Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-07-17
A Few Plain Facts

Editors Of The kenne5ec Journal:
A lecturer who spoke here not long ago,
took occasion to deny q statement alleged
to have been made oncsrping Mrs. Hunt
Of Hyde Park. Mass. who has had charge
Of the work of securing through legislative
enactment the Introduction Of temperance
instruction in the public schools. This
statement WAS To the effect that Mrs. Hunt
had been coldiy received by members Of
the United States Senate because Of her
connection with partzsn organization
This. the lecturer in question. stated was
untrue, because the tiube 1t was alleged to
have occurred was after the defeat Of the
Blair educational bill which was the only
measure before Congress In which Mrs
Hunt was interested. Nevertheless, it ap-
pears that Mrs. Hunt dii 20 to Washington
after the Blair bill WAS defeated, that she
did desire to see what could be done for
educational work and that she found her
membership in an organization pledged to
the support of the third party most effee-
tive barrier to any successful work there.
The following letter to Mrs. Paul from
Lydia II. Tiiton gives n very concise state
ment of the whole matter. II seems only
fair con,ideriDg the public nature of the
statement made upon the matter that the
letter should be published. 1t is As follows
WAsISGroS, ID. C.. July II, 1890.
DEAN Mus. Part The conversation
referred to in your letter was NEARLY as
can now remember III as follows Mrs.
Hunt presented her card to Senator Far
we'll, xs3 when ne saw that she was the
Snpt. of Set. Tenn. las. for the National
W G.. + H., he said You represent the
prohibition party :" Mrs. Hunt--"No, |
represent the National Womans Christian
Temperance Union" Senator Farwell-
1T is all The same thing; and tell you
frankly am not here in the interest of
that party. II mas no representative in this
Congress Mrs iinnt-"l sm a republi-
can and my work is really non-partissn."
Senator Farweli-"rhe organization That
does It's best to destroy the republican party
and 10 defeat its candidates at the polls,
even When they are good temperance men.
is certainly partisan. and everybody knows
it. honor the good women but think
the policy lately followed q mistaken one
Senator Fsr~ell has given very largely
Of his wealth to educational interests
ard would naturally sympathixe
with tie mother heart that
has worked so indefatigably for the children
of Ibis land, but political feeling and polit-
icsl question came between them.
Men cannot respect any organization that
has in any way forfeited their confidence.
handed my card to the Senator and he
said Legal Secretary of the National Non
partisan W c. T. | - That 10 right,
believe in your organization
The next Senator upon whom we called
81. I.k
State of Washington. who said his symps-
THE. were with ths Non partisan Mon, aud
that he wonld be glad to receive any sug-
gestions from them and help them in any
way he could
their estimate of the policy of the w. e..
+. but seemed to feel that it had no
pre- cent claim upon their time or thought.
Having worked with Mrs. Hunt through
or long campaign of lss5-lssG. | could
NOT help notiqg the difference in the respect
shown to The same representative Of the
National Woman's Christian Temperance
| MON. The difference is not in the men
aud not in Mrs Hunt, who is ~ devoted to
har educational work as ever but in the
change of feeling caused by political action.
The 1 aion Signal Supplement. besring the
portraits of our candidates, Fisk and
Brooks, and filed with campaign srsu-
ments and exhortations-ths made it val
liable and influential campaign document
for the prohibition psrty-went into the
homes all over the land. and teld the people
the political policy of the National W. c.
T. [.
II The policy has really changed since
then. the people do not kuos it.
Yours for the right,
LYDIA L. TiLroN,
Legal See National Non partisan W.C.T.U.
r. s. Airs Hunt told the fscts above
stated to Mrs. Bit,ender and others, so