The Republican journal., 1909-03-11
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Health

was an insurance commissioner in 1873,
a member of the legislature and gen.
tleman of commanding presence. He
died in Boston at the advanced age of IS.
Then we find Major H. A. Shorey of
Bridgton, distinguished as an officer in
the Civil War and in temperance work.
He has held the office of Grand Chief
Templar and Grand Secretary of the
order, and is still living and as ready as
ever to give battle against the liquor
traffic, the greatest foe known to man.
Here was also the late Hon. T. R. Sim
onton of Camden, who has filled the Office
OF Grand Chief Templar of the State and
was an able speaker; Hon. J. D. Lamson
of Freedom, Ex-Judge of Probate of
Waldo county, member of the Maine
| Legislature and acting governor of
Maine during the famous count-out days
in our State. He is still living in old age
in Freedom There was Hon. George M
/ Twitchell. then of Fairfield and at that
time Grand Treasurer of the order, who
! is still living and is distinguished in the
Grange movement in Maine and known
as an able writer and speaker But the
most famous man who attended that
Grand Lodge session was the Hon.
/ Charles E. Littlefield, one of the ablest
and most eloquent men the State of
Maine ever sent to Congress. This re-
markable man, Of matchless eoquence
and goodness of heart, has always stood
/ firmly for the great principles of the
Good Templar order and prohibition, and
no citizen Of Maine has exerted wider
influence for good and won a greater
name than the Hon. Charles E. Little
field.
These are some of the many grand men
Of Maine who have been identified with
the Good Templar order, and no citizen
of our State in looking back over half
century can note any event fraught with
greater blessings to mankind than the
giving to the State in 1860 of the indie
pendent Order of Good Templars, and
this is written with all due respect to
other temperance organizations. Yet |
feel free to say that of all the forces
that have appeared during fifty years on
the field Of the temperance reform in
Maine, none has made a better record,
has wrought more for the principles of
prohibition under which we are living to-
day, than the Good Templar order. The
Good Templar order in Maine has also
counted among its members one of the
most eminent temperance leaders in the
world-General Neal Dow of illustrious
memory, who was at one time during his
long life an active member of Mystic
Lodge in Portland, and whose picture
still graces the walls of the hall in which
this lodge holds its meetings. AS he was
one of the greatest temperance leaders
in the world will give here brief his
tory of his life:
General Neal Dow was born in Port
land, Maine on the goth of March, 1904,
and had reached the advanced age of 90
years when he passed away in 1897. His
father was farmer and tanner and, we
also learn, thrifty and patriotic. He was
educated in the Portland Academy and in
the Friends New Bedford Institute and
sprang from good old Quaker stock. In
his younger days he followed the business
of tanning very successfully. He was
known in business circles as eminently
successful and always upright and hon
orable in all his dealings. He was for
many years one of the directors of the
Maine Central railroad and also largely
interested in banking In figure he was
rather short and stout, having a large
head, while his eyes We're dark piercing
blue. Excellent health had made his
complexion clear and beautiful and up to
a few years before his death he had not
decayed tooth in his head. l remember
that he was always neatly dressed, wear
ing soft, dark hat, and for years he
made it practice, especially when stop
ping at a hotel, of calling for bowl of
milk and crackers and eating of the same
while chatting pleasantly with friends.
'1n the old rum days in Maine his tire
less efforts to overthrow the grog shops
brought down upon him severe and un-
just criticisms by the liquor element, and
many time his life was in danger; but
Inc coilll IulIlCy Audiilo, VIII oCOOu d.
most alone in Congress- and fought for
freedom of speech, he did not finch, but
like the hero that he was he struck at
their wicked business with mighty blows.
Undaunted by threats and assaults by
the rum crowds, unwearied by old age,
he fell out of the midst of the mighty
conflict for the home only when the great
heart ceased beating and his spirit took
its flight to that far off country of sun
shine, of happiness and of peace.
"Noble son Of Maine, stern defender
of the Union during the dark days of
civil strife, greatest leader of the tenn
perance reform, the words which he ut
tered against the awful drink curse will
live forever in the hearts and minds of
men. His life was an inspiration, but
he passed on to his heavenly home.
SOFTLY his breath went a sigh,
Of south winds from some isle of rest;
Calmly he died, as stars that die
Behind the gray hills of the west
Like some great ship through life he bore,
Conveying love and human veal,
While every bark along our shore
Felt the wide impulse of his keel
Brave heart, high mind, and noble soul,
Farewell to thee"
How can any person risk taking some ur-
known cough remedy when Foleys Honey and