Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-06-03
ENEMY IN THEf
Slavery Was No More Ubiquitous
Than Is the Liquor Traffic

Memorial Day Observance in 6rattIe-
Boro Monday-Address on Lincoln, the
Apostle Of Brotherhood.
The Memorial day observance Monday
was one Of unusual earnestness and
| strength. with the pains and sorrows Of
the old days overshadowed strongly by
bright and sturdy outlook into the future.
Rev Roy NJ. Houghton, pastor of the
Centre Congregational church, gave the
people much to think about in his address
at the exercises in the Auditorium in the
afternoon, and he pointed out the way
in which the present generation could do
as great a service for their country as
the men who fought and died for the ma
ton in the great Civil war The suppress
sion of the liquor traffic, he said, was of
as vital Importance as the liberation Of
the slaves. Freedom for the negro was
the dominant need of that decade; a no
less determined fight against the liquor
trade Is the paramount issue in the
country today The earnestness with
which Mr. Houghton brought home his
message made even the veterans march
| out with a brlsker step and determine
tion to assist in fighting the battles of the
present generation with the same
strength and singeness Of purpose as
they fought nearly so years ago.
The veterans assembled in Grand Army
hall at 1 o'clock and were escorted to
the town hall by Company l. V. y. G.. in
command of Captain W. o. Cooley. The
exercises in the Auditorium began at
O'Clock and the audience was the largest
in years. The committee who arranged
| the flowers produced an unusually eff
fective blending of colors in the bank of
blossoms at the front Of the stage, and
the flowers and the flags at each end
made an attractive setting for the exer-
| cises Commander NJ. L. Bruce presided
and after selection by the First Regi-
ment band and a song by f. H. Miller,
Rev. +. Q. S. Osgood, pastor of the Uni
tartan church, offered prayer. Mr. Houg-
tons subject was Abraham Lincoln, the
apostle of brotherhood" He said that
in every decade there was a dominant
idea which found expression through
some man or woman until il became in
carnate in the thoughts and deeds OF all
The recognition of mans brothery ties
to his fellow men found expression
through Lincoln. 1t was not only free
ing the slaves, but a recognition OF the
rights OF humanity. There are still
mighty problems to be solved before
| brotherhood becomes n fact There is
an enemy I'm the land today" said Mr..
| Houghton, (which Is as bad as slavery
l mean the legalized liquor traffic. The
same arguments which are used, today
TO keep the inlquitous traffic from being
/ done away with were used to prolong the
| life Of slavery as an institution. We cam
not see how the people OF the United
states allowed slavery to exist so long
The people OF a few generations hence
Will look back with an equal wonder that
We allowed the monstrous evil of the
liquor traffic 10 flourish unchecked They
Will not be able 10 see why we have been
so blind and ignorant. Right here at
home we have a lesson to learn Some
of us have been saying that on account OF
a certain Circumstance we will have IL
cense and open saloons in this beautiful
town next year. Let us stop such talk
and throw ourselves heart and soul into
fight TO keep such n monstrous calam-
lily from descending upon us. This is a
problem fit for you young people. TO Crap
pie with Mr.. Houghton closed with a
few earnest words addressed especially
to the veterans and the members Of the
Woman's Relief corps
After another selection by Mr. Miller
the band played America and the audi
ence sang with a will. The veterans
formed In line in front OF the town hall
and with the band and Company | as es-
corts and followed by D. F. Curtin camp.
Spanish war veterans. they marched to
the soldiers monument on the common,
where prayer was offered by Rev. F. A.
'N'''' AltcI tHS tNeIclSes on the COM
mon the line reformed and marched to
the town hah, where a group Of school
girls gave each veteran a laurel wreath.
They marched to Prospect Hin ceme-
terry the veterans who did not care to
take the long march going in carriages.
The graves Of soldiers in the cemetery
were decorated and the veterans marched
back to their hail late in the afternoon
A delegation from the post decorated the
graves in the West Brattleboro. Morn
ingsde and St Michael's Roman Catholic
cemeteries.
The veterans Of Sedgwck Grand Army
post wish to express their sincere thanks
to all who assisted in any way in carry
ing out the Memorial day or the pre-
Memorial day exercises.