The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-05-15
WOMEN'S POWER.
Miss Cleveland's Appeal to Young Girls
In 1882.

In 1882.
The National Temperance Society
and Publication House has copy of the
Youths Temperance Banner for Feb
ruary II, 1882, in which is the follow
ing article for young girls, by Elizabeth
Cleveland, sister of President Cleveland:
j. G. Holland wrote in Mrs. Hayes
album these words: ''Women only can
make wine-drinking questionable and
heal the Nation of this curse"
What did DR.. Holland mean by
''women only?" Is it true that only
women can make drinking I'M
fashionable and heal the Nation of this
curseP You and l need to know this
first; because if only we women can do
this thing, why it is an awful respon-
sibility upon us, each one Of us. And
if somebody elese can do it, we, like all
the others, would like to give that some
body else the job. Five years ago, at
Washington, Mrs. Hayes became
mistress of the White House, and it was
for her, and no one else, to say what
the social atmosphere should be which
surrounded her guests, and how they
should be entertained at her house.
Well, she did an unheard-of thing.
She banished wine from all her
entertainments. with just one ex-
ception. Secretary EvartS made a
fuss. He was mortified. He could
not endure to have Lord and Lady
English, Count and Countess French,
Baron and Baroness German come to
the White House dinners and have
nothing fit for them to drink-not q
drop of poison! 1t was too utterly
queer! So Mrs Hayes made one ex-
ception in favor of those great foreign
highnesses and allowed wine upon her
table in their presence. But only for
once. Her conscience -high-souled
woman that she is-smote her for that
one little cowardly compromise with.
wrong. She could better endure to
have Secretary Evarts and the Smiths
ashamed of her than to be ashamed Of
herself. So she quietly and forever af-
ter prohibited wine from her table and
cheerfully endured the lifted eyebrows
and shrugged shoulders of the diplo-
MATES British, French. Russ anal,
and the little, short lived hiss of ''fash-
ionable" society, until that hiss turned
to a cheer, and fashionable society
turned round, like the spaniel it is,
and trotted on behind IFS mistress.
1t became questionable TO serve wine
and to offer wine in fashionable society
while Mrs. Hayes was in the White
House.
What Mrs. Hayes did in the White
House every woman can do in her own
home, if she will. If the girls who read
these words will each of them, altogeth-
err use their influence on the side of
Temperance, they can make Temper
ance fashionable where they are. viii
you do it?
General Grant does a manly thing in
refusing to drink wine everywhere and
in all society. 1t is only strong man
who can keep his wineglass upside
down-in this case right side up, tool
while all the grand people around him
are slipping champagne and toasting
each other in sparkling drinks. No
one can tell how '.far this little candle
cliCuo lOo liSit' Oub uO OHC Cdu W.
for fashion in society what a woman
can. 1t is women only, as DR.. Holland
said.
] wish some strong, bright angel
stood before you, just now, while you
read, girls, to fash before You, as no
words of mine can, the power you pos
sess to help or to hinder the cause of
Temperance; to make you feel your re-
sponsibility, because you are girls, in
this matter; to shuddcr at its weight,
and to never cease trying to fulfil it!
Doubtless you have heard a great deal
about the value of your smiles; but do
you know the value of your frowns? l
wish / could make you feel the value of
your frowns and the Importance of
knowing just what TO frown upon.
What man must do by blow a
woman can do by frown. When the
time comes that the young man who
now shares his time in your society and
in the saloon, who jokes about Temper
ance in your presence, and takes
glass. socially, now and then, is made
TO feel that these things can not be If
you are to be his companion at party,
ride or church; that good society can
not tolerate these things in its MEM
bers; in short, that this kind of a man
is questionable and unpopular, then
alcohol will tremble on its throne, and
the liquor traffic will hide its canccrous
face.
.