The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-17
2lst ANNUAL CONVENTION
Of the National Woman'ss
Temperance Union.
GRAND RESULTS SHOWN BY THE
YEARS REPORTS.

Each Departments and Every State Sends
Hopeful statements-DIrs. L. NJ. N.
Stevens Cheering Summary.
Cleveland, o.. November 16.-The 21st
annual convention of the National Wom-
ans Christian. Temperance Union op-
ened in this city today. This being the
coming of age year, great preparations
have been made to ensure a large at
tendance, and an interest ing programme
has been arranged. The opening prayer
meeting was held at $50. The convention
was called to order at 9. 80 in Music Hall
by the president, Miss Frances Willard.
The hall was well filed, and the noted
women engaged 10 this work. for twenty
vars past were present in large numbers.
After some routine business, at 1890.
the president delivered her annual ad-
dress. Mrs. L. M. N. Stevens Of Portland
read the corresponding secretary's report.
The National Woman's Christian Tenn
perance Union has great cause for
thanksgiving in this year of grace that
brings us to our majority. While nearly
ALI churches, missionary and charitable
societies mourn deficit in finance and
the consequent GRIPPING of their work,
we come to our annual meeting with in
creased mem bership, every bill paid, and
more comforting balance in the treas
ury than any previous year has shown.
Twenty-one years have given a marvel
GUS record of work done and results
achieved. Every State and Territory has
been organized, and most of them by
our honorea president. Frances e. Will
lard, through long years of ceaseless
travel and unremitting toll, while we
had no money to give in return, even the
smallest salary.
Reports show that the following States
have increased their membership this
year, and as a natural result, have broad
ened and deepened the work along all
lines: Arizona, Arkansas, North Caro-
ina, No.2, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Delaware, Florida, Georgia. No. 2,
Idaho, Illinois, Indian Territory, Iowa,
Motana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Ten
nessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West
Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
New York presented to the constitu-
tional convention "a petition Az yards
long, containing 10000 names for prohi-
bition of the liquor traffic aud enamel
patton of women. Thousands of evange-
listlc meetings resulting in several
thousand conversions have been held.
Massachusetts, as active as ever, united
in purpose, and harmonious in execu-
tion.
Michiagn has given prominence to local
work.
Minnesota has more workers, and has
done better work than in any previous
year.
Nebraska, with half her area withered
and scorched and relief work imperative
for the unemployed, will not permit her
white banner to trail in the dust.
California has been the scene of the
greatest strike ever known in our land
yet she has held her temple in the south,
while north and south She has shown
great activity in suffrage and evangelis-
tic work.
Connecticut and Rhode Island are en-
deavoring to educate their women to ex-
ercise the small degree of franchise they
possess
trict of Columbia remain firm in the
faith and loyal to all our interests.
Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico,
Montana, plain and plateau, are teaching
to all the world what women will dare
and do.
Kentucky !. has defeated Col. Breckin-
ridge.
Louisiana and Alabama amid all OBJ
stacles stand as witnesses for the truth.
East Washington in her mountain fast
nesses stands loyal and true, while far
away Alaska writes our flag is still
there.
We have now following of between
four and five hundred thousand, includ-
ing the active paid up mem bership of
the WIS and Y's, the honorary members
and the Loyal Temperance Legion, which
is the nursery of our organization.
The report Of the Sunday school de-
partment was presented by Mrs. Julia
A. RidweIl, of Deposit, New York. She
reported that the achievement OF the
Quarterly Temperance Lesson. apart from
the Review, Is the fitting crown upon the
unceasing efforts for fourteen years. The
impetus given to the pledge work by the
Worlds Fair exhibit enrolled in our Sun
day school membership over 117,000.
Efforts on this line have not been as
aggressive this year, but nearly all States
report goodly increase. New York
State leads by a pledged mem bership of
66,44S. New and valuable temperance
books are constantly added to the Sunday
school libraries.
Our total statistical report is as fol-
lows: 1856 meetings, 61,0S8 books and
papers, /, 1929, 494 pages of literature cir
culated, 204,a67 pledged Sunday school
mem bership.
Every Sunday school In all the broad
land should feel he grasp Of the Woman's
ODlOu. 0lfbu I'LL
that is asked today in the way of fran
chise, social reform and public education
unless the oncoming church be educated,
the permanency Of our government is
threatened to its foundation tomorrow.
The report of the Young Woman's
Branch was presented by Mrs. Francis j.
Barnes of New York. This department
aims to enlist young women to form
separate societies (Y.W.C. T. ID for the
purpose of making total abstinence
fashionable social custom, to:the end that
young men may be held to higher
standard of personal habits; also to
teach young women the scientific and
ethical reasons for total abstinence and
prohibition; and to develop new army
of trained temperance workers, to whom
the care of the rhildren's work may at
once be intrusted, and who will event.
ually replace the veterans of the W. IT.
U. An added membership over last
year can besreportedsin some of the West.
ern States, most Enotably North and
South Dakota and northern and south
ern California. OF the Southern States,
Virginia takes the lead, West Virginia
for the first time, reporting special at.
tention given to the z. Branch. Some of
the Eastern and Middle States have held
their own. In Massachusetts the Unions