Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-01
ACTED JUST LIKE MEN
Bessie Bramble Says the Wrangle in
the W. C. 7. .. Convention
HAS ITS PARALLELS In HISTORY.
Women Are Moved by the Same Passions
as the Sterner Sex.
A GRAND ORGANIZATIONS GOOD WORK
rwRrrrEN FOR THE DISPATCH. j..

The record of the national convention of
the Woman's Christian Temperance Union,
held at Chicago recently, showed that even
the sisters who most pride themselves on
possessing the Christian graces of meekness,
humility and long suffering, are in very
truth made of the same stuff as the men,
and are as prone to wrangle and let their
angry passions rise as the brethren under
similar circumstances. Burke somewhere
saws, "there is haughtiness and ierceness
in human nature which will cause innum-
erable broils, place men in what situation
you please" This being true, it Is not
wonderful that in large convention Of
women from all parts of the country, their
differing views should cause warm discus
sion and contention, just as they do in the
public meetings of representative men.
We assemble parliaments and councils
and conventions to have the benefit of their
collected wisdom; but we necessarily have
at the same time the inconvenience of their
collected passions, prej1dices and private
interests. By the help of these, artful men
overpower their wisdom and dupe its pos
SCISSORS; and if we may judge by the acts. ar
rets and ediets the world over for regulating
commerce, an assembly of great men are the
greatest fools upon earth. This was said
by that wise philosopher, Benjamin Frank
lin, whose rich possessions of commen sense
and good judgment were amply sustained
by great knowledge and wide experience.
1t is not to be expected that conventions
held by women will any more flow on with
calm serenity and sweet eomplacency than
those of men, since passion, prejudice and
private interest are just as likely to dominate
women as they do men. Students of history
canrecall the stormy debates, the rancorous
encounters, the battles of parties for power
as fought in the Parliaments of England.
The eloquence and magnetic force of Will
lam Pitt, as in face of the strongest opposi-
ton he advocated reform, will be remem-
bered. The long fight for Catholic emanci-
patton, the struggle for the establishment OF
free trade, the abolition of slavery, and later
the contest on the Irish question in the
House of Commons, all show
THE POWER OF PREJUDICE.
and party, and disclose the passions and
tempers and minds of men as Influenced bv
stubbornness for the right, self-interest, or
malignant party or religious bigotry. Nor
does the record of the American Congress
fail to give similar illustrations of factional
fights, angry encounters, bitter battles be-
tween men and parties for supremacy and
country does not recall the virulence,
savagery and unscrupulous malignity as
shown by the politicians Of the early days
of the republic, when Washington as the
head of the Federalist party was accused OF
the basest of political crimes, when he, the
beloved father of his country, was treated to
the vilest and most malicious "mud-throw-
ing" by the opposition to degree that to
the people of this day seems incon-
ceivable, as he now stands forth in
name and fame as one of the
purest Of patriots and noblest of men. In
the days of Jefferson as President the fights
and animosities, and rancorous hbels and
fiery debates, as accounts have come down,
far exceed any of the little excitements in
the hostile camps of the Republicans and
Democrats OF to-day. Even General jack
son, the idol of the Democracy, was abused
and vilifed by the papers and men of his
own party, who said ''his election would be
a curse to the country" Bargain and
bribery and corruption" were charged to
the score of Henry Clay, and had dire
effect on his candidacy for the Presidency.
Intrigues deep and dark and designing
were credited to the public men of both
parties. Clay and Adams were denounced
as the ''meanest panders of vice and poilu-
| tion," while Jackson, on the other hand,
as to his marriage and his wife, whom he
had assisted to procure divorce from her
first husband. In the House, in the course
of debate, John Randolph accused Henry
Clay of being "blackleg" and "forger."
Randolph refused to withdraw the offensive
epithets and a duel followed. A brutal
personal assault was nude by General Sam
Houston upon a member of the House in re-
turn for some remarks that he held to be
obnoxious and insulting. The debates pre-
ceding the war upon the subject Of
slavery give token of the fercest passion
and most savage encounters between North
ern and Southern members of Congress, hot
headed Senator Benton and Senator Foote
making themselves on one occasion especi-
ally conspicuous during the oncoming of
s'the irrepressible conflict" The brutal at
tack upon Charles Sumner BY Preston
Brooks can hardly be forgotten, as it was
that event which fred the Northern heart
and brought to a head the great contest for
the abolition of slavery.
NOT AS BAD AS MEN.
With all of these famous precedents to be
cleaned from the history of great men
representing their fellows in the Congress
of tine United States, ''the war upon Nor
| ton, +" "the charges of Justification hurled at
each other by the sisters in heated debate, !"
! and the bitterness and rancor manifested,
| as reported, seem like a small milk-and-
water matter, although even these reports
are said to have been purposeIy exaggerated.
| But the animosity and bitterness, as talked
of and admitted, grew pale, indeed, as COM
pared with the vociferous violence and
uproarious goings-on in some of the most
dignifed bodies of wise men, sage counsel
ors and prominent politicians
As related, many Of the factional fights in
the associations and organizations of men
are plainly the result of the spirit that
moves the small boy who, when not allowed
to win tine game and have everything his
| own way, picks up his marbles and goes
home, so also Mrs. Ellen Foster and her ad-
| herents in the same childish pet are like
the little girl, who, if she can't be ''the
mother" and boss things generally, an
uounces she won't play'' and takes her
dishes and departs in high dudgeon. Mrs.
| Foster could not avail by her influence and
oratory to bring the W. G. T. U. to her
| notions, so she proposes to break up the
union and destroy its influence as far as
possible-not so much it would appear be-
cause she is non-partisan, but be-
cause the main body is not par
tisan to her politics. Being employed
bv the Republican party to lecture in its be-
half and to use her influence to secure the
adherence of the W. C. T. U. to Republi-
can interests, she did her utmost to this
end in the last campaign. Failing in this,
she endeavored to prevent the union from
indorsing the Prohibition party. In this
too she failed, but her efforts were recognized
by Harrison, who bestowed, it is said. 9
nice Office upon her husband. But whether
this assertion be true or not, it is still plair