Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-20
Our Fair RetorInerS.
Annual Gathering of Women
Who Dare to Agitate,
THE W. O. 7. UNION IN COUNCIL,


ties aud the Church-A New Departure
in Religion Threatened-A Plea for the
Bailot-Mayor Hewitt Speaks.
NEW YORK, Oct ga meeting of women
is in progress here that is expected to develop
some lively debates before it closes. 1t is the
fifteenth annual meeting of the W. C. I u,
and the question that debate is anticipated
upon is whether the union shall take part
in politics by endorsing the third party
Prohibition movement. Some $40 dele
gates were in attendance at the Metropolitan
Opera house when the convention was called
to order yesterday morning, and among those
present are Miss Francis Z. Willard, the
president; Mrs. J. Ellen Foster, of Iowa; Gen
Neal Dow, of Maine, and Mrs. f Cady Stan
ton, and others, representing the Woman's
Suffrage league
Miss Willard opened the proceedings with
a short speech, and then introduced Gen.
Neal Dow as the grand old man" of thu
United States, and he proceeded to speak in
favor of Prohibition politics. The prelim-
mary business was rapidly got through with.
and then Mrs. Willard made the annual ad-
dress, after which recess was taken.
H6 dilluti Oh miss w IithIu was
very long. In 1859, she said, there was not
in this land national society of women, but
that the work done by women to mitigate
tho horrors of civil war first revealed the
latent power of tho nations wnmanhood.
She spoke in praise of the "mnther- hearted,
both among the mothers and among the
maids, and paid glowing tribute to Miss
Susan r. Anthony. The W. c. T. u, she
said YVES one of the institutions of the civil
izsd world, from Africa. where Mrs. Leavtt
is now laboring, t the worlds wine centre
and metropolis, the city of Paris. She urged
the establishment by the state Of homes for
adult incapableS such as infirm inebriates
and victims of the tobacco, opium, and chic
raj habits whose conduct wears out valuable
lives. The establishment of peace confer
ences was referred to, and Miss Willard sug.
gested that the convention ask for the ap-
pontment of Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson as
one Of the ten peace commissioners to be deS-
ignated by the president.
She then discussed the political sids of
said, according to the testimony of the brew
ers had done all that had been asked for the
brewing interests, while the Democratic
party openly espoused the liquor traffic:
The candidates of the Prohibition party-that
party which women and men will build together
are themen to support The hour could not
be more propitious. Northerners have lived to
be eyewitness 10 the fact that We have not
gone to ruin under Democratic administration
and southerners-outsde of fice-seekers-have
Jared equally well under Republicans. Both par
tie desire a rectiication of the tariff and neither
wants free trade; neither favors civil service re-
form to any extent and the only vital issue be-
fore US nationally is the question of this liquor
traffic
The speaker then argued at length against
the injustice of the Acknowledgement of
women, against whom man com uits crimes
and fixes the punishment In this she held
there was no reason or justice. On this
question OF the ballot she dwelt at greater
length than upon any other, and quoted va
rious high Judicial and ecclesiastical author
tiles, showing that women were unjust.y
treated in the matter of suffrage At the
barred council room doors of the church,
she said, was where woman had made the
least progress; but there as elsewber1 en-
iightened woman hood will prevail. The re-
tusal of the Methodist Protestant conference
to license women after ordaining them, she
SeA'N'f was "AShNuS JuSSi1S1 anu thCil tIcdt-
| ment by these holy men was discourteous be-
yond parallel.
She said that new church organization
was under consideration to which all could
belong who subscribed to the apostles creed
| and the triple pledge of total absti n,
ence, anti-tobacco and social purity
| in which men and women were to
be upon terms OF perfect equality
| The name of this organization, she said
would be the Church Union, but she herself
prayed that this step be delayed four years
at least, in the hope that ministerial views
would broaden
! The labor question was last touched upon.
| The Knights of Labor, Miss Willard said,
were the most efficient body in the land for
the protection of women. 1t upheld wages
and regulated the hours of service so as tc
disband the army of tramps. The climax Of
the labor movement, she said, would bs
reached when workers ceased soothing at the
Bible and looked upon it as the book Of
| brotherhood.
After recess the session was opened witt
prayer by Mrs S. C. Acheson, of Texas, fol
lowed by music, and Mrs. Caroline Buel
| then read her report as secretary, which
was full of gratifying information of tn
progress of the cause all over the country
The report of Mrs. Buell. gave statement
OF the condition of the organization and it
work She reported the union in a ver1
fourishing condition, its strength being Z, 81
unions with membership Of lG4, Pa
The equally satisfactory report of Treasure
Miss Esther Pugh came next, and then cam
the reports Of the superintendents of the de
partments OF heredity. Mary Weeks Bur
nett, of Illinois; health, Miss Mary Mather
Of Delaware; kindergarten, Mrs E. G
Green, of Vermont; scientific temperance in
structon, Mrs Mary H. Hunt, of Massachu
setts; Sunday school work, Miss Lucia f
Kimball, of Illinois; juvenile work Mrs
Helen G. Rice, of Massachusetts; temperate
in schools of higher education, Mrs. G. S
Hunt, of Maine. social purity, Mrs. J. 4
Kellogg, of Michigan; franchise, Rev
Anna S. Shaw, of Illinois; parlor meetings
Mrs. Anna NJ Hammer of New Jersey
temperance literature, Miss Julia Colman, O
New York; suppression of impure litera
ture, Mrs. Deborah C. Leeds, of Peunsyl
vania
All these papers are thorough and intel
esting, and showed that the union is takin
advantage of all the aid that science can o.
fer in conducting its important work of RI
ducing the liquor evil and raising new ger
Grafton to which it will be less familiar an
formidable than to the present
Mary Livermore was admitted as fraternt
delegate. Mrs. Turnbull and Mrs Stedma
were introduced and the former spoke on II
work of the W. c. r. U. in Nova Scott,
Mrs. Randolph, Mrs. Chapman. Mrs. D
Todd, Mrs. ?. Buckevlle, and Miss Mimi
Phelps all of Canada, were also introduces
and the latter made bright speech. At
O'Clock recess was taken.
At the evening session the house W,
crowded, despite pouring rain. 1t was 8
timated that S 600 women were in the built
ing. President Willard called the conve
tien to order. Mrs j. T. Mills. of New Je
sey, conducted the opening exercises. May,
HewiEt's appearance on the stage aroused
demonstration. The mayor was INTRODUCES
{ by Miss Willard as "a great and go1d man
and made felicitcus speech, welcoming &
ladies to New York, eulogizing their wor
declaring his opinion chat the world is &c
ting better every day, announcing himself
friend OF temperance, regardless Of his ne,
! Of votes just now, and crediting the woms
with most of the coed that was being ar
had been done in the world His honor w
literally applauded.
! Mrs. Mary T Burt, president of the W.
, 7. .. of New York, next spoke, welcomir
the delegates and touching upon the gener
work Of the organization.
Gen Clinton B. Fisk responded to 10,
calls for his name, and made strong speec
i though he was almost ill. The conventic
, hen listened to number of speeches. MAJ