Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-11-17
THE W. c. 7. u.
The 21st Annual Convention in
Session at Cleveland.
The Annual Address by the President,
Miss Frances E. Willard.
Reports Of the Secretary and Heads Of thu
Various Departments.

AnTlSlldh opNlltt. lillS
morning, in this city. This being the
coming of-age year of the organization,
great preparations have been made to Sc
cure a large attendance and an interesting
programme.
The opening prayer meeting was held at
s 80. The convention was called TO order
at g. 80 in Music hall by the president,
Miss Frances E. Willard. The hall was
well filled, and the noted women, who
have been engaged in this work for 20
years past, were present in large numbers
After some routine business, at 10. 80, the
president delivered her annual address.
Miss Wizards address was bright and
timely Ii was received with frequent
bursts of applause and was followed by
prolonged cheering and waving of hand
kerchiefs. In substance Miss Willard S
remarks were as follows:
The child of the crusade has lived out
its eager youth and stands on the thres-
hold of mature womanhood. On the 23d
of December 1878, the first praying band
of Ohio bridged with faithful feet the dis
tance between church and dramShOp. As
if by magic similar professions began TO
move throughout the West until in the 80
days of their uneXampled faith and works
the liquor traffic was banished from 250
towns and villages. We date our origin
from that red letter day set like another
Christmas in the drcar December to show
that dawn is sure to follow dargness.
In the bright summer following
august, 1870, at beautiful Chautauqua'
that summer camp which is the paradise
of women, committee of the crusaders
dccrecd that this movement should be
systematizcd and put forth to their com
rades everywhere a call to come to Clcvc
land in November and form IA national
society. To that convention we rallied
from mountain and prairie, seaside and
river, cottage and hall; but the cottagcrs
were chief for i'll every great on moving
of humanity il is not the sediment of the
wave nor yet its foaming white cap that
carries weight, but it is the solid, resist
less wave itself and where the wave goes
the white caps follow.
After reviewing the progress of the
great movement then inaugurated, Miss
Willard touches upon the rapid growth of
the prohibition of the liquor saloon in the
South, in Canada and in England and in
New Zealand.
The formation of home protection clubs
is urged by Miss Willard to be fostcred
by the white ribbon women i'll co-opcra-
tion with leading temperance rcforncrs
and labor leaders, and to send delegates to
the national conventions of the Prohihi-
ton and Populist parties, who would
strive to bring about n union of forces.
The report of the secretary was read by
Mrs L. NJ. n. Stevens, president Of the
Maine W. c. T. L., and recording sccrc-
tary of the national organization. A re
sumo of the report is as follows: The
National Woman's Christian Temperance
Union has great cause for Thanksgiving
in this year of grace that brings MS to our
majority. While nearly all churches, mis-
sionary and charitable societies mourn n
deficit in finance and the consequent Grip
ping of their work, we come to our an
nual meeting with increased membership
every bill paid, and more comforting
balance in the treasury than any previous
year has shown
Twenty-one years have given marvel
Ious record of work done and results
achieved. Every state and territory has
been organized, and most of them by our
honored president, Frances +. Willard,
through long years of ccaseless travel and
unremitting toll, while we had no money
to give in return, even the smallest sal
ary.
REPORTS show that the following states
have increased their membership this year
and as natural result have broadencd and
deepcned the work along all lines: Ari-
IONA. Arkansas. North Carolina No. ,,
North Dakota. South Dakota, Delaware,
Florida. Georgia No. 2, Idaho. Illinois,
Indian Territory, Iowa. Maine, Maryland,
Missouri Mississippi, Montana, Nevada,
New Hampshire New Jersey, Ohio, Okla
homa. Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,
Vermont. West Washington. Wisconsin,
Wyoming
We have now a following of between
400. 900 and 500, 600. including the
active paid up membership of the VS. and
Y's. the honorary members and the Loyal
Temperance Legion, which is the nursery
of our organization.
The report of the Sunday school depart
ment was presented by Mrs. Julia A. Bid
well of Deposit, New York. She reported
that the achievement of the Quarterly
Temperance Lesson apart from the Re
view is the fitting crown upon the unccas-
ing efforts for IA years The impetus given
To the pledge work by the Worlds Fair ex-
bibit enrolled our Sunday school member
ship over III, 900.
Our total statistical report is as follows:
1856 meetings, 81. books and papers,
/. 229, 1914 page of literature circulated, 20i.-
3e7 pletlged Sunday school membership.
Every Sunday school in all the broad
land should feel the grasp of the Woman 5
Christian Temperance Union. Given all
that is asked in the way of franchise, social
reform and public education, unless the
oncoming church be educated, the perma-
nency of our government is threatened to
its foundation tomorrow.
Mrs. Sophia f. Grubb, superintendent,
in her report of department work among
foreigners, said
The objective point of work during the
wear has been to secure again prohibition
of the sale of liquor at Ellis island. This
was secured five years ago through petit
tions presented TO Congress by the depart
ment. but was reseinded by Secretary Car
Isle in 1892. greatly to the detriment of