Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-01

!, 1000,
Christian martyrs. #, instead Of the army.
of patriots standing shoulder to shoulder in
defense Of their country, and with
one accord shouting the battle cry OF
freedom in the struggle Of the Revolu-
tion, they had asserted their belief
in liberty and independence, but
preferred rather to stand in with the Tories
ard Conservatives than support it, they
would occupy about the same position as
Mrs. Foster and her supporters of like
views. These believe in prohibition as a
bene6cent institution that will be pro
motive of vast good in the world, tha
will 90 far to abolish evil and lessen crime.
that will make thousands of homes happv
and millions of men moral; that will Or
vent disease and save countless lives. ana
yet, lacking the courage of their convictions.
they refuse to countenance the party that
upholds the very principle for which thew
are contending. The Republican party Of
Pennsylvania gave the revolving sisters an
awful slap in the face last June, but never
theless they propose to remain loyal, and
turn the other cheek to get another slap
rather than not have their own way in the
National W. c. T. U. This action, while
it falls in with literal Interpretation of the
with human nature, hence back of il all
there is a very likely prejudice or private
interest or what the beloved brethren call
the "big head
But the strangest thing is that these de-
serters from the main body OF the W. G. T.
q. prefer to pursue their proposed reform
by prayer and influence rather than bv the
ballot. They know that the desired legisla-
lation can only be secured by vote, but the
Pennsylvania boilers, as we are told, do not
want suffrage. As appears, they would
much rather go down to Harrisburg and
coax, and plead, and bribe, and bamboozle
the members of the Legislature to vote for
their pet measures, than to go quietly to the
polls of the precinct and drop into box q
little folded paper:
"A weapon that comes down as still
As snOw-hakes fall upon the sod;
But executes free mans will
As lightning does the will of God"
ENTIRELY TOO COMMONPLACE.
This to them is too plain, practical and
prosaic. They prefer the former plan of
gaining their desired end of legislation BY
the more sentimental and sensational sIyle
of fattery and woman's wiles. Palaver,
parade and emotional gush are more relied
upon in their practice of politics than the
direct voice of the people, as pronounced
under law.
But there always must be conservative
minorities. They are needed to pull back
and restrain the impetuosity of advanced
liberals, whose tendency is to get too far
beyond the age. But what is strange about
these Pennsylvania sisters is that while
talking to the top of their capacity and be-
sieglng Heaven with prayers for acts Of
special Providence to achieve their ends,
they yet refuse to avail themselves of the
means that would lead most directly to their
desired object. They are determined, as is
said, to go all round the world to come in
at the back door.
1t is to be hoped, however, that "the bolt
ers" will have ample time for reflection. A
calm, unbiased consideration of the result of
their efforts in this State to bring about
prohibition will surely convince them of the
folly of their methods and attempts to en-
force it, when not sustained by public opin-
Ion. Notwithstanding the fact that the State
of Pennsylvania, through its representa-
tives, was certainly committed to cold water
legislation, yet when submitted to the peo-
ple-no, the male citizens-it was heavily
repudiated. The moral is obvious. But will
the revolving sisters see it?
The W. c. 7. q. is a grand organization
OF good women. Its greatest and most inn
portant work SO far has been the education
of its members. Through it thousands of
women have been taught the benefits and
power of organization. They have learned
that they can fulfill all of the duties of
housekeepers and mothers and yet have time
for outside work in the line Of reform. They
have attained comprehension of their pow
ers, and can never more be cried down as
the interiors and subordinates of men as to
brains and capacity. They have acquired
such knowledge of politics as will
make them independent and responsible
voters where the interests of their homes
and families are concerned. They have
gained such confidence in themselves, and
obtained such insight into affairs, that the
Church has been quietly notified that women
no more intend to "keep silence in the
Churches" than do men in Republic pro-
pose ''to honor the King" as was set forth
in apostolic times With all the little bick-
erings and faultfndings and shortcomings
of its members the w. G. T. q, is benef-
cent institution, not for prohibition so
much as for the advancement of women
themselves.
It may be said too that while their discRs-
sions may be marked BY some warmth and
snap-or that some of the delegates "bolt'
when they cannot carry out their designs,
and men hold up their hands and say '.just
like women" it would be well for them to
remember that just like men would be more
true to precedents, and that human nature is
human nature, whether conventions be COM
posed Of men or women.
BESSIE BRAMBLE.