Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-10-23
Kentucky w. G.. T. U. Convcn-
ton.
MCCoMB CITY, Miss,
Oct. 9th. '94.

up with the w. &. L. L. Conven-
ton, and meeting old friends,
that | could not find a spare mo-
ment.
The proceedings were of great
interest to me, and as fraternal
delegate, both from the State and
local Union, ! felt as though |
must not miss session.
1t seemed to me the most i'm
portant work of the convention
was the report and discussion on
the establishment of houses of re-
form for youthful criminals.
Plans were submitted both for in
fluencing legislation on the sub
iect, and for the building and
management of such places.
What is called the cottage plan
was the one most favored.
A most instructive report was
the one by Mrs. M. A. Watts,
State Superintendent of Scientific
Temperance Instruction. She
said, Local Unions must take up
the work or the State Superin-
tendent could do but little; how
ever, she rejoiced in the hearty CO.
operation of ALL the local unions
in Kentucky, and reported the
raising by the same, of $500
last year to aid her in her work.
One of the results of the labors
of temperance women in that di-
rection, has been the doing away
entirely of the idea of moderate
drinking in all the new text books.
1t seems to me this is great step
forward, second only in impor
lance, to the passage of the Sci
entifc Instruction law itself. Mrs.
Watts also strongly advocated the
election of women trustees or at
least one in every district to see
that the law is enforced and the
right text books used. She APP
pealed to women to see to it that
after working to obtain the law,
it SHOULD NOT become a dead let
ter.
One of the superintendent
struck a key note when she said
that in her department the local
unions were doing work faithful
ly, but just as faithfully failing
to report to the State superin-
tendent. l hope such is the case
in Mississippi, for they certainly
fail faithfully to report and |
would be glad indeed to know
surely that they are at work.
| But how can we know without re-
ports However the outlook in
the Railroad Department is en-
couraging. The report of Super
intendent of Literature was good
one. They, in Kentucky, believe
in plenty of literature and they
have it.
| would | had time to tell OF
all the good things of this con-
vention, but it would take a vol
ume. Mrs. Mary A. WOODBRIDGE
preached two of the grandest SER
mons it was evermy good fortune
to hear; one from the pulpit of
the Cumberland Presbyterian
| church, and one in the Christian
church. Mrs. Smell, of Column
bus, Miss, took Paducah by
storm. She might be preaching
there yet if she had yielded to the
opportunities of the Methodists of
Paducah.
Miss Laura M. Clay, daughter
of Cassius M. Clay and lineal de-
scendent of Henry M. Clay, was
present-one of the hardest work
ers in the convention. She re-
manned after the convention was
over, at the request of the BRAINS
of the w. G. L. u. and some of
the most influential men of the
town, and organized an Equal
Rights Association. She is State
President of that organization in
Kentucky and a worthy descend
ant of an illustrious family. 1t
was great stroke of good fort
une to have heard her speak, es-
pecially on a subject of so much
Importance to womankind.
Miss Clara Parrish, a national
organizer, made splendid add
dress and at the close, organized
Y. w. G. T. U. She is an
earnest and talented young wo-
man.
There are many more things of
interest to temperance workers of
which | would like to speak, but
will leave to some future time. /
will only add that Mississippi
State work does not suffer great
ly in comparison with that of Ken