St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-07-25
MINNEAPOLIS.
WOMEN OF FEW WORDS.
An Animated Discussion Oyer the
Political Situation.

An Animated Discussion Oyer the
Political Situation.
1t was in the pleasant little lecture
room of Pilgrim Congregational church.
Thirty-fve earnest-looking ladies occu-
pied the chairs in front of Mrs. Robert
Pratt and Mrs. Bardee, tn e president
and secretary of the North Minneapo lis
w. G. T. U. There was trouble brew
ing. 1t could be felt in the atmosphere.
A GLOBE reporter had shifted it in the
air as he passed the open door of the
church, and had ventured into the
awful presence of thirty-five tfemale)
women in order to find out what it was.
Mrs. Cheeny arose and said:
None of us can vote in two unions.
Those who don't believe as we do can
organize another union If they wish;
but they can'tvote in two unions"
What other union do you refer to-"
inquired sister. The one that was
talked OF being organized at the meet
ing down town?''
Yes, certainly. the one organized in
the Baptist church some time ago."
Are there any of our members who
belong to the non-partisan union?" i'll
auired the president. No one re-
sponded and Mrs. Cheeins got up again
to explain that some of the members
present voted in that meeting at the
Baptist church, and if they voted there
they couldn't vote in the present meet
ing.
IF you went down and voted in
mass meeting would you consider that
you were voting in two unions? in
quired Mrs. Pratt, her kindly face
beaming with the conviction of set
tier.
mo. certainly not. if they were in
harmony" responded her opponent,
shut this is different, you know"
'Well. the secretary may read the
names of those entitled to vote" said
the president, and the names were
added.
There were some of the names |
didn't read" remarked the secretary,
las they have not paid their dues in two
years."
Then the ladies took up the ice water
barrel question for little while to cool
their troubled spirits, and they arranged
where the barrels should be put by the
saloons, so as to quench the thirst of the
thirsty.
The difficulty in the North Minneap-
oils union is that one faction wants the
union to be nOn-partisan and the other
wants it to be prohibitionistic in its
much strife all spring, and has been
poked at daintily by the ladies at nearly
every meeting.
After the barrels had been located the
ladies talked about a Sunday school
picnic on the Fourth. where beer had
flowed freely, and men, women and
children had become quite drunk. Mrs.
Cheeny was appointed TO investigate
the matter and enter protest for the
society to the mayor.
Mrs. CreSsy rose and said: "While
this is not secret society, / don't think
we need to have the people told about
it.. move that the reporters present be
asked to retire." The secretary sec
onded the motion.
Mrs. Pratt said she was glad to see the
reporters come In, and Mrs. Whitney
defended the reporters loyalty, so when
the question came up there were only
three ladies cruel enough to insist that
the reporters should not see the fun
that they knew was coming.
A memorial service next Sunday
evening at the Fourth Baptist church
was arranged for in very short time,
and then the ladies took up the mon
partisan" question again, which had
more spirit in it and was altogether
more enjoyable.
At the suggestion of Mrs. Pratt
resolution was read, which, if carried,
would make the union nOn-partiSan w.
G. T. U. Mrs. Pratt had been heard
to say before the meeting that if this
could not be done, she and her followers
would just organize union of their
own. So the question was one of life
Il In Of Ia,
ladies sparkled with expectancy at what
was going to happen.
~ thought that month ago we voted
not to allude to this subject again." said
Mrs. Cressy.
'Read the question that was carried
that day." directed the president.
"We now and forever drop this politi-
cal question and go on with our work."
read the secretary, innOcently.
81 didn't word it that way" returned
Mrs. CreSsy.
"You must have" responded the sec
rotary.
''But didn't"
swell, do you think few of you can
call meeting and vote to bind the soci-
ETY. forever" INTERCEPTED Mrs. Pratt.
Now l was at that meeting and there
were only five-or six voted"
:'There weren't any voted against it,
were there?-were there?"
Mrs. E. l.. Smith said she just knew
that the fact that the nnion was parti-
san hindered in the doing of good work.
That it was pledged to the third party
in almost every county and state con-
vention, and she didn't think it was
right at ALL"
Mrs. Coe. a member of the Central
union, and lady renowned for the
stand which she has taken against par
tisanism in the state conventions, read
clause by which the state convention
had Endorsed tine Prohibition party and
Hugh Harrison as it's advocate. Then
she said a few words to show how,
though they all wanted prohibition,
they were asking for it in different
ways.
When she had done, striking figure
rose in the back of the room. That she
was not one of the flock was evident.
Madam President; I'm a state or
ganizer of the W. c. t. U. May speak
to this body of women?" Without gain
ing permission she rushed to the front
of the room, laying aside her gloves and
extra handkerchiefS as she went.