Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-11-14
THE w. T.U. IN SESSION.
Miss Frances Willard Delivered her Annual
Address Last Evening

CHICAGO, Nov. 8.-The sixteenth An
nual national convention of the Woman 5
Christian Temperance UuIOn met here
this morning, with 400 or 500 delegates
present from all parts of the country. The
morning was devoted to the reading Of
scriptures and to prayers.
This afternoon S session was devoted to
the business Of the union, the usual COM
mittee's being appointed and reports from
the executive committee treasurer and
other officers read.
Miss Frances E. Willard, president of
the society delivered her annual address
tonight. In beginning she said patriot
ism had always been part of her religion
and continued You are In Chicago;
and the Cronin murder trial is
in full blast; the national flag was Kissed
and the red flag of the commune applauded
not far from here, but a few weeks ago.
For the experiment Of free government in
our large towns and cities IS a failure,
loudly confessed by the men themselves.
Nor are the reasons for this monumental
catastrophe mysterious. America has be-
come the dumping ground of European
cities; immigration has steadily deteriorat-
ed In proportion, and its quantity has
grown. To-day we have hun
drel thousand anarchists among us.
The multiplication of conventions, enor
NOUS accommodations of capital, corporate
combinations and the octopus grip of
trusts render wage-wOrkers uneasy. Note
the sullen look on the grimy faces In the
mine, and mandatory and on the streets;
read the labor organs of the day and see
if well-to-do Americans are not .'asleep ON
the edge of a volcano" Turning to poll
tics, Miss Willard said: "Let it
never be forgotten that we who
are here represent a national
movement, that it is our special preroga-
tive to note the political signs of promise
along the national horizon, and yonder we
see two great old war ships battering each
other on the high seas of presidential
campaign; we see that high tariff and
free trade, spoils of office and glittering
prices of personal ambition engage them
altogether, while into view comes
cleaning sail that tells us: ''She
is launched on wave,
the good ship Prohibition
the wave of humanity, boundless anc
free" Are we afraid to send our bless
ings out after that ship across the stormy
water or to ask heaven S blessing on the
brave men who died, for its destiny. Nay,
sink or swim, live or die survive or per-
ish. We have sounded forth the trumpet
that shall never call retreat.
Miss Willard recommended that they
ask congress to pass an amendment to the
inter state law prohibiting the bringing
of alcoholic liquors into the prohibition
states. Also that they work for the Blair
educational bill and Blair's prohibitory
amendment to the national constitution
and for law forbidding the manufacture
ofcigarettes and one against smoking IN
waiting rooms and post offices. She said the
| thanks of the convention were due president
! Harrison for directing that no liquor be
sold ON the government reservation In
| Washington. to Secretary Wannamaker
| for his pronounced declamations In favor
of prohibition and the Sabbath observance
and added: Our protest should be sent
to Vice President Morton for permitting
saloon under his hotel. 1t was well known
| he was an enemy of prohibition.
/ but that he would thus out
rage Christian sentiment by personal ALI
ance with the liquor traffic, no one would
believe but for indubitable proof.
I In conclusion Miss Willard paid an elo-
quent tribute to the memory of the late
Mrs. Hayes, and referring to the promin-
nence of that lady in the temperance
movement said Total abstinence never
had such standard bearers as this noble
pair.