The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1889-11-15
Natr W. {. T. u. convention.

Chicago, Friday, Nov. Sth.
The political questi on which has caused
SO much strife among the ladies of the
Woman's Christian Temperance union was
touched upon by Miss Willard as follows:
''If the republican party, dominant at the
north, or the democratic party, dominant at
the south, will municipality. or by states.
or nationally, declare for Sunday closing
of the saloons, the Woman's Christian TEN.
perance union will give its utmost sympa-
thy and aid in the endeavor; if they will
declare, either or both of them, for night
closing, We will help them all We can; if
they will adopt any other method that sets
the enginery of law against the saloon,
rather than puts an insurance policy upon
its continuance, we will go with them the
full length of such measures; we have
millions of good will for home defense, but
not one cent for the tribute money that in
sures saloon protection. We have said
from the beginning that any local union is
at perfect liberty to pass a resolution coun-
ter to that adopted by state and national
unions, thus declaring Its desire to disfel-
lowship any favorable a%llusion to the fav-
orable action ofany party relative to prohi-
bition, but very few local unions have an
outlook SO narrow upon the great field of
politics as such action would betoken.
However, as they have always been free to
do this, let us not declare at this late day
that individuals shall not have equal free
dom.
The word non.sectarian' assumed by
world a distinction without a difference.
1t is perfectly well known to all white-rib-
boners that we nave never been sectarian,
but that Jew and gentle, catholic and pro-
~testant, have all been welcome to IL fold,
although the dominant sentiment is for
protestant Christianity. Suppose that all
the churches but one were passing high-li-
cense resolutions, surely our 'non-sectarian'
condition would not prevent us from pass
ing a resolution in favor of that one. But
when a sporadic union here and there goes
off by itself and p~refixes or affixes 'non-sec-
tartan to its name, the impression is given
to the public that the Woman's Christian
Temperance union las been sectariAn bo-
dy all these years, or else has suddenly be-
come so.
'But let it never be forgotten that We
who are here in convention assembled
represent a national movement; that it is
our special prerogative to note the politi-
cal signs of promise along the national
horizon; and yonder we see two great old
warships battering each other on the high
seas of the presidential campaign; We see
that high tariff and free trade, the spoils
of office, the glittering prizes of personal
ambition, engage them altogether, while
into view comes the cleaning sail that
tells us
"She is launched on the wave, the good ship
Prohibition,
The wave of humanity, boundless and free
Are we afraid to send our blessings out
after that ship across the stormy water, or
to ask heavens blessing on the brave men
who guide its destinies?
NAY, verify! Sink or swim, live or
die, survive or perish,
" We have sounded forth the trumpet that
shall never call retreat
"Be of brave heart, Neal Dow, father
of prohibition; and you, st. John, it's mar
tyr still alive; and you, Clinton Il. Fisk,
its standard bearer, valiant as you are
gracious; the white-ribbon women were
never more in earnest for the cause you
love than they are now.
Men will get Gods light or Gods
lightning said one of the prophets of our
time. Chicago had His lightning in Hay.
market square. In Battery d it has al
least a chance to get His light"
After referring to the numerous defeats
which prohibition has sustained recently
Miss Willard said:
GAS a method of raising a revenue from
vice high license is a success, and it is
equally so as a life insurance policy on the
saloon. 1t arrays the expert and non,
expert temperance forces against
each other and makes of mans OWL
houSchtIu HIS WoTSi Toes. II Has set DacR
the temperance cause ten years il not a gen.
Grafton; it has blinded mems consciences to
moral distinctions, deadened the churches,
muzzled the clergy, chloroformed the relig.
ious editor, and rejoiced the devil and his
hosts"
Miss Willard next attacked her ~favorite
subject of woman's suffrage as follows:
"The tendency never set So strongly as
now toward an educational test in voting.
The Australian ballot system indirectly
favors this; also the constitutions of the new
states and those now forming, as discussed
and some of them as enacted. This educa.
tional qualification lifts the whole move.
ment to a plane Of thought most advant.
ageous to us, disarms the difficulty of the
purchasable vote, the foreign VOTE the
ignorant vote, and stands as a finger
board pointing from the path of danger in
to that of deliverance.
"The next step will be compulsory vot-
ing-that a fine shall be assessed on every
soul of man and woman who does vote.
This will help to bring out the 'remon-
strant' section of the human family ana
the spOlitics-i is beneath man