Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-03-01
CHAPTER XVI
Practical Temperance Reform

= pfaotical temperance REFORM
The small town of Durford was not
immune from the curse of drink: there
was no doubt about that. Other forms
q viciousness there were plenty; but
the nine saloons did more harm than
an the rest of the evil influences put
together, and Maxwell, though far
6om being a fanatic, was doing much
fn q quiet way to neutraliZe their bad
Influence. He turned the Sunday
School room into a reading room dur
ing the week days, organized a gym
AAsium, kept watch of the younger
men individually, and offered as best
h could some chance for the express
sion of the gregarious instinct which
drew them together after the work of
the day was over. In the face of his
work in these directions, it happened
that q venturesome and enterprising
saloon keeper bought vacant proper
" adjacent to the church, and opened
up an aggressive business-much TO
Naxwell's dismay.
Among the women of the parish
there was Ladies Temperance
League" of which Mrs. Burke was
president. They held quarterly meet
tngs, and 1t was at one of these meet
ings held at Thunder Cliff, at which
Mrs. Burke presided, that she remark
cd severely:
MRS. Sapley, you're out of order.
There's motion before the house, anc
I've got something to say about it my.
self Mrs. Perkins, as Mrs. Maxwell
was unable to be present, will you
kindly take the chair, or anything
else you can lay your hands on, and
I'll say what Pve got to say"
Mrs. Perkins took Mrs. Burke's
place as president, while Mrs. Burke
rubbed her glasses in an impatient
way; and having adjusted them, be-
gan in decided tone from which
there was meant to be no appeal:
1.-THE fact is, ladies', we're not gettin'
down to business as we ought to, if
we are to accomplish anything. We've
been singing hymns, and recitin' love-
ly poems, and listenin' to reports as
to how money spent for liquor would
pay off the national debt; and we've
been sayin' prayers, and pledgin' our
selves not to do things none of US
ever was tempted to do, or thought
of doins, and wearin' ribbons, and at
tendin' conventions, and talkin' about
influencin' legislation at Washington,
and eatin' sandwiches, and drinkia'
weak tea, and doin' goodness knows
hof hnf mi nh
thing to stop men drinkin' right here
In Durford and breakin' the town law;
you know that well enough
Mrs. Burke paused for breath after
This astounding revolutionary state
ment, and there was a murmur OF
scandalized dissent from the assem-.
bled ladies at this outspoken expires.
sion on the part of the honorable
president Of the Parish Guild.
mo-" she continued empbaticaliy
don't you fool yourselves. IL we capt
help matters right here where we live
then there's no use hayin' imitation
church sociables, and goin' home
thinkin' we've helped the temperance
cause, and CALM everybody else bad
names who don't exactly agree with
u.s."
Again there were symptoms OF opec
rebellion against this traitorous beresy
ON the part Of the plain spoken presi.
dent; but she was not TO be easily
siIenced; SO she continued; r. "A
Men have got to go somewheres
when their work is over, and have a
good time, and / believe tha, we went
accomplish anything until we fix up
nice attractive set OF rooms with
games, and give em something 10
drink" ~