Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-12

that this accusation would apply with
equal logic to all laws enacted TO prevent
crime One of the latest charges against
prohibition is that it is drawback to
education and religion. This is IN strong
contrast to the fact that Maine mas
more teachers in proportion TO tne
population than the dear-iicense state
of Massachusetts, and at the meeting or
the American Association for the Ad-
vancement of Sci nee, held few months
ago, it was reported in the section OF
education that a larg5 r number OF puplis
are graduated from the elementary
New England state: and certainly I IS
a mark of religious observance that
Maine leads all the other states in the use
of the Bib-e in the public schools.
Prohibition Not Issue.
THE issue in the late gubernatorial
campaign in Maine was not prohibition.
The high cost of living, combined with
insurgent and tariff ideas such as are
prevailing in many other states, resulted
in a change of officials which will make
it harder than ever for the temperance
people in Maine to withstand the attacks
of the enemies of prohibition within and
especially from without the state. We
have reason to believe that the Maine
voters. should resubmission be thrust
uopn them, would do as they did in 1884.
when they voted upon the question-sus-
tain with a large majority the law which
has brought untold benefits and blessings
to the homes of Maine"
Mrs. Stevens repeated the charge OF
last year that drink not only induces pow
erty. but poverty induces drink.
Much criticism has been expended on
me for declaring in my third biennial adj
dress before the Worlds w. c. T. L.
in June last" she said. that intemper-
ance caused poverty. I am now ready
not only to reiterate that cardinal doc
trine, but to add that poverty causes in
temperance. By that declaration l am
ready to stand or fall. I did not say that
poverty causes intemperance in the same
degree that intemperance causes poverty.
nor do think 1t does, but as we have
not been wont to recognize poverty at
all among the procuring causes of In
temperance it seems to me high time
that we did SO.
Poor Are Tempted.
"One reason why poverty may cause
intemperance is that the saloon, the blind
tiger or other liquor selling places are
not usually located in the districts where
the rich or well-to-do live, but they are
often nearby or in the midst Of abodes Of
the poverty class, and the poor as we'll as
the rich often yield to the temptation Of
the saloon.
The American people should frown on
the proposal of drinking the President
health in an alcoholic beverage, in the
w. c. T. L. presidents opinion. She said:
quite recently our daily papers nave
had something to say relative to the
reported statement of Mr. Whiteiaw
Reid. ambassaio dor to Great Britain. In
which he advocates the adoption in this
country of the custom Of drinking toast
N President in n G ynn
G. eat Br tain's people drink to the heal II
of their king. The President OF the
United States is entitled to as much
good cheer and good health as the king
or queen of any county, but We should
condemn any custom which called for the
use of wine or other alcoholic liquor, and
it surely would be out of place to drink
to the health of President Taft in alco-
holic liquor, since ON public occasions he
has himself SO splendidly set to the young
men of this nation the example Of to,al
abstinence. Ambassador Reid did not
suggest the kind of drink to be used"
Outlook for Temperance.
OF the outlook, the speaker said: I'VE
need not be at all discouraged by the
report that the falling off in the con-
sumption of liquor in 1908 and 1909 will
be nearly wiped out by the gains In the
consumption during the year 1910. In
stead of losing courage we should be all
the more deeply imp. essed with the fact
that never in the history of the temper
ance reform as during the last months
have the liquor fraternity been SO des-
peratey alert. We should remember that
comparatively few Of the million immi-
grants who have come to our shores dur
ing the year bring with them temperance
ideas and total abstinence habits. The
temperance reform has great obstacles to
overcome, but we Of the w. G. 7. U. are
sure of ultimate victory.