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THus saith the LORD of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning women, that they may come

And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.

Yet hear the word of the LoRD, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughts wling, and every one her neighbour lamentation,

For DRATH is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young man from the streets.

-JEREMIAH IX : 17, 18, 20, 21.

PORTLAND, OREGON

GEo. H. Himes, SteaM BooK AND JoB PRINTEr,

N. W. Corner Front and Washington Streets.

1874. LIBRARY ASSOCIATION OF PORTLAND, ORE. ​

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For years and years, and weary, suffering years, multiplied into decades, have the women of America waited to see the traffic destroyed which annually sends sixty thousand of their sons, brothers, fathers and husbands into the drunkard's grave. They have been impoverished, disgraced, tortured in mind and body, beaten, murdered. Under the influence of maddening liquors the hands that were pledged to provide for and protect them, have withdrawn from them the means of life, or smitten them in the dust. Sons whom they have nursed upon their bosoms with tenderest love and countless prayers, have grown into beasts of whom they are afraid, or have sunk into helpless and pitiful slavery. They have been compelled to cover their eyes with shame in the presence of fathers whom it would have been bliss for them to hold in honor. They have been compelled to bear children to men whose habits had unfitted them for parentage—children not only tainted by disease endowed with debased appetites. They have seen themselves and families thrust into social degradation and cut off forever from all desirable life by the vice of the men they loved. What the women of this country from drunkenness, no mind, however sympathetic, can measure, and no pen, however graphic, can describe. It has been the unfathomable black gulf into which the infatuated multitudes of men have thrown their fortunes, their health, and their industry, and out of which have came only—in fire and stench—dishonor, disease, crime, misery, despair and death. It is the abomination of abominations, the curse of curses, the hell of hells!

For weary, despairing years they have waited to see the reform that would protect them from further harm. They have listened to lectures, they have signed pledges, they have encouraged temperance societies, they have asked for and secured legislation, and all to no practical good end. The politicians have played them false; the officers of the law are unfaithful; the Government revenue thrives on the thriftiness of the curse; multitudes of the clergy are not only apathetic in their pulpits, but self-indulgent in their social habits; newspapers do not help, but rather hinder them; the liquor interest, armed with the money that should have brought them prosperity, organizes against them; fashion opposes them; a million fierce appetites are arrayed against them, and, losing all faith in en, what can they do? There is but one thing for them to do. There is but one direction in which they can look, and that is upward! The women's temperance movement, begun and carried on by prayer, is as natural in its birth and growth as the oak that springs from the acorn. If God and the God-like element in women cannot help, there is no help. If the pulpit, the press, the politicians, the reformers, the law, cannot bring reform, who is left to do it but God and the women? We bow to this movement with reverence. We do not stop to question methods; we do not pause to query about permanent results. We simply say to the women engaged in this glorious crusade: "May God help and prosper you, and give you the desire of your hearts in the fruit of your labors!"

It becomes men to be either humbly helpful or dumb. We who have dallied with this question; we who have dispassionately drawn the line between temperance and total abstinence; we who have deplored drunkenness with wine-glasses in our bands; we who have consented to involve a great moral reform with politics; we who have been politically afraid of the power of the brutal element associates with the liquor traffic; we who have split hairs in our discussions of public policy; have shown our unwillingness or our impotence to save the country from ​the gulf that yawns before it, can only step aside with shame-faced humility while the great crusade goes on, or heartily give to it our approval and our aid.

This is not a crusade of professional agitators, clamoring for an abstract right, but an enterprise of suffering, pure and devoted women, laboring for the overthrow of a concrete wrong. It is no pleasant, holiday business in which these women are engaged, but one of self-denying hardship, pregnant in every part with a sense of duty. It is the offspring of a grand religious impulse which gives to our time its one superb touch of heroism, and redeems it from its political debasement and the degradation of its materialism. It is a shame to manhood that it is necessary; it is a glory to womanhood that it is possible.—Dr. J. G. Holland, in Scribner's for May. ​

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About the middle of last March the news began to reach us here in Oregon that a great Temperance movement, which had been begun in Ohio in the month of February, was meeting with wonderful success. The method of that movement was of a nature at once novel and simple, being nothing more nor less than prayer to God. But you say, is prayer novel? No; but it was something new to see prayer and singing carried into the streets, by people who had all their lives shut their religion up in sacred edifices, to be brought before the public conspicuously only on stated occasions.

It had somehow come to be the received opinion that the name of God should only be spoken from the pulpit, and listened to by respectable people, in their best clothes. No one had ever conceived the idea of "going out into all the world, including those places of wickedness, the liquor saloons, and carrying Christ to those who would not seek Him. Still less had they thought that women should do this work. The first suggestion has been credited to Dr. Dio Lewis; but the idea was not original with him. Since the commencement of the women's work in Ohio, several instances have been related to us of a similar plan having been adopted in isolated communites at different times.

But whose soever may have been the first thought in the present movement the time had come for its adoption. Ever since the close of our late civil war the morals of the country seemed to have been going from bad to worse with frightful impetus, until those who had the good of humanity at heart felt inclined to cry out, that our God was as deaf as the stone gods of the pagans. He was not deaf; He was only long-suffering. Men, it is true, had sinned past the power of redeeming their errors. They had consented to a corruption of public morals and private living that began at last to terrify themselves. In this emergency God breathed upon the hearts of women, and with one impulse and accord they thankfully accepted the trust.

What an electric thrill that was that ran through through the nation! It was as if some great ship had been foundering at sea, and suddenly, in the midst of the despair, a voice cried out: "We are close upon shore! If some one will volunteer to take a line through the surf, we are saved!" And then a prayer had been offered, and the most consecrated person of all that trembling company had launched himself into the stormy surf to try to reach the firm land with the life-saving line. Tearfully all eyes were ​fixed upon the bold adventurer whose life was in God's hand; but when after a terrible struggle with the breakers they saw him standing in safety on the beach, what a shout went up, what grateful prayers were uttered what happy tears were shed! Such was the tearful, prayerful enthusiasm of this temperance work among women. And, thank God, they will, we firmly believe, be able yet to save this country.

A meeting was called at the Baptist church, A. R. Medbury, pastor, for Tuesday, the 1oth of March; and from this time on, meetings were held daily at some one of the churches for the period of about one week, the ladies seeking Divine guidance by frequent, earnest prayer. The Taylor Street Methodist church being most centrally located was finally fixed upon as the place of daily meetings, and was announced to be open for prayer at morning, noon and night.

From the first inception of this work Rev. Mr. Medbury, of the Baptist church, threw his whole heart into it, and together with Dr. Atkinson, Rev. G. W. Izer, of the Methodist church, Rev. Mr. Eaton, of the Congregational church, Rev. Dr. Lindsley, of the Presbyterian church, and Rev. T. L. Eliot, of the Unitarian church, made frequent stirring addresses upon the subject of Temperance. The three first mentioned gentlemen, during the whole period now passed, of four months, have never slacked their exertions, and to them undoubtedly is owing much of the present success of the Temperance cause.

On the 16th of March, the Woman's Temperance Prayer League was organized, the following officers being chosen Mrs. M. A. Mitchell, President; Mrs. Dr. Atkinson, Vice President; Mrs. Amory Holbrook, Secretary; Mrs. Helen Sparrow, Treasurer. After the usual business of organizing, a pledge was presented by the pastors of the several churches which was adopted by the ladies, after which some time was given to earnest prayer. From this time up to the time of writing this account prayer meetings have been held almost every week-day; meetings for addresses almost every evening of the week; and Union Temperance meetings at some of the churches, usually at the Taylor Street church, every Sunday evening. The subject of Temperance has been discussed from every possible stand-point, and reviewed in the light of Law, Science, Morality, Religion, Finance and Patriotism, and yet the people are not wearied with the discussion. So intimately is it related to every human interest, and to our immortal welfare, that it seems impossible to exhaust the subject.

On the 17th of March, it was agreed to send an appeal in a printed form to the saloon-keepers that they might know the action the ladies were taking, and be prepared to act on their own part as they should decide. It was also agreed that the church bells should be rung when the ladies started out with the pledges, in order that united and earnest prayer might be offered for their success; and that the gentlemen, friends of the Temperance cause, who could, should unite themselves in an auxiliary society to assist the ladies in any way desired.

On the 18th the Appeal was printed and circulated, and at the same time copies of it in large type were posted up around the city.

​The first enrolling committee consisted of one lady from each church viz: Mrs. M. A.Mitchell, Mrs. S. V. Hill, Mrs. — Jones, Mrs. — Bond, Miss — Atwood, Mrs. — Weeks, Mrs. — Stout, and Mrs. — Meyer. On the 18th were added Mrs. Warren, Mrs. Carter, Mrs. Sparks, Mrs. Wadhams and Mrs. Burrage from serving; Mrs. Turner was chosen Assistant Secretary, and three Vice Presidents were added to the corps of officers already elected, viz: Mrs Medbury, Mrs. Robb and Mrs. Burrage. The committee appointed to divide the city into districts were: Mrs. Burrage, Mrs. Northrup, Mrs Hurgren and Mrs. Ritter. Canvassing the city with pledges commenced on the 18th, and on the 20th 1,152 names were reported. With very few exceptions the ladies were courteously received, even when the pledge was declined, for business or other reasons, and very many wished them God-speed, while refusing to pledge themselves.

The most remarkable feature of this work from the commencement was the strong though heretofore hidden sentiment in the minds of the people in favor of total abstinence. None but those actively engaged in canvassing the city could be persuaded that in a community so apparently careless of the evil of indulgence in intoxicating drinks, a serious conviction of this kind could really exist; but so it was found to be, and more especially among women, who, having been compelled to suffer the worst evils of intemperance in silence and without redress, gratefully accepted the first promise of deliverance from the terrible and calamitous oppression The ladies of the committee were assisted by volunteers from the different churches, and by those who were connected with no church, but who felt that in this much needed reform was work for all to do

By the 23d the city had been pretty thoroughly canvassed, only three districts remaining. Private houses, business places and schools had been visited with the "Citizen's Pledge, "and a special pledge had been presented to druggists about half of whom signed it. A motion was made by Mrs. Gaston in the meeting of the 20th to send the list of names obtained to the Common Council, as an expression of the public sentiment. The pledge continued to be circulated, and also offered in the evening meetings; and it became the custom to relate in these meetings any interesting incidents connected with each day's work on the street. Mrs. Mann and Mrs. Gaston met with some very interesting experiences at the jail; and in Miss Richards' district four men requested the prayers of the ladies, one man especially thanking God that he had been enabled to keep the pledge for a few days, and promising to rely upon Him for strength in the future.

Mrs. Gaston received a letter from one of the prisoners visited, who expressed a determination to lead a new life, and prayed earnestly for the success of the Temperance work. He expected to be released in ten days, destitute of everything, and wanting something to do. He asked the prayers of the ladies for strength to resist temptation.

The first discussion on the propriety of visiting saloons took place on the 23d. The President, Mrs. Mitchell, felt that the time had come. ​Earnest prayer had been offered for guidance during a period of t weeks, and all preparatory mncasures had been resorted to. Mrs. Meur thought it proper and consistent to approach the saloon-keepers in the same way other citizens had been approached, before proceeding to an special measures with them. After considerable discussion for and agains a motion was made for volunteers to take the pledge to the saloon that morning. Mrs. Gaston and Mrs. Mann decidedly opposed it, wanting more time to prepare; but a vote being taken, the following ladies volunteered Mesdames Medbury, Sparrow, Francis, Mitchell, Ritter, Quackenbush, Sparks, Corson, Sutherland, Turner, Reid, and Miss Richards.

A pledge was prepared for grocers, which was the occasion of a call for other volunteers: and Mesdames Stitzel, Northrup, and Dillon offered themselves. Mesdames Shindler, Robb, and Swafford volunteered to visit the hotels; Mesdames Bond and Traver, the restaurants; and Mrs. Turner, the banks. This important business meeting closed with very earnest prayer by several of the ladies.

At the afternoon session of the 23d, 130 additional names were handed in by Mrs. T. L. Eliot and others who had been circulating pledges Miss Richards reported that during the forenoon one saloon-keeper expressed his willingness to quit the business of liquor selling if he could dispose of his stock in trade. Mrs. Mitchell reported that the ladies had been politely received at most of the places visited.

Mrs. Stitzel reported thirteen groceries visited. Six of them sold liquors; four signed the pledge. Miss Turner procured three signers at the banks. Mrs. Shindler reported eight hotels where liquors were not kept Mrs. Robb stated that two or three hotel-keepers offered to sell out their liquors, and give up their bars. Committees were then assigned to canvass the Custom House and Flander's Wharf, the Bulletin office and Brass Foundry, Northrup's Store, and hotel opposite, and Railroad Office. We cite these particulars to show how thorough ladies.

Mrs. T. L. Eliot proposed that a fund be established for the aid of those who might be induced to give up the sale of liquors. This suggestion produced considerable discussion. Among other things, Mrs. Ritter remarked, that "not one cent of her money should go to purchase the stock of any liquor-seller." A motion was, however, made that a committee be nominated to carry out Mrs. Eliot's plan of establishing a fund to assist those who might relinquish the business of dealing in intoxicating drinks A motion was afterwards made to reconsider this motion, which was carried. After renewed prayer, a call was made by the President for volunteers to visit the saloons that afternoon. Fourteen ladies arose.

It was hoped at first that large numbers of women could be found willing to undertake the work of visiting the saloons, as there had been in the Middle and Western States. But in Portland this seemed so repugnant and terrible to most women, the most devout, that the number going out to hold religious services in drinking places or on the street has never at any time exceeded forty-three, seldom more than twenty-five. The reason for this must be, we think, in the floating character of our Pacific ​Coast population, the saloon-keepers, generally, being unknown to the women, either by sight or name; the great number of reckless men known to frequent such places; as well as to the reluctance of ladies in general toward intrusion into places which men have set apart for their vices. It is well known to women that men protect themselves from intrusion by holding out the fear of insult, and seek to cover with shame the woman who shall dare to thrust herself into their company in certain places set apart by themselves for questionable practices. Just as if a man could have two characters, and be a fit associate in one place and not in another! Notwithstanding the inconsistency of this tabooing of the place and not of the men, women shrink from the mere mention of the one, while they receive the other to their homes, and too often to their hearts. Such is the influence of custom.

To resist this force of custom, and dare to invade the hiding-place of vice, requires the most entire consecration—a preparation by prayer, and absorption of the soul in the work of doing good, without regard to popular estimation, such as the few only ever attain. Hence it was that only fourteen arose upon the second call for volunteers to visit the saloons The hearts of many other ladies were with these elected Crusaders, and many shed tears because they could not decide to go. These remained to pray for their heroic sisters.

The first day's work at the saloons was performed by ladies going and two simply to leave the "dealers pledge;" and in most places they were politely treated, as before remarked: but at the famous "Web-Foot" the proprietor begun as he has since, consistently, at least, held out.

Were it not that there is too much serious earnest in this work, and too much of serious import involved in it; if it were not that there still lingers in the mind of a great many people some slight respect for sacred things, for old age, and for the womanly character—some of its incidents must provoke a smile at the simple and devout character of some of the leaders in it, so in contrast with the pagan recklessness of these they hoped to save The reception, for instance, which Mr. Moffett gave the two elderly ladies who called to leave the dealer's pledge with him on that opening day of the Crusade, while it plainly reveals in its true light the brutalizing influence of the business of liquor-selling, sets in such strong contrast the earnest and guileless natures of those Christian women as to cause a sense of mirthfulness to arise in the midst of our indignation.

As is well known, Mr. Moffett's place is upon a corner, with a door upon each side, so that one can pass into one on Morrison street and out at the other on First street, almost at a stride. The two ladies, trembling, but full of holy zeal, paused at the entrance on Morrison street, and stepped into the saloon whose proprietor was as unknown to them as the proprietors of other saloons. As they entered, Mr. Moffet, on the alert, (for the saloon-keepers on this Coast had not been reading the news from the East without preparing for a contest,) entered by the First street door, which brought him face to face with his visitors. Without giving them time to announce their errand, he seized them each rudely by an arm, and thrust them into the street, exclaiming. "Get out of this! I keep a respectable house and don't want any d——d wh——s here."

​Shocking as such a reception must have been to any woman, many long and earnest prayers had given these women a preparation for these two thus insulted, turned and looked up over the door to ascertain what sort of a place, kept by what sort of a man, this might be; and the name struck her with horror.

"Walter Moffett!" she exclaimed. "Can this be Walter Moffett? Why Walter Moffett, I used to know you; and I prayed with your wife for your safety when you were at sea years ago!"

"I don't want any of your d——d prayers; I want you to get out of this and stay out; that's all I want of you. I don't keep a wh——ehouse."

If any one supposes it does not require an utter consecration to what is conceived to be the highest duty, to prepare pure-minded ladies to en counter such base and ruffianly assaults as these, that person is in error. Thoughtless men have made such remarks as this; "They must have a great deal of cheek!" If by that they mean boldness and assurance, they are very much mistaken; for the most patient and persistent laborers in this field are meek and quiet Christian women, who have never before so much as spoken aloud in their own churches; humble women who have never essayed to lead in anything, not even the fashions!—industrious women many of whom labor for their own support. And perhaps this is one reason why the ranks of the Crusaders have been so little reinforced A life of ease and indulgence seldom fits any one for real downright duty and self-sacrifice. All reforms have been begun by, and carried along by, the laboring, self-reliant, middle-class of people—from the time of Jesus of Nazareth down to the present. While the Scribes and Pharisees are theorizing they are working. Given a dozen fishermen of Gallilee, with Christ or with Paul for a leader, and their work reaches down the centuries Very likely they may be "without honor in their own country," but the nations of the earth shall hear of them

On the next day after presenting the pledges at the saloons, the ladies went out in a band to pray with and for them. The "Mount Hood" saloon was the first one visited. The proprietor received them kindly, and owned that the business was not one that could be defended, and that he would be glad to be out of it. In fact this saloon was closed out not long after the Crusade began, as also one or two others.

The great number of pledges taken, and the enlightenment of the people concerning the poisonous drugs and in compounding so-called wines, brandies, and even whisky, through the labors of Dr. Atkinson chiefly, so lessened the number of drinkers that saloon-keeping became anything but the profitable business it had been hitherto. Several of the principal places resorted to giving free drinks in order to collect a rude crowd about their places to interrupt the reading, singing, exhorting and large assemblages of people gathered to witness them. But on the other ​hand, out of these crowds almost daily some man was drawn who had heen brought by the efforts of the ladies to see the crror of his ways, and led to strive after a better life.

Often the saloons were closed against them, and they were compelled to hold their services on the strect. audiences. Often, too, they were assailed by abusive language, and even roughly handled. This, too, opened the eyes of many to the brutalizing effects of drinking, and led them to declare that if that was what whisky brought men to, they would never drink another drop; and every such convert only strengthened the resolution and faith of those who by their sufferings were able to save some ple of many that followed it.

A fine looking young man was had gathered at the "Web-Foot" to see Mr. Moffett insult and abuse praying women and so around during a whole morning. At last he called one of the ladies aside, and said to her: "I never until this morning realized the wickedness of this business-never thought I was doing wrong to drink; but now I see it and know it. women, such as you are, and these men, or myself; and I am going to sign the pledge, and by God's grace try to be a Christian. Wi you pray for me? ffett? Wh vife for your But this only brought the larger o get out of a wh One instance will serve tor an exam- n to what is dies to en- on the edge of a crowd that standing is in error must have a urance, they laborers in ever before women who -industrious rhaps this is reinforced nright duty d along by me of Jesus "harisecs are allilee, with e centuries Ty," but the When they left and went to another saloon, he followed them I see the difference between Christian Those who have heard the prayers and seen the tearful faces of these women while they related these daily incidents in the noon and evening meetings, know whether or not they pray for such cases as these. If God hears prayer, or regards tears, theşe men will be saved to themselves, to the world, and to God There are several places in the city where it has seemed impossible to produce the slightest effect upon the hearts and consciences of the keepers or inmates a visit from the ladies was anticipated, some ridiculous or scandalous performance was gotten up to divert the ladies from their purpose; such as a man fantastically dressed, a la Negro Minstrels, dancing, and drinking from a bottle, etc. To these performances the ladies closed their eyes, going through the services as usual, and quietly departing at the close. of these is the "Oregon Exchange." Frequently when On , the ladies int Hood" em kindly ed, and that sed out not Other persons closed and locked their doors. In fact every course was resorted to that could by any possibility discourage or terrify these devoted women. Yet they would not shrink from anything. One of the worst places visited was kept by two women. must succeed; but they seemed as hardened as any men in the same business. After several solemn and impressive prayers, tracts were left, and the ladies went their way With these the ladies felt that they ent of the gso-called r. Atkinson ng became eral of the lect a rude orting place, and n the other Going to the same approached the house, one of the women flew in a rage to close the door. Then, as they knocked for admission, the voice of contention was heard within. One woman said they should not be admitted, and the other with equal decision declared that they should. place two or three days afterward, as the ladies After a brief parley ​the door was opened and the woman by whom it was opened not only listened tearfully to their prayers, but begged for more tracts, and avowed her intention of writing to her brother for money to take her back to her friends in the East, where she hoped to live a different life. It is always doubtful, of course, whether these sudden resolutions are kept; for there is so much in the way of these repentant sinners to prevent their return to virtue; and so much apathy in the public mind, and in the Christian min concerning whether they shall be saved or not; so little chance of he from any source except God alone!—and they have not yet learned to trust Him.

Occasionally an incident happened at some of the places visited their regular rounds, that brought smiles to the faces of the most earnest. At one German saloon the proprietor rushed out, when he saw the ladies coming, swinging his arms, and shaking his fists in the most excited manner, and exclaiming: "Vat you vant here? You shust go vay! Get off mine sidevalk! Vat for you come here so mooch, braying und singin und making my license so pig? You shust go vay—I vill not haf it Vat you vant? You make a church of mine house!—ruin my piznes No, no, you can't do dat; you moost come here no more. You shut come here vonce more, you vill see vat I vill do mit you! My piple sas you moost not bray on de street corners, but you moost bray at home You go home to bray!"

The band struck up singing a hymn, and one of the ladies advanced.. speak to the irritated German, who disappeared within the house followed by the single exhorter. At the close of the singing and praying the Crusaders moved on; seeing which he came to the door, gazing after them and exclaiming as if horror-stricken

"Vell, if dere is not a burty young girl mit dose vimmen! Vat a shame! Vat a shame!" Probably he thought a hurdy-gurdy house a better place for a "burty young girl" than "mit dose vimmen."

At more respectable (?) places different treatment awaited the ladies. They were permitted to hold services inside the saloons, in billiard-rooms etc., and drinking was not allowed during the visit. At one prominent place the ladies at one time hoped to gain the proprietor over to their side. He did not attempt to defend the business, and professed to wish it unknown to his friends in the East. Yet it was his business, and as respectable as it could be made: he was in debt and wanted to get out—such were his excuses. "The argument is all on your side, ladies," he would say, "but money is my object."

Nevertheless he seemed sometimes almost constrained to vield, and the ladies hoped against hope that he would see the right way, and give the first example. It would have been a brilliant victory-the forerunner of many more, and they did so earnestly desire it for that reason. But it was otherwise ordered. It was impossible to take Portland by storm, the Ohio towns had been taken, because this movement did not come upon them like a surprise, as it did there. They were prepared, and s soon as they became convinced that the ladies were in serious earmest organized for defence, and mutual support. In this manner, those that ​were "almost persuaded to be Christians," were held back from doing as their best impulses prompted, by the advice of the rest.

Thus the work went on. Such ladies as could not go upon the streets volunteered to provide lunches at the church, on stated days, that the Crusaders might not be forced to return to their homes before the day's work was done. The clergymen and other gentlemen held prayer meetings during those hours when the ladies were holding street exercises. For these exercises they were always prepared by morning and noon prayer; so that it might be said that the voice of supplication for the removal of the evil of intemperance was constantly arising at all hours of the day and far into the night.

Monday the 23d of March was appointed as a day of fasting, the church bells to ring at 9 o'clock, A. M., for the commencement of united solemn supplication to God for the purification of our city, and the whole country

About the middle of April Mrs. A. C. Gibbs drafted a petition to the Common Council, asking for measures to be taken for the suppression of the liquor traffic in Portland. The ladies took it in hand, districted the city, and in the space of three or four days more than 1,800 names had been obtained to this petition which was forthwith presented to the Council Such was the anxiety of the petitioners that they gave the Councilmen no rest from importunities until they had received assurances that some action should be taken toward a considerable increase of licenses, if not absolute prohibition. That, indeed, was more than the most sanguine could hope for, so intimately is the liquor traffic interwoven with every branch of business, and so powerful the combination of dealers in the soul-destroying traffic.

But this was not all of the opposition to be encountered. That "won- derful power of inertia" which hangs to the skirts of luke-warm Christians, and characterless good people everywhere, had to be striven against, as well as the active opposition. Many persons would not even sign the petition to the Common Council, because of this indifference, though none were found who did not agree that Portland had altogether too many drinking saloons. Tradesmen were reluctant to do so, for fear of losing the custom of the liquor men. Clerks and salaried men often refused through fear of their employers. Men frequenly said they did not drink, themselves, but did not wish to have anything to do with this movement. Others had wines at home, and so could not consistently take any action against the free sale of liquors. These last generally advised the ladies to teach their sons to be temperate at would be well with them. They could see no inconsistency in teaching temperance, and practicing social drinking under the same roof. Many women professed "to have no interest in the matter," saying that their sons and husbands gave them no uneasiness,, therefore they thought the ladies had better stay at home and attend to their households. slattern gave this wholesome advice to the neat and intelligent sister who was laboring for the good of every boy ahd man in the city, as well as ​every woman and girl; for it is ever the feminine half of the world that suffers for the sins of the masculine half.

About this time, also, besides the labors of the clergymen already mentioned. Gov. Gibbs and H. H. Northup, of Portland, and Judge Greene of Olympia, expounded the laws relating to the granting of licenses, by the sufferance of the people-not a justification of the traffic that make one necessary. Such sufferance can at any moment be terminated, when- ever the people declare that the nuisance, whatever it be, shall be abated The effect of alcohol upon the stomach and brain was ably expounded to large audiences by Dr. Watkins and Dr. Dickson, in very instructive and able lectures, showing conclusively that it furnishes no aliment to the system, and is never assimilated, but remains a foreign and undigested element, until the forces of the body at great expense of effort get rid of which it was clearly shown that a license is only the legal expression of it as best they can.

Other persons produced statistics to show the immense amount of grain and of capital consumed in the manufacture of intoxicating drinks; the almost incredible consumption of liquors, and the effect upon the morals and health of the nation. It was shown that from forty to ninety per cent. of arrests all over the Union are the result of liquor-drinking; that our prisons and poor-houses, and our lunatic asylums largely, also, are filled by the victims of drink. The conclusion was plain that the tax upon liquors which forms so important a source of revenue is offset by the cost to the people of supporting the machinery of criminal arrests, prosecutions, and punishments. In Portland is this especially true, where licenses bring the city a revenue of $13,000; while the cost of maintaining the police force, which is principally employed in taking charge of "drunk and disorderly" persons is $36,000. It was stated that it would take $6,000 support a saloon for one year. Portland supports sixty-five drinking-houses, which at that estimate would require $390,000 to keep them up. That large sum expended for a vice, would support the city government, and render comfortable all the poor families now suffering in consequence of the wrongful diversion of this money to illicit uses. And when it is considered how much money is spent at houses of ill-fame in this city, by those who but for the stimulant of drink would never degrade themselves by such associations, it is easy to compute something of what this abominable vice costs the city of Portland.

THE REAL SUFFERERS

And although exceptions-women and children are the sufferers. A man break his own heart by his drunkenness and debauchery; it is his wie's heart, or his mother's or his sister's, that suffers all the anguish of shame, of sorrow, or of despair. He wastes his fortune or his earnings; but his men are the sinners in its vending and its use-with few work, fell awa family suffers the loss; for in the insensibility of drunkenness he is con- scious of no loss. He gives the blows and curses; they bear them; H loses his soul; they mourn over it What wonder then that like an electric spark, God's indication to women that he wished them 'to take up the work of overcoming this ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/17 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/18 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/19 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/20 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/21 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/22 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/23 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/24 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/25 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/26 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/27 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/28 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/29 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/30 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/31 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/32 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/33 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/34 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/35 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/36 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/37 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/38 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/39 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/40 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/41 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/42 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/43 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/44 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/45 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/46 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/47 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/48 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/49 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/50 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/51 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/52 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/53 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/54 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/55 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/56 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/57 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/58 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/59 ​Page:Women's War with Whisky.djvu/60