The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-09-18
W. c. T. U.
Annual Meeting and Election of
Officers.
Interesting Reports of the Secretary
and Treasurer.

ian Temperance Union was held at the head
quarters on Exchange street yesterday after
noon. There was full attendance. The
following reports were made and accepted:
sEcRETARY's REPORT.
Mrs. President and Members of the Union
Every society labors under this great dis
advantage that but few, and sometimes none
besides the regular attendants at the month
ly meetings are gathered1at the annual meet
ings, when the workers really want to tell to
all the members what has been accomplished
in the past and planned for the future, and
to be assured of their sympathy and interest.
Comparatively few of the subscribers to this
and other organizations know what work is
done during the year or how much more
might be done were there more workers and
more abundant means. The work OF this
society cannot be reckoned by dollars and
cents, and yet its usefulness is greatly ham
pered by the want of them, Were the men
and women of Portland fully aware of the
good accomplished and the higher good aim
ed at as within our possibilities they would
willingly help us more abundantly.
Since our last annual meeting this Union
has had the pleasure with the kind assist
ance of many homes among us of entertain
ing the State convention. A church filled
three times day, three days in succession
with women whose hearts were filed with
the love of "God and Home and Native
Land was novel sight in this city and did
much to awaken an interest in the great
work. We may we'll call ours great work,
for there seems no end to the branches into
which it spreads in its development.
We congratulate ourselves on the establish
ment OF headquarters, jointly with the State
Union, in this central locality Much is
needed yet in the way of furnishings to make
the place thoroughly suitable for our work.
But glance about the rooms will suggest
many desirable articles which will be CRATE
fully received and duly acknowledged.
Herewe hope to great many and all white
ribbon women, from no matter how distant
a quarter who may be sojourning in or pass
ing through our city.
The Friendly Inn still serves its purpose in
furnishing comfortable lodgings for men and
boys without other refuge While we do not
that every one should earn what he receives
and pay for what he has, none are turned
away from the shelter. Often during the
cold of last winter the living room, well
warmed was filled with dodgers camping on
benches and floor, while ali beds were filled.
Through the. winter the large room was
heated and lighted every evening. and
boys reading and amusement room main
tanned. We hope to add new and attractive
features to this department this winter. The
Y. w. c. Z. U. now use this room for their
kitchen garden work, and the meetings of
their Band Of Hope. To this new organiza-
ton we have delegated the work of the
Flower Mission established by us nine years
ago.
During the season from October to April
the Union, with the Law and Order League,
sustained monthly Sunday evening temper
ance service in the several churches. Be-
sides city speakers, members of the two So
cieties we had from abroad, Mrs. McLaugh-
lin, Mrs. Woodbridge and Miss Moore. There
have been held two parlor meetings, adj
dressed by prominent, members of the
National w. G. L. u, which awakened an
interest in the work in many ladies who
1yra hut liffla nnfhipn Of nd
new members were thus obtained,
In the interest of instruction in our public
schools on this question there have been two
meetings. coffee party, to which all the
teachers were invited and 125 were present,
was addressed by. Miss Guernsey of Bos-
ton, and Mr.. Gushing was secured to speak
to the teachers on the same subject at one
of their regular meetings
The two days set apart by the National as
days of prayer were observed by us by an
all-day prayer meeting in the High Street
yeStry and an afternoon meeting at the
Congress Square Church. The Union was
invited to take part in the womens meeting
in connection with the Sunday services of
the Centennial celebration, and there COM
plete history of the organization and work
OF the society was given by our president.
The Sunday work at the jail is vigorous
and profitable. Our chairman of this de-
partment is also the State superintendent of
Jail work, so that every Sunday but one in
c. L. U. banner is done among the prison
erS. When there occurs a fifth Sunday in
the month, the religious temperance service
is conducted wholly by our committee. Re-
ligious books, papers and magazines are
furnished and Bibles and testaments when
ever desired. There has been Committed to
the jail in the last year more than 1900 per-
sons, each of whom have been spoken to
personally on the subject of temperance and
better living Much work has been done in
ont 70 f1,nf oTI
for the perishing from the great evil of in
temperance which cannot be reported and
winch IN some measure must bear fruit.
Faith in human nature and God-given i'm
pulse to good must be characteristic of a
successful worker in this department.
In speaking of the work of the Police Mis-
sion, which we consider the greatest work Of
the society. because in it so many erring
women and young girls come SO intimately
connected with those who have it in charge,
we always feel our inability to give a just
idea of its magnitude. To tell you that the
matr0n has personally seen and talked with
the 1876 women who have been arrested in
the year, gives you no idea of what in many
women have been in the station but for
night, but they have not gone to their homes
without an effort on our part to raise them
above their low condition. Those who were
sentenced to Jail, house of correction, aims
house or Greeley hospital, have come under
the weekly influence of our matrOn One
was sentenced to the Temporary Home and
several have voluntarily gone there after
their release from sentence, where they are
subject to the restraints and reforming in
fuences of that most worthy institution, In
this department of work we are greatly i'm
pressed with the need in this State of a Re-
formatory Prison for women. Many old Of
tenders are arrested time and time again and
the short sentences under no reformatory in
fiuences are not long enough to uproot the
strong appetite for drink and evil habits and
implant a determined resolution to lead an
upright life. The Jail life of these women is
demoralizing in itself, for the old couplet is
as true now as ever, that
Satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do
Here the old hardened sinners and the
Younger victims of vice are in constant COM
munication, passing the entire time of their
sentence in idleness, busy only with their
t ,ngues Can it be other than school of
vice?
The one new feature of our work in the
year is the Charity kindergarten held dur
ing the summer months Thirteen little
folks from three to five years of age, have
been gathered under the kindly influence of
a most genial teacher. and their happy faces