but these agreements were no longer enforced toward the end of the century, and saloons were everywhere to be seen. In fact, by 1911 consumption rose to 23 gallons per person in Minnesota, compared to one-half of that in, for example, Michigan. There were, then, evils to be fought in the `saloon states.'

As early as the 1870s, Finns were members of various Norwegian and Swedish temperance societies. In the Tornea Temperance Society in Allouez, Michigan, for example, the majority of the members were Finns, and so even the meetings were held in Finnish. On 22 February 1885 the friends of temperance established the first Finnish-American temperance society, named the Northern Star, in Hancock, Michigan. That same year three other societies were also founded, and the following year eight more, including three in Minnesota: in Soudan, Duluth and New York Mills. Almost without exception these early societies were affiliated with the Good Templar movement : Good Templar procedures were also adopted in the Finnish societies, and so the business meetings were closed, with only members permitted to attend, while other events, program nights and such, were open to the public. Meetings were opened with a song, followed by a prayer led by the chapter's elected chaplain.

Finnish affiliation in a league whose official languages were English and Swedish tended to cause certain difficulties as time went on. These difficulties were increased, no doubt, by the action of the `Age of Joy' Temperance Society in Republic, Michigan, which published a Finnish translation of the Good Templars' manual, for the Templars, considering this to be their exclusive property, took offense. At about the same time articles began to appear in the Uusi Kotimaa, urging the Finns to quit the Scandinavian league and to form ore of their ow,. The Republic society took the initiative in this matter, sounding out other Finnish societies about the idea, and since the response was encouraging, it invited them to be represented in a meeting held in Republic in January 1888, which resulted in the establishment of a Finnish league : the Finnish National Temperance Brotherhood Association. Since no preparatory measures had been taken for this step, it was decided that the Hancock temperance society was to prepare a constitution, based on Good Templar precedents. The Association held its first annual meeting in Hancock on 23 June 1888, with only a modest number of delegates present, but these 15 did approve the new constitution and added to it the amendments that "the temperance societies are not to sponsor amusements or parades on Sundays" and that "dancing

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