The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1892-10-08

night. See It's free medical 6ispersaries
its Sunday Schools and pay restaurant
which feeds Thousand persons daily. Con
slider these Hercuian social labors in one
city of the country, rendered for the waits
ANA wrecks of ln'emperluce and then ask
yourself whether these women can be in
spircd by any thing less than the true
spirit of n practical Christianity to attempt
such social problems. Well may the Gov
ernor ana the entire body of the Georgia
Legislature, the Mayor and both branches
of the CITY Council of Atlanta, in apprscia.
ton OF the grand work done by this noble
organization, ask and request as they did Il
year or two ago that the Annual conven-
tion of the Women's Christian Temperance
Union be held at Atlanta. 1t certainly
marks an important advance in public sen
timent when the official representatives and
executives of whole state, desire to honor
| publicly the useful work these Christian
| women are engaged in.
| j wish il were III my power while wei.
coming you to Ektou to point you the
| equally welcome evidence of an advance i'll
moral sentiment on this question in Cecil
county, Maryland. Intelligent, cultured,
and prosperous, though our people are,
| with lao less i prevalent conviction of the
Generalization of the licensed Iquor
| traffic, YET feeble majority of the
qualified voters of the county has, through
the potency of partlzln politics, been Sc
| cured for IAN existing license system.
The resulting decentralization Is apparent
i'll every community of our county. Twelve
years ago III the aggregate vote of 1886, an
| imperfect prOhibiGory law was adopted BY
| the people of Cecil county by the decisive
| majority of 1917 yota.. Its benefits were
| apparent on every hand, and were 50 Couced
| ed by all except those pecuniarily or poiti-
| cally interested in the sale of whiskey.
| Two years ago better prUhbitOry law was
| rejected in an aggregate vote OF only 1919
by 2S3 majority. On an issus directly and
| squarely reiinei between the friends of the
| home and The trends Of The saloon, l107
voters detau!ted at the polls aud refused to
| vote. Who were these defaulting voters?
| Were they habiiual or occasional drinkers
| who sought the opportunity afforded by
the So 'oons, OF indulging the nightly soak,
or the tempting tipple? Oh no. These
| ballots lay heavy in the bottom of the box.
They We're all marked "for" license. Those
10y defaulting voters were Of the alleged
| moral, aye of the so called religious classes
They were of the doubling Thomas school.
They doubted then whether prohibition did
| really prohibit, and now that Rum runs
riot in Cecil, they beg an to believe that it did
prohibit then. Professe1 followers of Christ
not only defaulted at the polls, but some
cast their ballots for license-to help trade
and when the blazing saloon sat down as
1
squirmed at the close companionship, and
protested that their trade would be injured.
| Strange inconsistency of poor, weak, hui
| man nature. They knew in their hearts
| When they voted for the present license
| law, that every dollar and every dime that
| would pass over the counters of these same
| saloons were just so many dimes and Just
| so maay dollars tlChed from the homes of
| laboring men and wage earners in their
| community, and at the cost of the comfort
| and happiness of dependent women and
| children But the man must enjoy the
| fun CD Of the debauCh. while the selfdeny-
ing wives pay bitter penance at home.
| | leave to my reverend and good brother
who will follow me, if he shall think fit, to
| indulge further reflection this prolific
| theme f defaulting voters in Cecil on this
! sharply defined issue of the Home versus
the Saloon 1t is indeed an object lesson IN
| political morality, and the intelligent Use
| of the elective franchise, upon the part of
we noble lords of creation who claim by
the inherent right of sex IFS sole exercise.
| look TO a bette day, when an advanced
and still higher civilization will arn wo-
man with her strongest weapon Of defence
The ballot-whea, she will so far as the
dignity Of citizenship is involved, be rails
ed (?) to the level 1T least of the coachman
who sits upon her carriage box.
bespeak for you harmonious and pro-
tfttble session, that your deliberations may
be marked by wisdom, and the Influence of
your presence IN Eikton bs measured by
great good.
Mrs Woodrow, of Hartford county, re-
sponded TO Mr.. Torbert in behalf of the
Uuions.
Mrs. Baldwin then introduced the Rev
l. L. Wood of the NJ. E. Church, who
made a ringing address to protesting
Christians urging them 10 take sides in
the contest between the church and the
saloon. That no Christian could hesitate.
Mr.. Woods eloquent appeal evoked
great enthusiasm in his audience.
He was responded to by Mrs. A. D.
Brosenne, of Howard county, in one Of
tie most pleasing addresses of tho even
ing.
In behalf o! the Cecil County Unions
Miss Maggie Mccoy read the following
very beautiful tribute of welcome to the
Unions, prepared by Mrs Geo \. Blake,
president of the EIiton Union:
Dear sisters Of tie Cisjttlg Unions.
| have a welcome too Tor you from the
local union of Elkton. 1t would appear
strange if We, your sisters in the work,
who have invited You to be our guests,
did not meet you with open heart and
friendly grasp OF hand.
You are enlisted in the same cause
with ourselves. We fight a common
foe. A common danger threatens us
all. the same blight may fall on your
homes and ours. Your friends and ours
ct 10 haf
enemy.
Hence it is that from every quarter of
our commonwealth you gather with
words of cheer and messages of hope to
nerve us all for the conflict before us.
For the victories you have won, the |
HAsarts you have cheered, the inspiration
n.--'>s vi Jice, for the difficulties you
SEop, -<Slnbles you have borne,
nave met, the {. c,s-~S-z..t a.s---e.s.e---,z-1S.
QUE sympathy and suppol0.4sr'e proffered
in abundant measure.
Ours is movement born of the present
age Too long, woman suffered, sobbad
and died: but alas, she suffered, sobbed
and died Tor naught. What though
her heart was broken, the landlords
TIL was filled: what though she cried
aloud IN her agony of grief: the heavens
were of brass. Woman must do moth
ing. 70 have done aught would have
been to have offended the refined feel
lngs OF SO called fastidious age. TIE
| idea that woman should make a tenn
pecance address, or make an appeal in
public against the tyranny of q man
licensed law would have put some of cur
predecessors to an open shame. But
how narrow does that all seem ia the
| light Of this better day. In due time,
| int II ha
mans Christian Temperance movement
when all the women of our land banded
together have given battle to. the circum-
stances that held them down.
We champion the battle of wronged
womanhood: we defend men from the
! weaknesses of their own natures, when
tempted by the curse of drink: childhood
| looks to US for help and even defeuceless
/ infancy appeals not in vain.
| Welcome then, thrice welcome, to the
| good women Of Maryland. Be courage
Gus: he true, rendering that God is on
our side.
Mrs. Jennie Smith, Supt of Railroad
Temperance Work, followed Miss Mccoy
in heartiul appeal to Christian workers.
| The womanly address of Miss Smith won
ali hearts by its lervor and power.
After a very pleasing quartette rem
dered By Misses Bessie F. Scott and
Bertha NcNeal, and Messrs James /.
Finnan and John Frazer, Mrs. Baldwin
introduced Mis- Mary MCGEE Smell, of
Mississippi. Mrs Smell is a very effective
speaker, and it required but moment
to win the good will of her audience.
Pathetic and humorous in turn, with
sweet and well modulated voice, she is