St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-10-23
CHRISTIAN WOMEN'S WORK.
Twelfth Annual Convention of the
National w. G. L. U.
Miss Wizards Annual--The Distin-
guished Women Present.

At the Casino, Minneapolis, yesterday
morning began the twelfth annual con-
vention of the National WOmen's
Christian Temperance union. The
spacious auditorium was beautifully
decorated for the occasion, flowers
adjoining the platform and banners and
notices being prominent throughout the
hall. The white ribbon of the order was
conspicuous i'll the decorations, tipping the
rods which divided off the several state
spaces in the delegates seats. In the rear
were set apart the offices, while platforms
carried a great weight of temperance litera-
ture Upon the stage sat many of the no
tables of the cause. The president. Miss
Frances E. Willard, occupied the center,
her mother, the venerable Mrs. Mary L.
Willard. being seated behind her, Grouped
about were Mrs. c. B. Buell., corresponding
secretary; Mrs. Mary A. Woodbridge, re-
cording secretary; Mrs. l.. NJ. n. Stevens,
assistant; Miss Esther Pugh, treasurer;
Mrs. Margaret Bright Lucas, Miss Esther
Blake. Mrs. Mary j. Pearson and Miss
Catherine Impley, delegates from England,
the first named president of the worlds W.
c. r. u; Mrs. Youmans, the head Of the
movement in Canada; Mrs. A. Chisholm,
Mrs S. w. Foster, Miss j. E. Dangall and
Miss S. Bowes, of Canada; and Miss Cath
cart. of Honolulu.
At 10 o'clock Miss Willard called the
convention to order and Mrs. Hannah
Smith offered a touching prayer, after
which Rock of Ages" was sung. Miss
Willard made few remarks welcoming
the delegates from abroad. The call of
the roll occupied considerable time and
showed large number of delegates pres
ent. Mrs. Willard was introduced and said
few pleasant words Of cheer, which
called out great applause. The following
hour was consumed III routine business, re-
lating largely to admitting proxies and in
appointing committees to perfect the organ
ization. Miss Willard then read her an
nual report, which was simply an address
of unusual eloquence. She began by re-
ferring to the short span which separated
these ladies from their revolutionary fore
mothers
But no contrast in American history could
be greater than that between the revolution
airy mothers assembled here and those of one
hundred years ago. They did not see that to
be the utmost force she can be as ar indlvid-
ual is each woman's best gift to the race.
Missionaries of great intelligence have said
that in China, where distinction of sex is less
accentuated by outward garb than in almost
any other civilized land. there is less immoral
ity than in So-called Christian nations. We
are approaching an era when not the person
ality of class. but of each individual, will
be mirrored in all the external phenomena of
each life.
20 freedom, deepen thou grave
Where every king, where every slave
Shallca in crown aud chain,
Till only man remain"
Into that grave shall go every artificial dis
tinction, every false custom. every enslaving
bONv ha1l ho Inn cd
beside the Tuning cigarette, the malOdorous
pipe and the greasy pack OF cards; there the
corset and the high-heeled shoe, the trailing
skirt and stove pipe hat shall share a common
and blessed oblivion for all time. That grave
is digging; heaven speed the funeral obse-
quies!
Speaking of the condition of the order,
she said:
Our publishing interests have taken a
strong sweep forward since we LAST met Then
the subscription list mum bered $4,000 names,
now it has grown to 20, 900. Since our last
annual meeting we have published 30,000,000
pages. If these were placed side by side they
would reach from Chicago to San Francisco.
The sales through our w. Z. P. A. represen-
tatives. appointed by local unions, have in
the first five months of the experiment aggre-
gated 81, 500, of which $500 have gone to the
local representatives who maze the sales
This plan has worked so well that we propose
III.
are now waiting for their sample packages,
and we have sent them to $50 more. This is
only a beginning, but we have every reason
to expect large results from even the present
corps of faithful and efficient local agents,
Judging from this beginning.
There is just one issue upon which the peo-
ME. not the politicians, of America are
nnited IT is not the tariff, for that is the
chameleon among issues, taking its color
from the personal selfshness of capitalists or
the interests, real or imaginary, of different
industries 1t is not the Southern question,
for that is the
DEAD LION AMONG ISSUES,
in whose skeleton we white ribboners have
found already the honey-comb OF loving COM
radeship. 1t is not the labor question, for
that is the elephant among issues, not yet
grown to full size. and generally feared save
when attended by its keeper, Grand Master
Workman Powderly. But 1t is the prohibi-
ton of the liquor traffic. that earthquake
among issues, which, by blending our homes
in iudlstinguishable ruin, has shaken us to-
pether in one great brotherhood of fear and
anguish. This earthquake extends under the
sea.
The report proceeded with recounting the
progress in various localities of the move
ment to give woman the ballot and con-
tinue6:
The central question of labor reform is not
so much how to get higher wages as how to