Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-10-03

vilh me-. and sru.s ihst in IKE great day Of
'.ss x5csny Il esa b. said ,fsE- the httls seed
soen r. tisis direction did Srow NJ ssd pro
| 1sct as A5Erlzr. harvest.
Respectfully submitted
Address Of Mrs. J. Ellen Poster. Pres
idsnt OF It's Iowa W. c r o.
/ Alcohol Is poison xnd has no pisee In ,hs
hanasn system Upoa iais seisntsse ffafh
AID ~ corfsixtes in philanthropy, psuiot'
.sm and religion tie temperance reform
rests.
/ fts or xinsfpss and present champions
| are @srue,t men ARD women whsss lsbers
| haze been Of urBEa biess.nx 10 the race,
The ysssiss achieved affect The dixritY
AL mssnisnis Of the work But We
have this treasure In ssrthss vessels, and
this ssfs.m IL s1fJses 70 the impesfsciaoea
an. Bmitas;ors o. AL hursn effort.
| The Womaa's Christian TslapsrAnea
| Union has been ~ assncy honorst Of God
Asd sccsyssd By ths p<opis "hsay souls
Ia glory nov, ard many more ''stiii ca tbs
say bless God for 10 sseet Giialstrailons
Organized in 1874 and extending into
every STATE and Territory in the Union, II
hns been effective 10 teaching the two great
| doctrines Of total abstinence for the inis-
ysdaai and prohibition for the State.
The Church, cot of which IL came. ha'
been its grss, support and wise c1unseiior
snd has been 10 rstsrn energize'i into great'
er spiritual life and Increased activity.
Six years ago hi, great Equalization, BY
resolution In lis annual convention At ~.
Louis. allied itself with a political party
st four succeeding conventions II h1s re-
stated its faith sad pledged its 60 operation.
The officers - the National Society are IN
| haensal Leaders in this so-called pfolii billion
party: the services Of these leaders have
been given freely 10 the support OF tnis
party and It's candidates, this literature OF
this party has been officially endorsed and
circulated by the Woman's Society, 1he
/ National and many State auxiliaries have
coo perated 70 t6e full extent OF their abil
| ity IN the operations Of tAis party,
| The President of tbs National Society
| .ald, several years ago, thar she believed
the ehiefest need Of the temperance reform
today was political party pledged to its
support fShe has declared party poll
tics" to be- ''ihs ehiefe,t agency in ou'
work.
| This party alliance with IFS necessary and
ever attendant evils has greatly injured the
work o. the ". W. C.. T. u; because
believe this. II cry aloud and spare not i.
so be may show our people their trans
| erosion and our House Of Israel It's sin
| The women Of Maine have not baen BE-
hind others in their devotion 10 W. G. T.
/ q. work; they now And themselves at a
parting OF ways, aud have today organized
the Maine Non Partisan ". C. I. t.. II
{ -. 81. Fta1fl n
method n not VITAL TO the snccesa of the
temperance movement, that II Is NOT Of suf-
fieent Importance 10 Justify the support OF
separate oraanik atio1s. For mssy yesrs
held this opinion. and acted In harmony
with IL; am still member Of the W. &.
T. u. and have been for I've years pre.i-
aent of the Iowa State Union. That MON
- still auxiliary to the National Society, b.
eauss W. we're 20 reiucrsnt 10 sever our
connection That State nion il non
partisan IN spirit, and according 70 the
letter OF hs constitution. IL il the only
STATE Union which has not directly
or Indirectly adopted the partisan
policy Of the National Union AT
the aonual meeting held last October a
notice was given that At this years meeting
soon 10 he held, All amendment striking ont
The words Auxiliary TO the National
Woman's Christian Temperance mon"
would be presented. This proposed amend
nent will be voted on during the convention
TO meet at Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. / 70 Is
\ two-ih.sds ma Jority vote is required to
siopt consttui onal prov sion; il tha. IS
given the Iowa ". G. r. y. viii b. no
longer united with the National W. G. I,
H. ii a two thirds vota IL not gwen we
shall still be- auxiliary. The question 90 not
a, gitsl to local work in Iowa a. n other
states, because the work OF the W. G. 7.
q. in Iowa has always been non partisan (;
however, u large ms lorlty of our temper
anc. women are unwilling to sustain b
their moral aud financial support, even con
tribntiye responsibility for the party WORK
Of the National Society. In Name the case
n different The S.aie w. c. +. L. ia par
tisan by resolutions of its delegated con-
yentons, by Official acts of %, representa-
tiyes 1nd by she general tone of ~
organization work. ntil recently 40 hss
had the courage If is convictions and made
no denisl Of its partissnsAip or apology for
the duties imposed by that partnership. OF
late. and since some of rs choicest omen
Office holders and private members could no
longer retain their membership and give
their work in the partisan society have
formed non-partisan local and county Tn
tons, and taken steps to form q State Non
PART. san Union, now is heard the strange
announcement thst the W. c. T. L. 1t
Maine IL NOT partisan. alter years Of
hosqted psrtssnship, announced huodreis
of tune 10 Yarous ways tie public - : f-
pected to doubt IL own understanding If
words, and to hslieve that IL never compfe.
bonded the position Of the society. Ii this
jugglery with words. this slight of hand in
methods had been attempted by men in the
arena of party politics, it might haye b'en
denominsted demsgoguery; If IN risil
courts pe.ifogging. In the fold Of Chris
tian ethics and moral reform Il Is a dishoa-
orable assault on the Intelligence and ere
duity Of the Christian public.
The history of the Christian Church sf-
for,ls no salder spectacle, than the unwiii-
inPness II the leaders of the W G. I. L.
in Maine and in the country 70 con as the
error of the past while they dem TIL facts
ard seek to avoid the coG;equene :. The
mistake of the pas b. comes pr sent "a
lisusnt wrong when thus pursued.
Methods are essentisl when emhodging
great principles, Hslf truths ani tru' .
srested from harmonious relations to
other truths become the most DANCE ous
forms Of error Tho convenience an
luxury OF railway tocomotou AMI ocean
commerce is accomplished by the proper
adjustment of methods 10 the mighty
power of steam. Its all que ;ion Of
method whether you are brought to our
| desired haven or are blown 70 atom. by q
I bursting boiler, or thrown over precipict
by misplaced switch. Let no one through
Incidence or cosardice avoid 4 most care
| full scrutiny of methods by which The
moral power of women may be apPlel
against the homes greatest enemy.
| In setting forth the reasons for the osi
| tons we hold. and on which We ask youl
| approval. We address ourselves only L
those who are controlled by reason, b,
| Judgment, and by Christian courtesy
| Self respect as well as the Gospel rule for
bids personal controversy with these whC
have been transformed by the spirit oi
I bitter paftizanship thst their oaly argu
menss against onr position are improved
assertions, their logic deuancia:ioa, the.
/ rhetoric personal Utilization ans theu
/ conclusions quite foreign to sweet reA sou
shleness
The fret snd comprsbeusi objection
which We make to the partisan position o
the Name W. c. I. [. and the Nsuona
I Uniou-to which il is auxilisry--is tina
The Partisan Position 10 Wrong In
Principle.
/ A moral reform association. having n
its test of membership total abstiRenes
l pIaJos aught mt tn ally itself with an,
organization. political or otherwise, having
no such pledge or test of membership A
political party is based on citizenship. l