The Evening critic., 1882-02-08
THE EVENING CRITIC.
FIGHTING ALCOHOL,
Representatives of the w. G. r.
BEFORE the House COmmiftcc.
I.IsHEn Aunnsr Iaas


Mrs. J. Ellen Foster, of Iowa, represented
the Woman's National Christian Temper
ance Union before the Select Committee on
Alcoholic Liquors of the House of Repre-
sentatives, Hon. ]. 7. Wait, Of Connecticut,
chairman, this morning at 1890.
Mrs. C. b. Buell. corresponding secretary
of the National Society, in few we'll
chosen words introduced the speaker, who
addressed the committee as follows:
Mrs. Fosters Address.
at is with great solicitude that l address
this honorable committee. Solicitude be-
cause of the vast and sacred interests in
volved in our plea and because Of the great.
and dearly loved army of women whom
serve, whose voice this morning am not
alone this; realize also the dignity of the
forum to which l come. The popular
branch of the Congress of the United
States, the direct representatives of the
people of the United States, has in its wis
dom and in answer to the loudly-expressed
wish of the people, appointed this committee
for the express purpose of receiving and
considering all petitions and memorials and
proposed legislation touching the alcoholic
liquor traffic. There are before you petit
tiohs numerously signed by women asking
for an amendment to the Constitution of
the United States forever prohibiting the
importation, manufacture and sale of all
Intoxicating liquors. These women are
citizens of the United States and of the
several States from which you come, and
they do thus petition the Government for
redress of grievances.
"What these grievances are l need not
enumerate. They are confessed by all.
They are recorded in the annual destruc
tion of grain that ought to be used as food,
In fha i,,ir1rx- n labor fhat M might
increase the nations health, in the burden
of taxation incurred because of the pauper-
ism, insanity and crime caused directly and
indirectly by the use of intoxicating
liquors, in the general decentralization to
society consequent upon the traffic in
these liquors, in the political corruption of
which this traffic is the continued cause
and the ever ready accomplice.
"In the consideration of these grievances
women are no more concerned than men;
in the material prosperity of the country,
in the political purity of the Government,
they have an equal interest; but there are
grievances which more heavily press upon
women, and more loudly plead for
redress. Of the home woman is the
acknowledged conservator of its interests.
She is the natural guardian its prosperity
is her greatest Joy and pride; its ruin her
greatest grief and shame The use of in
toxicating liquors imperils and destroys
every interest of the home, and the traffic
in Intoxicating liquors is the arsenal of
weapons, the fortress Of supplies by which
this use is fastened upon the home, upon
society. upon the State and Nation. Gen.
tlemen of the committee, may not women
petition for q redresss of these grievances?
What else can woman do? She cannot by
direct political influence make legislators
who shall set the strong arm of the law
against the traffic. She can plead, but she
har rrxIn ctt t.t
of hope of reward or the tonic of fear of
punishment. Pardon me, gentlemen, if
there be an implied imputation of suscepti-
bility to such stimulants or tonics. Thus
do i urge you to a more careful, if possible,
consideration of the prayer of these petit
tioners than you would give if they were
citizens who might otherwise enforce their
claims.
eve are well aware that the several States
are sovereign in their power to deal with
the manufacture and sale of Intoxicating
liquors; that they may, by constitutional
statutory law, absolutely prohibit the traffic;
but we also know that they cannot control
the importation and inter-commerce in
these beverages, and the presence OF these
liquors within the territory of the States
though they receive no direct protection
of the General Government, does embarras
very greatly the operation of State laws.
THE recognition of the traffic by taxa
tion does give it dignity, and that whicl
should be branded as an outlaw, demands
representation fits interests in the Congress
OF the United States on the basis of revenu,
paid to the Treasury of the United States
and thus traffic which is in some Of the
States absolutely prohibited, and in all il
under the restraint of police regulations
claims the General Government as an ally
to the extent of the tax received.
"Such variance of interests in the spiri
- CkaAo 81 -lA1s l,,
tend to disintegration-nott to union.
"The Washington Monument yonde
contains stones from the various States
that from my own, Iowa, bears this in
scription Iowa, like the borders of he
rivers, tends to perpetual Union Thi
Union shall be perpetuated, not only b.
common ancestors, by common Commercial
interests, by great railroad bands frol
ocean to ocean, by common acceptance il
all the States of the Christian faith and II
the multitude of blessed associations tina
come to us therefrom, but this spirit O
Union must be maintained by harmony il
legislation.
ture of the State governments; it must
no violence to them by an abuse of eve
the spirit of its derived powers.
"The abolition Of the liquor traffic is th
proper subject of constitutional law, for til
reason of its broad and general relation I
all the interests of the body polite. Judge
by the test of other amendments, it MOI
than equals them in dignity and signif
cance."
AT the close of the address Judge Wa
said:
MRS. Foster, we thank you most cordial
for your very able and forcible addres
which shows much thought, study, an
ability, and we will give the cause yo
represent our most candid and col
scientious consideration. The war
sympathy of this committee is extend
ed to you in your laudable labo
Gov. Dingley, of Maine, said that pc
sonally he had been deeply interested an
edited.
After most kindly interchange of cou
tesies, the committee Of the Nation
Women's Christian Temperance Union +
tired, hoping for a favorable report fro
the congressional committee on the appoin
ment Of a commission of inquiry into Il
liquor traffic. &c.
National Hotel Arrivals.
J. II. Faunce, ]. g. Diugle, Philadelph
Z. Reid, Il. Robertson, w. Va. G. w. Je
kins, Iowa j. III. Alexander, Dakota TIE
ritory; A. o. Frick, Pa, l. Pointer, Ne