The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-05-29
unmen in Pnblic Amir.

There is no better test Of the feeling OF the
nation than measures adopted by the lea "ti ,
of political parties, whose object is 10 take lno
uublc uulse and % legisiate according 30 the
consensus Of OpiniOn. or this truth we nave
neverhad 50 clear a demonstration rs ~ tne
fixing of two dates within month st eacu
other on which the Conservative and Liberal
members agreed 10 bring forward bills con-
ferring the parliamentary FRANCHISE upon
women. and their anticipations were luily
justified hv the small majority Dy Which lHe
second reading Of the bill was opposed on ,,.tnS
9TH Of April In all warfare the skllllul
general surveys the situation. seeking me
sfrafeoic poinfs. Won MOltbe never saw a
battlefield till half century mad passed over
his head; but the methods On attack anu
defense had been studied by him for years
with chart ard compass. In surveying 'he
present situation the conviction must come 10
the logical mind tuat by tue WOhans foie
TEMPERANCE reform Will most surely De 80
cured. and, when secured that vote VIII ne
the enacting clause Oh All temperance leg isl"-
non. The process of reasoning that leads 10
THIS conclusion is based not only upon eApe-
rence. but upon the principles OF science.
upon the teachings OF Christianity and upon
the instincts Of motherhood.
We have hardly realized the correlation OF
this great question 10 the temperance cause;
but the results that have been obtained bf the
woman's ballot in municipal elections nave
placed the argument beyond dispute. We
believe the highest evolution Of this age isnot
only the new woman win lOlty ideals ana
noble purpose. true 10 the principles that God
has Given her. but the twentieth century
an--fOregleamlng at the close OF the nine
teenth-whO has been SO well described as
'brawny brainy and brOtherly.' His power
ul hand has helped 10 wrench away the
shackles which have held women so long
stt4l
behOOyes us surely as workers for all reform,
10 hasten the day when she, who is TO people,
should be lawgiyer as well as lle-giyer
I'm dealing with questions of reform we are
not only called upon "a women TO say what
we will have, but also what we viii not.
We are banded together for home protection
~ the interests of the purity 9t our children,
and for the safeguard OF our homes. W q are
pledged % uphold the great OncOmng reform
IN which the moral and legal equality OF men
and women i'm their mutual relations shall be
established.
new spirit is in the air, and the best minds
think il heroic 10 exhaust every national re-
SOURCE for peace rather than for war. This
mood Of mind is IN diametric opposition % the
famed traditions Of Great Britain. America
stands with her twin sister in the Keeping 0f
the peace. The arbitration now provided for
between our two nations and referred to IN
terms Of congratulati0n by the Queen in her
last speech from the throne, il a current Illus
tratiOu that our national ethics are getting
into line with the sermon on the Mount. This
mighty change has not happened accl-
dentallv: il is the result OF forces as pervasrve
as the seasons and as steadiast as the tides
as practical outcome the Gospel has pro-
cured the possibilities of arbitration instead
of ornaments, peace in place Of power.
Christianity instead of cannon. 4 study Of
the causes Of war would be incomplete With
ont a survey OF the relation OF alcoholic
stimulaHts 10 the brains OF warriors. Chris
tianity Is The parent OF temperance reform,
and temperance reform was a necessary
f0reTunner Of peace. A study OF history re-
yeals eyermOre side by side the winecup and
the sword. ! applaud the action Of cur
American sisters IN establishing department
Of work for peace and arbitration.
Thoughtful study has brought home % me
the fact that no phase OF our social problem is
more intimately related. or more .ntricately
interviewer with our own than the labor
question. We are too apt 20 say that all
poverty comes from intemperance. but such
an assertion weahens, ii 1t were possible 10
90 30, the immense strength OF our position.
We cannot examine the report OF me ROYAL
Commission on Labor without an over
Whelming conviction that tue ethics which
govern our political economy are u0t those Of
the Sermon on the Mount. In the time Of
Aristotle there were men of whom DC said
'+ihere are some Who think that ~ Is only a
fashion Of despOuc government which makes
one man a slave and another free. and that
the tie must be unjust because ~ is founded
on force" The first faint notes We're thus
struck, by some nameless Greeks, of the great
credO which was TO be formulated Dy Jesus
Christ and re-echoed through the civilized
world.-Lady l-abel Somerset. President ST
the British Womans Temperance Associa-
ffOu