Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-22
ANTI.SALOON LEAGUE.
Comments on the National Convention
by Maine Member.

Once in two years the Anti-SalOOn
League workers of the nation get to-
gether at some convenient point for
protracted conference and Conven-
ton.
This year Chicago was the meeting
place. Every state and territory eX-
cept Alaska was represented. Regu-
lar workers We're there in force but
friends and supporters of the move
ment-ministers and laymen--were
there in even greater numbers The
writer had the honor to represent the
Maine Baptist Missionary Convention
and the Maine Anti-Saloon League.
The length of the Convention is an
asset. The ten days during which
workers from widely separated sec
tons of the country We're together
not only in the stated sessions but at
the hotels, in the restaurants and on
the streets-afforded opportunity for
wide acquaintance and for gathering
information and comparison of condi-
tons, problems and methods.
Amid all the diversity of conditions
and variety of problems represented it
was perfectly plain that single pur-
pose animated all and single object
was the goal toward which all We're
pressing.
The bond of League union is the fact
that in this great fight against the sa-
loon as an institution there is no pos
sbility of success for any community
or state by itself. The success of
each is bound up in the success of all.
The apostles words apply to us as
sovereign states, whether one mem
Der suffer all the members suffer with
it. or one member be honcred all the
members rejoice with it,
The news from Alabama coming at
the opening of the conference empha-
sized this point. In this fight we are
a United States. Each state must bear
it's own burden but the only way a
state can successfully bear its own
burden is by kindly considering the
burdens of sister states and helping to
bear them. During the Convention,
which was thoroughly imbued with this
principle of burden sharing the
thought cryStaliZed into bylaw.
This bylaw the exact language of
which we do not here undertake to
give will appear in the minutes of the
Convention. The important principle
is accurately stated as follows: BE
fore state league enters upon any
new statewide policy the result of
which may affect the work in other
states such state league shall confer
with the officials of the national league.
If there is difference of opinion upon
the policy to be pursued the officers of
the state league and representatives
of the national league shall meet in
advisory council in which the national
league shall have no vote. In case of
a failure to reach an agreement in
council the national officers may if il
seems to them advisable publish a
statement of their views" Important
phazes of league work were taken up
and discussed by experienced leaders
during the conference. 1t was a school
of methods of great practical value to
men who are devoting their lives to
this form of patriotic Christian SER
vice.
The Convention was eminently re-
ligious and spiritual. 1t could scarce
" he otherwise with such personnel.
1t is a fundamental requirement of
the league workman that he shall have
the Christian principle within him.
very large majority ofthe superinten-
ents and field workers are ministers
though laymen are becoming more nu-
merous in the ranks as the work pro-
crosses. Among the leading clergymen.
upon the program We're Bishops Will
son and Mcdowell of the Methodist
church, Bishop Mathews of the United