Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-24
TEMPERANCE WORK.
The Subject Discussedat the Woman's
National Council Today.
BOTH BRANCHES OF w.C.T.U.
Mrs. ]. Ellen Foster Speaks for the Noa-Psr-
tisanOrganization-Ot Other Eloquent Speeches
on the Liquor EVIL by Many Earnest
Women.


Council was devoted to the discussion Of the
general subject Of temperance, and q number
OF leading women workers in the temperance
cause addressed the audience on various phases
Of the subject, more especially woman's work
in temperance.
1t has already become evident that the coun-
ell is growing both in size and importance
Starting out with q very small number Of or
ganizations represented the meetings:began
with the council! composed Of forty societies.
Some of these were fully enrolled as members
OF the council and the rest were represented by
fraternal delegates. This morning Miss Will
lard. the president Of the federation, announced
that the membership had already increased TO
sixty societies of women.
PROMPT COMMENCEMENT.
Promptly at 1890 o'clock this morning Miss
Willard raped with her gavel and announced
that the proceedings would commence with
song by Miss NJ. Elizabeth johnson. The song,
which was to the tune of the ''Old Oaken
Bucket, was composed by Mrs. Mary Frost
Ormsby, prominent member Of Sorosis and
one OF the leading speakers at the woman 5
conclave in this city three years ago. The
words were appropriate to the occasion, and,
after 1t was finished, at the request of the presi-
dent. the audience joined in the singing of the
words that tell OF the fate Of the moss-grown
pail
Mrs. Sarah ID. La Fetra. president Of the Dis
triet of Columbia branch of the W. C. I. T.,
led In prayer and asked blessing upon the de-
hberations Of the council and upon the women
represented. She concluded with the Lords
prayer, in which the audience joined.
MRS. J. ELLEN FOSTER.
Mrs. j. Ellen Foster was the first woman in
troduced. She spoke on the subject, The
Non-partisan National ". CT. T.. ;" which organ
ization she represents in the council.
The non-partisan union was organized in
Cleveland in January, 1883. and this was the
first occasion on which the work of the union
could be explained to a large representative
body, and Mrs. Foster made the best of the op-
portunity. She said that the movement which
eventually gave life to the non-parti-
san union was the great crusade of tenn
perance reform of lS74-5, and many
members OF this union were charter members
of the much beloved and greatly respected
National WC;TU. In 1854 the ladies of the
latter society decided TO take up partisan line
and cast its efforts the side Of the party that
wouldpromise prohibition as one of its essentials
This was what had caused the difference be-
tween the two, the non-partisan believing that
partisan work was dangerous and wrong. As
result, after five years of struggle. for they
hated TO leave the house they had helped TO
build, they had branched out for themselves
and formed the non-partisan union.
TIE PRINCIPLES OF THE UNION.
Mrs. Foster stated as the principles Of the
union that the license system is simply q system
Of iegalizing the liquor evil, that local option
is good, though limited in its field Of useful
ness. while the true and only remedy for the
liquor evil In constitutional prohibition.
But absolute political liberty belongs to
women as much as to men, and in the non-par-
tisan union a woman is free to form her own
political alliances and they believe that il is
wrong TO cast Their lines with any party, mas
much as there are good and true men in both
parties who are devoted to the cause Of tenn
perance. The members of the non-partisan
union believe that it is wrong and
dishonest to ask these men to as
sist them in temperance work and
then to combine in the following election to de-
feat these same men at the polls. With refer
ence to the original package bill, Mrs Foster
spoke of the great pleasure the decision Of the
Supreme Court had given her when they had
settled the question of the right OF the state TO
restrict the liquor traffic within it's own bounda-
ries. She also spoke in terms of unlimited
praise OF Secretary WINDOWS action in putting
a stop to the sale of intoxicating drinks TO the
recently landed immigrants at Castle Garden
In spirit the two unions are one IN the name of
that Spirit of all true reform. Christ who toiled
with His father in the shop and who was obsdi-
ent to His mother.
MRS. MARY I. LATHRoP.