Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-10
THE W. C. 7. q. AT WAR
An Epistolary lntimation Of Lively
Times at Chicago.
MISSFRANCES WILLARD ARRESTED
Why She Resigned From the Prohibition
National Committee.
MRS. ELLEN FOSTER As A PROSELITER

Some rather startling news IN regard to
the inside workings of the W. G. I. U. Ma
tional Convention, now in session at Chi
cago, is contained in q letter recently re-
ceived from Pennsylvania delegate by Mr..
Andrew Bryce, of Mt. Washington, the
well-known third party advocate.
The information is to the effect that Miss
Frances Willard was arrested last Tuesday
as an outgrowth of the racket in connection
with the financial administration and man
agement OF the Chicago Temperance Hospi-
tai an establishment run upon the anti
alcohol plan.
There is said to exist violent antagon-
ism between Mrs. Foster, of Iowa, and Miss
Frances Willard. The trouble is of long
standing. Eight years ago at the st. Louis
Convention, Mrs. Foster introduced a NIL
nority report in opposition to the previ-
ously passed resolutions sympathlzlng with
that political party which incorporated in
its platform a prohibition plank as in oppo-
sition to the license system. Since that
time Mrs Foster has steadily fought the
majority led by Miss Willard, assuming an
attitude of steady hostility to the principles
indorsing tentatively the National Prohl-
bition party. Since Mrs. Fosters appear
ance on the stump for the National Repub-
ican Committee in the last Presidential
campaign, she is stated to have lett no stone
unturned to
REPUBLICANIZE THE W. C. T. o.
She has been getting her fences in order
by coming to Chicago three months before
the present convention, and her prominence
has enabled her, it is boldly asserted by
Miss Willard's friends, to give color to
Associated Press reports of the preparations
for the proceedings of the convention, which
does great injustice to the sentiments Of the
majority of the convention. So well defined
has the protest against Mrs. Fosters
methods become that a formal address to the
country is stated to be in course o. prepara-
tion by the Willardites.
Miss Willard, on her part, keenly re-
grets the fact that pending the last Presi-
dental election, she was led to accept the
position of an advisory member of the Ma
tional Prohibition Executive Committee, a
position she has since resigned, feeling that
the slightest connection with political
body or party was misconstrued, and was
leading to schisms and secessions among the
W. G. 7. q. members, under the fomenting
influence of Mrs. Foster. Miss Willard's
friends are very indignant that the mon
nies"-meaniDg the class who are organiz-
ing a secession in the National W. G. T.
U.-should persistently allude to her semi
political action in 1888 as an evidence OF a
desire to make piece.
OF POLITICAL MACHINERY
out of the National W. G. 7. O., when
as a matter of fact her aim was simply to
assist the cause by aiding those who
championed political temperance. While
Miss Willard claims to be loyal VIC. 7.
U. member, she reserved the right to become
temporarily political prohibitionist as an
individual.
It is possible that Miss Willard's re-
election to the Presidency will be actively
opposed by portion of the delegates, who
are not educated up to the separation Of the
two ideas. The election takes place next
Tuesday and may prove to be the most
exciting episode in the history of the orgsni-
zation,
Miss Willard's arrest is now claimed to
have been conspiracy upon the part of
Mrs Fosters adherents. The details we're
carefully corked up, but 1t is learned that
upward of 80 millionaires rushed forward
with bail and offers of backing. There
seems to be music ahead in the W. c. T. o.