The independent-reporter., 1909-09-30
v. c. 7. j. DO|nCS
At BANGOR
The Prohibition Parade
Was Spectacular
\ Successful and lnsplritlng Con.en.
tlon.

! y
perance Union which met at Bangor.
September Is, l6 and II, called to-
gether about two hundred and fifty
white ribbon comrades from all over
the State who gained much strength
and inspiration from thus coming
together. The sessions were all held
In the Columbia Street Baptist
Church which was decorated with the
state and county banners. large
bows of white ribbon and flowers.
The hospitality of the city was warm
ly accorded the delegates and was
voiced by various representatives
during tho first evening of the con-
vention when the program called for
the following numbers: Scripture
reading and prayer, Rev. David N.
Beach, d. D.. President of Bangor
Theological Seminary; addresses of
welcome, Mrs. Addie NJ. Mitchell.
president of the Bangor w C. T. T.:
Rev. Addison B. Lorimer, pastor of
the Second Baptist church; Hon.
John f. Woodman, mayor of Ban
gor; DR.. George Emery Fellows.
president of the University of Maine.
President Fellows facetiously
claimed to be the founder of the w.
Z. L. u, or at least to have held
the candle" during that process, since
as boy in Eyanstine, ILL.,, he was a
frequent and intimate visitor In the
home of Frances Willard. A grace
ful response to these addresses of
welcome was given by Mrs. Gertrude
stevens Leavitt of Portland. The
closing address of the evening was
an able presentation of the subject
OF Prohibition under the title of
Maine Leads; the Nation Is Follow
ing" by Mrs. L. NJ. N. Stevens. ma
tional president of the w. C. T. T.,
in which she declared that "prohibi-
tion at its worst is better than
license at its BEST" and ventured to
predict that in five years there would
De a solid South for prohibition. "
Her remarks were illustrated by a
large map some six feet long show
ing the progress of prohibition which
has made such incredable gains, par
tfcularly in the South, during the last
two years.
The day sessions of the Conven-
tlon were largely devoted to busi-
ness and reports of the more then
thirty departments OF work taken up
by the Maine w. C. T. u. Among
the departments are the following:
temperance Literature, Sunday
School Work, Homes for Homeless
Children, Mercy, Peace, School Saw
ings Banks, Mothers Meetings and
White Ribbon Recruits, Loyal Tenn
perance Legion, Young Women's
Work, Flower Mission, Franchise.
Anti-Narcotics, Medal Contests, Work
Among Light Stations, Work Among
Lumbermen, Work Among Soldiers
and Sailors
The session Friday afternoon was
especially devoted to work among the
young. The opening prayer was Of
Tered by Mrs. G. D B. Pepper, pres
1dent of the Waterville w. C. T. Il.
Addresses were made by Hon. Payson
Smith, State Superintendent of
Schools on THE Moral Education of
Children" and by Mrs. Grace Co
burn Smith on "The Girls and the
Ribbon White" At the close of this
session a childrens' rally meeting was
held, addressed by Miss Anna Cor
dan who has charge of the L. T. l..
work of the National w. C. r. T..
Vice President of the National w. c.
T. U.
The most spectacular feature of
the convention was the prohibition
parade which closed the afternoon.
About one hundred and fifty school
children, nearly two hundred and
fifty white ribbon comrades. with
members of the mems advisory COM
mittee and other friends of temper
ance, led by the Bangor band and a
platoon of policemen, paraded a few
of the principal streets of the city
which were thronged with interested
spectators. This Is the first time
such parade has ever been held in
Maine, but this has often been sue
cessfully done in other states during
prohibition campaigns. Many ban
ners were carried in the parade with
such stirring sentiments as the fol-
lowing: For God and Home and
Native Land" The Only Good Saloon
Is no Saloon;" Prohibition is Our
Watchword;" NO Resubmission for
Maine" Beer or Boys-Which
Maine says Boys"
The. Thursday evening session, like
the other evening sessions, was
crowded. The address was given by
one of the best speakers on the w. C.
T. U. platform. Mrs. Margaret Dye
Ellis, national superintendent of the
Legislative department, who resides
in Washington while Congress is in