the con-
Vontiun adjourned until "Wednesday
morning al 10 o'clock.
TOday'a Program
The following interesting program
viii be carried out today;
Morning.
1000. Devotional KxerCises-Rev,
2. J Nixon,
lO;lS, Appointment OF Committees.
1880, Discussion. why We Need
Ohe AntiSAloon League in Florida.
Led BY kev O. H. Ferran and J. II.
RichArdson,
ii:Jm, The corrupIlng influence az
the saloon on Our civic Lifo'--pr, G,
\ Nunnally,
l9;o0, RrceAs.
AtsFnOeN.
$500, Devotional EXeTcises-Rev.
Jas Les.
s:iG Tho RlSht OF Christian and
Moral Fuross 90 UHite la an ouuh
Partisan Movement Tor AdVancing
Moral Reform" Led BY Rev J. W,
bingham.
2 40 sThA Relation % the ". 4 T..