The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-12-03
National Convention w. C. T. ":

~ uto EutLOT W He ITcSos
Inasmuch as many of the readers of the
PRESS are members ami friends Of the w.
G. T. u, L venture to ask you to allow space
for brief sketch of the recent national
convention of that great body, which met in
Atlanta. Every state, and every territory
but two, had delegations present. The dele
gates from New England and the Middle
States were, en- route, given reception by
the President and Mrs. Harrison. The train
which carried them was called the "whiie
ribbon special" Its engine was encircled
with a band Of white. ending in an immense
white bow Every official and employe on
the train tied on the white ribbon, the badge
of the society. Atlanta, "Gate City of the
SOUTH" gave a royal welcome to the 500
women who came as strangers within It's
gates. 1t is indeed beautiful for sitnation," !"
on dividing ridge between the Atlantic
Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, 1850 feet
above the level OF the sea, its drainage being
through tributaries of the 0cmulgee and
Chattahoochee rivers. 1t Is the centre Of
eight railroads, and Its 200 manufacturing es-
Establishments employ peaceful army of sew
eral thousand. While its population Is ouly
about 10000, it has the appearance OF a
much larger city.
A committee from the Georgia legislature,
then in session, visited the convention and
invited the members to come and speak In the
Capitol, mentioning specially our national
superintendent Of temperance instruction In
public schools, Mrs. Mary H. Hunt of Mas
sachusetts. Mrs. Hunt accepted the invita-
tlon, as al also Mrs. Lathrap Of Michigan
and Mrs. Hoffman of Missouri.
Governor Northen gave a welcome to the
convention, and he and Mrs. Northen gave
reception at the gubernatorial mansion.
The welcome given us by the press Of
Georgia was most cordial Four members of
the Atlanta press, representing the COnsti-
tuition, the Southern Star, the AtlaEta Advo.
cate and the Journal, presented their wei
come at the first evening meeting.
Miss Frances Willard was unanimously
reelected president, aud the same corps of
other general officers who for years have
worked harmoriously together.
One OF the most interesting members
the convention was Mrs. Jane Hicks Stapler
daughter Of the last hereditary chief of the
Cherokee Indians; she was born near Atan-
Ia, ana went 10 the l0dian Territory at the
great Cherokee exodus In 1888. She has not
visited her native state from that time to
this, when she came b OK as president of the
w. Q. t. U. of Indian Territory. She Is a
cultivated. refined wOmdn. She spoke brief
ly and patheticaly, referring to her child
hood days, to the Indian spring of which
she drank when a child, and in whose wa
ters her mother had padded her light canoe.
The plan Of work is to carry on under its
thirty departments that of organization,
preventive, educational, social, evangelistic
and legal. We have not, and never have
had. any department Of politics, but we are
unalterably pledged to the principle of pro-
hibitioD. The prize banner, offered for the
greatest membership gain made In the New
England States, was awarded to Maine.
Mrs. Gordon wife af Rev. A. j. Gordon,
d. ID president of Boston w. @. L. u, in
vited the next annual convention to meet in
Boston. Several other invitations were CIV
en, but the convention accepted the one
from Boston, and set the time as the second
week In November, 1891. After four days Of
convention work and four days of executive
committee work, and one Sabbath, upon
which nearly all the pulpits in Atlanta were
occupied by delegates. adjourned the largest,
most notable and perfectly harmonious con-
yention the National Woman's Christian
Temperance Union has ever held.
Most respectfully yours,
L. NJ. N. STEVENS,
Asst. Rec. Sec. National w. G. Z. U.