Smyrna times., 1888-10-17
The State Convention of the W
G. T. T., at MiddletOWn.
PRESIDENT H1LLEs ANNUAL ADDRESS.

The State convention OF Ile W.
G. T, T., at Middletown'
PRESIDENT HILLEs ANNUAL ADDRESS. |
The annual reunion of the WOmen's |
Christian Temperance Union of Della |
ware met in the Presbyterian church,
Middletown, Wednesday last. Mrs. |
Rev. n. M. Brown, of Newark, led in
praver. Miss Maria l.. Walker in be-
! half of the Middletown Union, gave
them hearty welcome, responded to
by Mrs. Duhadway, of SeafOrd.
The President, Miss Hilles, then
delivered the annual address, which is
given here verbatim
When we separated at the close Of
our last annual convention and enter
ed upon the ninth year of our work as
a state organization, it was under cir
cumstances that were. perhaps less
favorable than at any previous time.
A complete change in the officers was
necessary on account of the removal
into Maryland of Mrs. Martlndale and
Mrs. Quigg, both of whom bad been
among the very first w. Z. 1. Y.
workers in the state and both had held
their respective offices of president and
treasurer from almost the first, since
our organization. They had been so
much to us, that we learned to depend
upon their Judgment. Then the re-
sponsibility was taken by four of your
members. who had never been tried in
their respective positions, nor in their
relationship to each other or to you
the local workers 1t was launching
of our craft with a very unskilltul
crew in charge, and disaster would
surely have been the result had 1t not
been that on the helm there rested a
hand other than ours" Hence it Il
that in this coming together we have
unusual need to recognize Gods prov
idential care, of ways made where
there seemed no way, and of His prom
ises so wonderfully fulfilled in individ
nal experiences. What a gOodly com
q pany are we who wear the white rib
~ bon, counting to-day in our union Del
aware ranks, nearly l 200 paying mem
bers who wage our peaceful war to
"God and home and humanity" An
who do rejoice to-day that already To
Worlds w. G. T. U. has its vice pres
dents in England, Alaska, Canadi
- China, Japan, Hawaiian Islands, Ne
Zealand, Australia, Victoria, CeylOl
India, Burmah, Turkey, Africa, Sial
a. and Sweden.
> Standing in the centre as one who
God hath given us, is Frances +. WI
lard. the president of the W. G. I.
of this, our native land. Surely on
is no little calling, but rather one tn
it BELTS US to cherish and to show ou
= selves worthy ola peculiar peop
y. Jealous of. good works. Perhaps
more significant event or tru
il prophecy has taken place in our cOu
~ try since the days Of the civil W
than was the meeting of the won
of the North with the women of
South on Southern soil at our Ii
national convention. when the p
metto and the pine were tied tOgetE
by the white ribbon and
zone heart, one hope, one destiny,
One flag from a to sea-,
Was the common refrain from Nor
South, East and West.
5 Among the most prominent ca
ever tried before the United Sta
9mpi Supreme Court was the one decided
lpdy December of last year, that invol'
ten the legality of the question Of proh
n Of ton. The test case was taken up fr
; best the courts of Kansas and the cl;
was that a state had not a right to |
= hibit without compensation, and u
B. the decision of the Supreme Court
loads this case rested greater interests to
pring temperance reform than ever before
guar that il was indeed a cause of great
5tF 5aiPe ioicing when the highest court in
. land gave the following decision
1c h. nF X
H law:
M "The states have right to prof.
oW the sale and consumption of an ar
StAl of commerce which they believe tC
pernicious in its effects, and the C;
- of disease, pauperism and crime.
8 the " No Legislature can bargain a
80 60iu, = the public health or morals. The
and pie themselves cannot do it. n
shed shed less their servants"
7tion', iR51' This has not been a year in W
Es- the question has been brought bC
It1Hf eioint the people as to state issues,
S, En- great an extent as in 1887, thoui
,,, constitutional prohibitOry amendi
by its is to be decided upon by the vote
g, and West Virginia in few weeks. 81
cbbtis- this Presidential year, the nat
affec- question assumes the greatest IN
mpuy tance. / do not feel competent or
Liver wish to enter into any argumer
J, it is this time, for feel sure that the
ls's T. Union of Delaware will stand
ante to the national w. Q. I. U. as she
has in the past. And while SO
- we can aid by our influence and
pathy that party (which make
dominant issue the suppression 0
liquor traffic, declares its bell
Almighty God as the source
power in government, defends
= sanctity of the Christian Sal
@O recognizes equal suffrages and
- wages for women, demands the
,mem- tion Of pOlygamy, and uniform
| slime governing marriage and divorce
: assist aims to reform sectional ditfer
oiooq. promote national unity and insuI
~ M ,be = best welfare of our land"
and TO You will hear in detail from Il
do not ports of your corresponding sec
purga- and the superintendents of
md or ments somewhat of that which ha
'p0nos' undertaken by the state and
es. unions, and I shall not dwell on
Il. matters more than to allude
them. county organizations. Pursuant
.,,;r,.d suggestions in Mrs. Martindale
oood annual address, plans for the o
.at-s.- ing OF bne LnIee COuubloS ~ OuOo
'uie'''1s' attention. Mrs. Narcissa Whit
nc iHen- secured for one week in Februa
at that time meetings were call
Die y. sle aaIa local unions requested to senC
8 neatly gates respectively to Newark,
d would and Milford. It was my good
chenclSs to attend them all, and nothi
g, Liver given me more encouragement
Dr. J. the year than the evidence q
D. place Of the living interest felt
people in this greatest of all qu
n the temperance reform. A
desire for information was ever
~ apparent, and the responsibility
nd an Pat. the greater that we publish tn
ses. to those who are so ready to he
lae lineei we we IL is true that all of Delaware
Ime and at as large as some counties in OF
inngton. States, and yet it does not seer
,ot n free ef bic that with the general stat
secured. resting upon them your state
win feier can be familiar with the condit
needs Of every locality as is nee
n f..IH rtas faI1F