River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-02-07

the scum of Madison society. To say
the least, this was of questionable pro.
priety and of questionable utility.
The same ends would have been at
tanned by the less conspicuous course
except that Kate Bushnell would not
have mOnopollzed so large a measure
of public attention. So of the serial
publication of the details of her story
Ia the country press. 1t is doubtful if
such publication furthers the ends of
social purity, either in northern wilds
Of Local homes.
The argument that the daily papers
are filled with worse details of scandal
Is no reason that a society devoted To
social purity should add To the stream
already detiled. The rejOinder thai
/ has been made, that Chicago and other
great cities have worse places of re-
sort than tile northern dives is not
accepted by the ". C. L. U. as an
excuse for the evils III this state. And
they are right. Because some one
else is as bad, or worse, is no excuse
for any degree of evil in ourselves.
agree with "RrjoInder ia nearly
every line of her article pTesumIng
that a lady of the w. q. L. U. is the
author. IL was not such as she that |
criticised. Yet there are few points
upon which we shall not agree. IL is
AN established fact that the National
society has allied itself with purely
political party, for better or for worse.
The astute leaders of that party are
using the influence of the Union for
this one purpose and only so far as
their purposes go. AS result of this
alliance the rules of the society have
been SO amended as to apply gag law
SO strict that no one who is opposed to
such political fusion Can get a hearing
in the national councils of the w. c.
| L. U. In this state-ln this city, at
least-Jhe Prohibition leaders dictate
the public policy of the Union, and il
Is always for the political benefit of
| their party rather than the auellora-
non OF the condition of either the in
temperate, or the fallen. But one
result Can possibly follow. If the W.
| e. Il. u. becomes itself partisan 1T
must expect TO receive the treatment
and the criticism accorded to pdTtI
sans. 'RejOlnder" does not appear to
be one who has forgotten the pur-
poses for which the society was or
ganized; and though she faithfully
stands up for her society against all
critics, the criticism against WHICH
she protests does not apply to herself,
peI sonally.
picturesque feature of the press
convention WAS the visiting delegate
from the Arkansas Press Association.
Mi. j. West Goodwin, of The 'Ikansos
! BaZOU, a paper which has iOI its mot
10 HE who blOweth not his own b,ZUo
tie same shall not be blown" Mr..
Goodwin is typical southeI neI--tall,
slim. with fierce mOusLache ana i'm
pei ial, wearing a tail white hat with
nlack band TN mUui hing Tor the late
uIOveI Cleveldnd), anu IA speech and
caIIIage betIayiug the fact THAT he
came from south of Mason and DIxOn's
line. tie was accompanied by his
sister. who made up in good looks
What her brother lacked. Both found
cungenial company among the ladies
aud gentleiGtu OF the Wisconsin Pr, SIS
Association, and Will no doubt carr
10 their southern home pleasurah.e
memories of tn il visit with badger
brethren of the press.
see by the papers that Lily Dever-
aux Blake asserts that Old Abe. the
famous war eagle of " iscOnsln, after
four years of bloody conflict retired
To an honored and peaceful life which
ne devoted to the commendable avoca-
ton of laying eggs. This to prove
that the softer sex may be, and are.
1 VI iAA " al anu III ptdNfs
We're this the record of the old bird it
would necessitate the destruction of
all the stereotype plates of the war
histories, and the rewriting of history
TO make it read "she" tapped "her"
wings aud screeched shrill defiance to
her" toes; ''she" mounted on wings,
like eagles, and scared over the field
of carnage, etc. But Lily is mistaken.
or is inclined to prevaricate to make
point. COmrade Peter Delmar, who
has been in the quartermaster' de
paTtment of the state for many years
and who had the care OF Old Abe alive
and his custody when dead. asserts on
his honor as an IrishTaan and soldier
that Old Abe never laid an egg, at
least during the time he was in his
custody. for a very good reason--he
isn't built that way. This leaves the
matter as a question of veracity be-
tween Miss Blake and Mr. Delmar.
with all the opportunities for personal
observation on the side of Mr.. Del
mar.
An effort will be made to apply the
Australian system of voting, in a
modified form. to every Incorporated
villass in the state. 1t insures per
fectly honest and perfectly secret
ballot. The state furnishes the ballots
and pays the men who have the custo-
dy of zach party's ballots at the polls,
leaving no excuse whatever for the
payment of "hetlers," FOUNDERS, :"
ticket peddlers. or other forms of
party workers. nor any reason for