We are at the threshold of a new era in temperance effort. The unscrupulous deeds of the liquor interest, the bold steps taken to destroy the force of restrictive legislation, the open violence to prevent citizens from voting against them, which has even struck down in broad daylight those opposed to their nefarious schemes, the High-License craze which has swept over the country, the perplexity occasioned by Supreme Court decisions, and the heartless indifference of multitudes to the increase of intemperance, poverty, and crime, as the direct fruit of the liquor traffic, compel the consideration of thoughtful citizens, and make it imperative that something be done to withstand this tide of sin. In every aspect of this many-sided subject, but especially in its moral, political, and educational bearings, the drink problem is recognized as of the first importance. The missionary needs of the South, and especially the desperate condition of the colored people through the increase of intemperance and the tricks of political demagogues, form no small part of the problem. On the other hand, temperance matters have never had more hearty recognition from all classes of society than to-day. More than ever curse us, and breathe out threatenings against us, but more also pray and work for us. Lines of opposition are more sharply drawn, and the number of the indifferent is being steadily reduced. It is therefore in the highest degree necessary that all friends of temperance, forced by new perils and new opportunities, take counsel together for a forward movement against this special agent of that vile trinity: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Arrangements have been made for a reduction of fare on the principal railroads and at the hotels. For particulars apply to the Secretary of the Committee. THEODORE L. CUYLER, President; J. N. STEARNS, Corresponding Secretary; THEOPHILUS A. BROUWER, EUGENE H. CLAPP, HENRY B. METCALF, LOUIS WAGNER, W. C. STEELE, W. T. SABINE, Committee, THE CONVENTION. THE Tenth National Temperance Convention met in the First Methodist Episcopal Church, at Saratoga Springs, New York, on Wednesday morning, July 15, 1891. The Rev. Dr. ALBERT G. LAWSON, the Chairman of the Committee of Arrangements, called the Convention to order. Among other things, he said: Friends of Temperance, it becomes my pleasant duty to call you to order this morning, assembled from various parts of the country, to form the Tenth National Convention. Many of you will remember meeting in this house ten years ago, and what a remarkable gathering we had, as delightful as it was noteworthy. That Convention requested the National Temperance Society to consider the time and place for, and to call the next Convention. Two years ago the Society appointed a Committee to have this question in charge. Subsequently they issued the call, a copy of which you have received, and in accordance with whose provisions you have been chosen delegates. We come from different States, but with one great purpose; from different organizations, but united in one determination. We seek the utter annihilation of the drink and the drinking habit. Since our former meeting the rumocracy has consolidated its power, and shown its malignity and its might as never before in our history. On every side we see its evil working. Multitudes are ensnared in its web of mischief. It lifts its vile head in every society, and leaves its death-mark on every class of our citizens. Nor church, nor state, nor school, nor fireside is free from its breath of foulness. Every form of evil it nourishes; every element of good it opposes. We lift our hands against it, and unite our strength to secure its overthrow as the one supreme mischief-maker in our fair land. We come to exalt the moral dignity of the temperance reformation. Like the rainbow on the brow of the waterfall, it is of many colors. No one organization will be tempted to say, "Our way (5) 66 alone is right." No one leader will be so vain as to say, My way only is right." No one will be so ungenerous as to think that he alone is true, and to forbid others to cast out demons because they do it not after his form. We need to emphasize the fact that this is but one of a series of conventions beginning fifty-eight years ago, for the first was held in 1833 in Philadelphia. We find they mark in the best sense a series of mile-stones, each of which has its own distinctive lesson, and all agreeing to exhibit the wonderful progress that has been made in our country in this great work. We congratulate ourselves that we meet again at "The Springs," where seven already of these conventions have gathered. However, it does not become me to detain you with further words. On behalf of the Committee of the National Temperance Society, I have the pleasure of nominating as temporary chairman the Hon. Eugene H. Clapp, of Massachusetts. If it is your pleasure that Mr. Clapp serve us as temporary chairman, you will say "Aye." The nomination was ratified unanimously. E. H. CLAPP: It is proper that we should open conventions of this kind with an invocation to Almighty God. I will call upon the Rev. Dr. W. N. Brodbeck, of Boston, to lead us in prayer. PRAYER BY REV. DR. W. N. BRODBECK. Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, we recognize our dependence upon Thee in all things, for we need it; and we cannot begin the important work of this Convention without bowing for a few moments in humble submission before Thee to acknowledge our need of divine help and of divine direction in the important work of this hour and the days before us. We thank Thee, O God, that we are privileged to meet in this National Convention in the interest of the great and important cause of temperance. We thank Thee that so many have come to this goodly city to take part in the deliberations of this Convention. We pray now that Thy blessing may be upon us. We pray for Thy blessing upon the consecrated cause which we represent here to-day. We thank Thee, our Father, for the progress that has been made in this great work since the time referred to a moment ago, so many years ago, when this Society began its work. We thank Thee, O God, for the development of a temperance sentiment throughout our nation during this year; and we bless Thy name that we believe, as a people, we occupy higher ground on this great subject this morning than ever before has been occupied in the world's history. We praise Thee for the manner in which Thou hast led. We thank Thee for the organizations represented here this morning, for the great work that has been accomplished through them. We bless Thee, our Heavenly Father, above all, for the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we pray that in all of our organizations and in all of our work we may recognize the visible Church as the leading organization for the prosecution of this great work in our land and throughout the world. And we thank Thee, our Father, for the higher ground occupied by the Church of God to-day throughout our land on this great question, and we pray that the time may not be far distant when as Christian Churches we may all occupy only common ground upon this subject, that of entire total abstinence for the individual, and complete constitutional prohibition for the State and the United States. Do Thou help us, we pray Thee, as Christian men and women to touch eye to eye on this great duty. And we thank Thee, O God, for the work of the Christian women in this work of temperance. We thank Thee for the crusade, scores of years ago, and the great women's organizations which have grown out of it from that time to this. And we thank Thee for every effort which is being put forth for the suppression of this great and common enemy of humanity. God help us as delegates to this Convention to so express the convictions of the temperance people of this land as that our deliberations and the result thereof may be felt throughout our nation. Command Thy blessing upon this city, to which so many thousands come at this time of the year; bless the churches of this city, and may the temperance banner be lifted aloft continually and a strong temperance sentiment prevail here. Help us in all things pertaining to the great moral warfare in this lost world to have the courage of our convictions, and do the duty to which Thou didst call us, regardless of the fear or favor of men, and finally when these great responsibilities have been fully met, and as we go down to the end of life, may we be able to say in all assurance as our blessed Lord was able to say in His assurance, "I have glorified Thee on the earth; I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do," and may we have an abundant entrance into that brighter and better kingdom, for His name's sake. Amen. OPENING REMARKS BY MR. CLAPP. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: It will not be my province this morning. to detain you with any lengthy remarks. It is simply my place to endeavor to assist in the work of the organization of this Convention, in order that your Committee, by and by, shall have prepared a report which presents their views for the consideration of the Convention. Let me remind you in the outset that this Convention is organized with a free platform, and we shall have the expression of representatives of every shade of opinion upon the temperance question. You have been invited to send your delegates here, who will represent personal and divergent views upon the temperance question, and I bespeak a careful attention on your part that we may have, in the consideration of this question, an intelligent and settled concurrence of opinion that shall help to mould public sentiment on this subject. We may not agree with the speakers, but let us be attentive to examine what each shall have to say, in order that, by and by, when the consensus of opinion in this Convention shall go out through the reports, it shall give the sentiments of the temperance men and women assembled, and shall tend to draw the attention of Christian men and women to this evil and lead them in the right direction. We come here with divergent views regarding the temperance work in reference to some of the facts before us. We are very apt in this temperance work of ours to ask the question, "What are the people doing in this great business of temperance in an economical point of view?" I was very much impressed by a remark which Gov. Tilley, of New Brunswick, made to me a few days ago in reference to this very question. He said that at the time of the great fire in St. John, which destroyed $17,000,000 worth of property, that they received from the insurance companies $8,000,000 in partial payment of that loss. He thought that no sensible man would advise burning up a city like St. John to realize a sum of $8,000,000, when it would cost them $17,000,000 to replace it. Speaking of the temperance question in the Dominion of Canada, he said the Dominion received $7,000,000 from the liquor traffic annually, while it was estimated that the cost to the people was at least $25,000,000. Now, he remarked, would not the same argument apply, and is it not true that even though the $7,000,000 refunded is a large sum, it is against all theory of political economy to waste $25,000,000 in order to receive $7,000,000, and would be so regarded on any other question except the liquor question. We are brought face to face with that question in this country. We receive large sums of money through National, State, and City organizations from the liquor traffic, but it is important for you to consider if these amounts of money begin |