Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-29

Portland, Me. Sept 2S.-The 36th
Estate convention of the Women's
lChristian Temperance Union opened
To-day here and will continue until
FRIDAY evening. A large variety of
reports were the features of the
lmorning session which was held in
the Congress Square church, Mrs. l..
M. N. Stevens of this city, national
president, presiding. She took occa-
lsion to formulate score of recon-
lamentations and among them was one
Ifavoring the Miller Curtis bill. pend
ling in Congress, for protection of
prohibition territory.
The delegates were welcomed this
Ievenirg by Mayor Strout on the part
Iof the city: Mrs George F. Hunt
for the local union and Rev. James
f. Albion for the churches. The an
lnual address of the state and ma
tiOnal president. Mrs. l.. Nj. n. Stew
lens. was of unusual interest, in view
of the result of the recent amend
ment and repeal of the Sturgis law
providing for State enforcement. Mrs.
Stevens made no reference to the
Sturgis act, but admitted that resub-
mission might be forced upon the
State" She predicted that the State
would vote to retain the amendment
and said that prohibition would con-
tinue to be the policy of the State.
lShe declared that fight upon the re-
ltention of the amendment would be
lof world interest, as the liquor forces,
most of all, desired to regain Maine.
She said:
1t is not at all strange that women
from every section of our State should
be assembled here at this time in tho
Interests of great moral reform.
Women have always been interested
in charitable, philanthrOpc and re-
form movements. we recall with graf
Iitude the life work of such women a
Elizabeth Fry, Lucretia Mott, Doro-
thea Dix, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Su
Fan p. Anthony Frances Power
ICobbe Mary A. Livermore, Florence
Nightingale and Frances E. Willard.
AS is well known. Frances E. Willard
was the founder of the Worlds w. G,
TT. u. For her, the doors of educational
opportunities opened most widely, and
she was the president of Woman )
college. In the beginning of the cru
lsade movement she heard tn cry OF
1.-The world caused by strong drink and
she felt that she must respond to the
lcall She came to Maine to study the
Temperance question. During her few
days visit here she gaven a public adj
ldress in the Free Street Baptist
lChurch. and it was in the City Hotel,
lon the site where the Congress Square
Hotel now stands. that Miss Willard
made up her mind to cast her lot in
with the temperance reformers. The
decision came to her in the morning
lhour when she opened her Bible and
Tread the words Trust in the Lord
land do good" Happy indeed for the
world that she made this decision,
II need not before an audience like this
review her career as temperance re-
lformer After % years of heroic en-
Ideavor and glorious achievement she
was called to her heavenly home.
Evil Should Not Be Licensed.
Rum is the greatest curse in the
world" is an assertion we often hear
land to which we agree. but there Is
lanother statement sometimes made
i'm connection with it which causes MS
to wonder at the lack of logical rea-
soning. The statement is in effct that
lit is no use to try to prohibit the sale
of strong drink, for it can't be
stopped. The best that can be done is
to regulate it's SALE That is: To al
low certain number of people wht
| nay for the privilege in the form OF 9
license fee to dispense that which is
Undoubtedly a curse to humanity. This
is not the treatment accorded to Other
evils. curses or crimes, such as gamb
ling. lotteries, theft. forgery. murder
houses of ill repute, white slave traffic
etc. Laws have been enacted to pro
hibit these crimes. They are Otter
violated but it has not led to thei
repeal. If there were law licensing
these crimes they would be far more
rreyalent than they now are, for il
addition to those who hold the license
to do evil there would be others wh'
would steal. forge. gamble, engage II
the White Slave traffic in spite OF tn
fact that they were not legallzed t.
do 1t.
Iicense Increases Drunkenness.
A few days ago I was in New
$ Hampshire, You will recall that New
Hampshire formerly had Prohibition!
Law. The charge that it was violated
l led to it's setting aside and the adop
n ton of high license law. This II
cense law is perhaps the best posi-
|hle form of license law and is prop
: ably the best administered hcens
+ law in the Union. The most con
a elusive testimony that can be pro
duced to prove that license increase
drunkness and crime comes from Ne'
Hau,psl,ire. In 1902, the last year O