The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-18
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The Political Greed of the XyOman's Chris
tan Tenperance Union.

/
To the Editor Of tho indianapolis Journal
Politics is but the application Of morals to public
afiurs.-4 haIles Sumner.
Upon the government that has the right to lay its
hands on the property and lives OF its citizens de-
wolves the duty OF protecting ndianapOlis
JouaTlal-EditoIial.
The Womans Christian Temperance Union
has never committed itself to any political CON
stituency. But we believe that the foundation
of all true reform is education. Law, human and
divine, has been heldto be thegreatest educator;
hence, we believe that law should prohibit any
thing that is intrinsically bad.
We believe it to be the duty of the state to
protect the citizen in life, liberty, and property
The liquor traffic destroys life. liberty and prop
erty and therefore has no claim upon this gov
eminent for protection We believe right is
right and wrong is wrong. To license a wrong
is to make the state particeps criminis. To ex-
act license from Il business that is right is to I'M
fairly discriminate and is unjust We believe
the home is the nations vital force The liquor
traffic brings discord and degradation to many
homes; therefore, being q home destroyer,
must tend to weaken the state. We be
leve that human law must cooperate with .di-
vine law, and that the liquor traffic is
the great central iniquity Of our nation; there
fore it is the duty of every citizen to put away
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Christian civilization.
We believe there is temperance sentiment
enough now to control this evil in existing par
ties if Temperance men would attend primary
conventions and demand recognition
We believe every child in our public schools
should be taught the scientific reason why it is
dangerous to drink alcoholic liquors as a bever-
age. Formation being better than reformation.
the schools should be the conservators of moral
ity
We believe that unorganized sentiment is as
powerless as an unorganized army; hence we are
organizing army of the nations reserved
force-the home force. Every State and Terri
tory now has a standing army composed of the
women of the State, bearing about with them
these cabaistic letters, ". c. T. u; armies so
thoroughly drilled that click of the wires
will Them to fan into line in
battafons, headed by superintendent of the
different departments of work, such as scientific
instruction in the schools, work among railroad
| employees, kindergartens industrial schools for
girls, temperance in Sunday-schools, influencing
primary conventions, influencing influential
bodies, and so on through list of thirty-three
departments. 1t means something for the
men of the nation to be taking this stand We
believe the word defeat is obsolete We may not
gain all we work for to-day but we will to-mor
row. Reforms never move backward.
We believe that righteousness .exalteth a ma
ton, but sin is q reproach to any people,, and
that ''of all the dispositions and habits which
lead to political prosperity religion and morality
are Indispensable supports. -Washington's Fare
well Address. Mrs NJ l.. WELLS,
Pres't Ind w. c. u. U,