The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-04-22

Committee of the Maine Good Templars
from Hon. E. P. Kicker of Poland
Springs, one of the ablest business men
of the State of Maine. In this letter to
the legislative committee, of which |
was secretary and treasurer, Mr.. Kicker
took a fine stand against resubmission
and claimed that it was only step
towards license, and said that "a gener-
al license law would be one of the great
est curses that could befall our State"
Hon. VIM. T. Cobb was elected COVER
nor and in his message to the legislature
stated in plain terms that the prohibi-
tory law must be enforced, and the Ken
nebec Journal expressed the situation
very forcibly when it said: ''The con-
sentative, law-abiding voters of Maine
will honor Gov. Cobb for standing for
the enforcement of law" During the
legislative session in the winter of 1905
the "Sturgis act" became law No
act touching the enforcement of the
prohibitory law ever created such power
full prejudices as this enforcement COM
mission. The legislature Of 1907 repeal
ed the Sturgis law and Governor Cobb
promptly vetoed the measure and the
present legislature, which but recently
adjourned, refused to repeal it; so it is
still law Of our State. Many of the
leading men Of the State have said that
from moral standpoint nothing could
be said against the Sturgis commission,
but from a political and governmental
standpoint it is not practical measure.
Be that as it may, for one | am unalter-
ably opposed to its repeal until some
thing better can be thought out to take
its place. Enforcement of our prohibi-
tory law is what is necessary; not resub-
mission or the repeal of the Sturgis law.
In our last State election Hon. B. M.
Fernald was elected governor and his
message to our recent legislature was
very able one. His veto of the Hast
ings bill, which made it possible to place
straight Jail sentences back into the
prohibitory law, has been sharply criti-
cised, but it is not my purpose to dis
cuss this matter in these papers and l
will pass on and finish my history Of the
Good Templar order in Maine.
| stated in a previous article that Mr.
H. Newbert of Rockland as Grand Chief
Bro. Rideout was elected to this office at
April, 1904, and l was elected at this
session as Grand Electoral Superintend-
ent. Bro. Rideout made an excellent
Grand Chief Templar. Few, if any,
ever held this office in our grand body
who had stronger hold on the admira-
ton and affection of the members than
he. Bro. Rideout was recent caller at
my home in Waterville and visited our
local lodge of Good Templars. Right
glad l was to see him, and long may
he live and be blessed with health and
prosperity. He was followed as Grand
Chief Templar by Mr.. Edward H. Emery
Of Sanford, who was elected to this
office at the Grand Lodge session at Ban
gor in April, 1908 Bro. Emery is also
connected with the Christian Civic
League of Maine and is very able
temperance worker. | was followed as
Grand Electoral Superintendent by Mr..
O. H. Norton of Portland, the present
Grand Secretary Of Maine Good Tenn
plars, and the present Grand Electoral
Superintendent of the order is Rev. A.
S. Bisbee of Portland. For nearly half
century the Good Templar order has
been established in Maine, and the
question naturally arises: What has it
done for our State? Pages might be
written of the earnest and successful
efforts of this order in saving people
from strong drink, and there are thou
sands Of men and women in Maine today
who bless God for what the Good Tenn
plar order has done for them. Not only
has it been great aid in saving men
from the ravages of strong drink, but it
has also been one of the great forces in
the temperance movement in this State,
and it has probably done as much, if not
more, for the principles of legal prohibi-
ton, under which we are living today,
than any other temperance organization
in the State. God bless Good Templary
and the noble men and women connected
with this order, not only in Maine but
throughout the world. Because of its
ministry in America and in lands beyond
the sea we can proudly boast that,
"a million dim eyes that were weary with sad
ness,
A million dark lashes still wet with their tears,
Are raised to the light with glimmer Of glad
ness,
As joy smiles again through the mists of the
years."