The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-10-18
Women In Politics.

The Vermont Women's Christian Tenn.
perance Union has met in solemn con.
clave and adopted the following resolu-
ton
No local union snail be bound by any
principle espOused or plan devised by
the State Woman's Christian Union
except that all union auxilaries must
subscribe to the total abstinence pledge
and to the constitution OF the State
Union. Any resolution referring to our
attitude toward political parties shall be
decided by vote without debate and re.
ceived with silent prayer.
The above action was the result OF q
demand on the part of some Of the
branches of the State organization that
the Union have no hand in politics. Az
concession to the non-partisan ele
ment OF the Union, it is about as salts
factory as Artemas Wards assurance tn
those desiring free admittance to his
show, that, while none could 20 in with
out paving, as many as pleased could
pay without going in; and as piece OF
literature, Git is fully as playful in its
mood as the staDzl which celebrates the
exploits of the noble Duke Of York who
'NN wa hiiOuouhu
He marched them up the hill and he marched
them down again.
And when they were up, they were up up, up;
And when they were down, they were down;
And when they were only half way up,
they were neither mp nor down.
1t lacks, however, in some degree.
the element of absolute truthfulness
which inspires the poem, for it is ex-
cruciatlngly difficult to DISCOVER how
the platform OF the State organization
shall IN no wise affect the local chapters
whose offspring it s This is method
of doctoring platforms which the lvliest
greenbacker in the most agile days of
that antic party didnot contemplate. Now
the example is once set, we may expect
the next Democratic Convention TO
adopt planks in favor of prohibition and
protection, or the Republicans to de
clare for free trade and polygamy, ex
planning in foot note that no person
shall be bound by any principle espous-
ed or plan devised in their convention.
1t is mentioned in an account of the
proceedings Of the convention that a
paper on Kindergarten Work" was
read, as well as a poem entitled Take
Care of the Babies" While regretting
that the instruction on kindergarten
work was not inculcated before the
above resolutions were considered, it is
not strenuouely denied that there was
an element of fitness in following their
adoption with the poem. The Unions
method of silencing debate puts the
"previous question" to the blush. Mrs.
Bardelrs attorney, at his best, could not
have devised more ludicrous docu
ment.-MOntpelier Journal
In contrast with the action Of the
Vermont Convention is this The
Woman's Christian Temperance Union
Of Iowa declines to be inundated in the
interest of third party Prohibition. At
the State convention at Des Moines Fri
day, a memorial was adopted petit
tioning the National Union to recede
from its position identifying il with a
political party, and denouncing the de-
votion of the time OF officers paid for by
the Union to the interests Of party"
And it is significant that the Benning
ton Union, which furnished the presi-
dent to the Slate Union, Miss Anna @.
Park, under whose leadership it grew
and became the success it was, is utterly
opposed to the Third Party affiliations
OF both State and National W. C. T. U