Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-07-18
W0MENS' CHRISTIAN
Temperance Union CdluRl %,
BY THE w.o.T. UNION
GOSPEL PoElFIcs.
From the Annual address Of Mrs. Nary r.
Lanthrop at the Michigan w. c.
7. u. Convention.
(Concluded this week.

of temperance people. The w. @. I
u. trod their own unique path to al
these conclusions. We were not theor
lists grooming over illusions and de
lusions. We were discoveries anC
were on the spot where these fact
were to be found. Moreover, we were
desperately IN earnest-not to run {
snowy, moral reform, but to destroy
dranshop. But these underlying
causes which had 80 forcibly impress
ed as, struck with still greater empha
sis large holy of men IN this coun
try who needed not to petition bu
who could speak at the ballot-box fol
themselves. We could not he po
litical party any more than aliens
minors or idiots could come to thai
high estate, for we are not citizens. Blu
these men could and did organize 1
political party.
Long before the Crusade there wers
Prohibitanists in the country who be
lieve that the only way to get the "a
Ionn ont of government and prohibl
ton, in, wits 10 organize and vote Il
that end. This prohibitory Organiza
ton had sometimes made a respecta
BILE showing, but nationally it had no
been OF rapid growth; this mainly
because of war issues yet unsettled
and the lack of proper temperance
sentiment among voters To THESE
must he added yet another hindrance
found in the hope cherished by multi
~rndes of the best citizens. that the Re
publican party born OF moral rather
fhan political forces, would finally ta Ike
the issue These men, to whom the
abolition of the liquor traffic WAS the
commanding question, preferred to be
right rather than To be in the major
ity. So they stool like an ensign on
a hill, witnessing against a wrong they
could MT remove and would not fell
lowship. They boosted such names
as Judge Black, Gideon T. Stewart
A. A Hopkins and John Russell.
These men have waited long, MS men
must wait who think ahead of their
time.
Lately the rising of temperance
sentiment ON one hand, and the impu-
dent greed for political power of the
liquor olirarchy on the other, has
called attention to the waving ensign
IN the heights of moral right, and II
revolt of conscience struck the old
parties. By Nov. 4, 1884, $4,000 vo-
ters. who were political party, said /:
BY Gods help we will make a way for
prohibition TO get into government
The Womans Christian Temperance
Union, which was not political party
and could not be, but which waa look
ing for one to espouse its cause and
carry it to the proper realm Tor settle
ment, saw the battle put thus in array
and was glad.
In 1888, at the national convention
in Detroit, these women,
Resolved, That we will lend our
influence to that party, by whatever
name called, that will furnish the beSt
embodiment of prohibition princi-
piles, and will most surely protect our
homes
In 1854 the test had been applied
and in the full knowledge this gave
them this passed the following resolu-
ton as the expression OF sentiment
burned into the conscience by the
divine fire Of the Crusade, and grow
ing more impressive amid the long,
steady strain of organized work, where
they studied the tactics of the enemy
and learned wisdom by many defeats:
We refer to the history OF ten years
of persistent moral suasion work as
fully establishing our claim to he
a non political society, but one which
steadily follows the white banner %
prohibition wherever it may be dis
played. We have, however, as in
dividuals, always allied ourselves in
local and state political contests with
those voters whose efforts and ballots
have been given to the removal of the
drlmshop and its attendant evils, and
at this time, while recognizing that
our action as Il national society is not
binding upon states or individuals, we
reafiirm the positions taken by the
society both at Louisville in 1882, and
and at Detroit in 1888, pledging our
influence "to that party by whatever
name called, which shall furnish us
the best embodiment of prohibition.
principles will most surely protect our
homes" And as we now know which
national party gives us the desired
embodiment of the principles for
which our ten years labor lRls been
expended, we will continue to lend
our influence to the nationl political
organization which declares in its
platform for national prohibition and
home protection. In this, as in all
our progressive effort, we will en-
deavor to meet argument with argu-
ment, misjudged with patience, de-
nunciatiOn with kindness, and all our
difficulties and dangers with prayer.
To have done less than this at such
an hour would have been To turn our
own endeavor and refuse to accept
the answer to our own prayers.
We are ready now Tor the direct
answer to- our questions
/. The w. G.. L. u. is not n political |
party, any more than we were when |
we worked in this state with the Re !
puclcau party for the submission of |
constitutional prohibition and the |
temperance education law, passing |
resolutions of thanks for the work |
they did. The organization stands |
where it h.Is stood for ten years, so far |
as principles and aims are concerned; |
the only difference being that the bat |
tie deepcns and has moved on, and |
we must go with it or turn deserters. |
>. We are consistent in doing what |
we may, with the social and moral in
hucuce woman possesses, to help those |
who can carry the struggle beyond |
where we can go.
One question still remains Did |
we help to defeat the party retired |
from power last November?
/ think our work for all the years |
has tended towards the defeat of any !
party that cannot, or will not take the |
question. We have Ia
bored necessarily to put not only the
vice of drunkenness on the public /
but the national sin of the |
system which creates drum
IlennesS. The boys gathered into the
Bands of Hope ten years ago voted for
ST. John last fall, and the ren who get
right on this great question, cannot
travel long with political organizations
hat are ~unalterably committed to
instead of prohibition, ana /
his because the political parties of
The past have protected this crime,
and think only of perpetuating it.
Every prayer, every leafiet, every
every effort for the children,
and those who thus aid it, share that
defeat
If you ask whether the passage Of
Dur resolution at st. Louis helped to
he final result, and made us worthy
20 suffer the things to which l have
alluded, reply, No; that resolution
lid not weigh feather in the final