Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-16
Twenty-First Annual Convention Of
the Society
ASSEMBLED MUaCHALL, CLEVELAND
Address Of the President, Miss
Willard.
REP oRTs SUBMITTED

| der the national banner ''for God and
| home and native land" delegates repre-
| senting every state In the Union, and a
| following of thousands Of wearers of the
while ribbon assembled this morning in
| Music Hall to open the twenty-first an
| nual convention Of tie Woman's Christian
Temperance Union. The scene presented
| in the hall just before the convention was
| called to order was most animated one.
| The hum of conversation increased as the
| hour drew near until 1t seemed to assume
| the proportion of a mighty roar.
The decoration of the big auditorium
was artistic and profuse. with yellow and
white ribbon predominaung. The wall.
which formed a background for the plat
form, was a mass of yellow and white
bunting. The white is the recognized color
of the Womans Christian Temperance
Union, and the yellow bears the same re-
| lation to the woman suffragists.
The balconies were draped in white and
| yellow and the upper one is intertwined
| with the red, white and blue. Each bal
cony post supports state or superinten-
| dents banner.
Called to Order.
| The convention was called to order a few
minutes before 10 o'clock. Miss Willard
raped sharply seven times on the table IN
front of her. Instantly the big assembly
| came to order.
Seven raps for love, hope and graft
tude" said Miss Willard. You will notice
| that we are little behind time. but X
| you will get seats quickly as possible,
| we will begin orening exercises. i Will ask
| Mother Thompson. Aunty Stewart ard Mrs.
| Monroe to read the crusade Psalm respon-
svely with you.
| The three ladies named arose and stood
| with Miss Willard while the psalm was
read, verse by the audience and verse
h. .ntf ~
pressiye moment. Then followed the origin
| of the crusade hymn, Rock OF Ages" by
| the entire convention, led by Mrs Alice
| Harris Of Boston, national superintendent
| of music and the grand notes of the organ
pealed above the voices of the audience.
There were probably 500 delegates pres
ent and the hall was we'll filled with spec
tators. with the exception of the upper
gallery.
Rev. Frances Townsley of Nebraska next
| led the convention in a fervent prayer.
birthday of the w. C. T. u. movement.
| since guided and guarded by love strong
as fatherhood, true as brotherhood ana
tender and loving as motherhood. She re-
ferred touchingly to tho death of Mrs.
Mary A. Woodbridge. who died a month
| ago; to Miss Willard, the national presi-
| dent, and to Lady Henry Somerset whose
| absence from the convention is so greatly
deplored.
At the conclusion of the prayer Miss Will
lard spoke feelingly of the late Mary
NJ
Stevens of Maine called the roll Of officers,
superintendents and delegates.
Following this came the reading and
adoption of the minutes of the executive
committee for two sessions. The appoint
ment of vice president-at-large was un-
der consideration during the larger part
of the morning session. After three inef-
fectual votes upon the subject the matter
was finally laid over until tomorrow morn
ing.
The treasurer, Mrs. Baehers of South
Dakota was appointed chairman Of the
finance committee.
After the singing Of the hymn, entitled
| welcome, Chieftain, Welcome" Miss VIII
lard stepped to the front Of the platform
and the first applause Of the convention
was given and handkerchiefs huttered
| in all parts of the house.
Miss Willard thanked the convention for
| the applause and then began the delivery
of her annual address.
Presidents Address.
In her annual address Miss Willard told
Of the first praying band of Ohio, organ
ized on December %. 1873. and Of how
the movement spread until the liquor traf-
fic was. inside of fifty lays, banshed from
$50 towns. From that she told of the or
ganization, from this start, of the Ma
tional Union. Since the start in Cleve-
land, twenty years ago, she said the half
dozen state unions then organized have
grown to fifty and the single national
| union to over fcrty-nine nations and prov
inces.
The address continued with a review OF
the progress OF the temperance, woman.
purity and labor movements in the last two
decades and showed that they have all
moved forward by leaps and bounds until
| the habit of total abstinence is respected
everywhere; the effects of the use of alco-
hoics and tobacco are being systematically
taught from the standpoint of science to
the children In the public schools of all
the fifty states and territories. except five.
Prohibition has gained ground" said
Miss Willard, ''in several northern states
and throughout the south by means OF
local option; the recent plebiscites In Cam
ada prove the growth of a strong senti-
ment in favor of prohibitory law; in Great
Britain the prevailing sentiment is that
the question of license or no license should
be placed in the peoples hands, and In
New Zealand. Colorado and Kansas. where
women have the ballot, the effect Of their
influence has been strongly detrimental to
the legal as we'll as the social position Of
the saloon. The age of consent has been
raised In English-speaking countries until
its average is now sixteen years instead or
ten. Forty years ago there were but sew
en- employments open to women; now
hardly as many are closed.
women's Victory.
THE aggregated and systematic self-re-
spect OF women is making itself felt
against the debasing exhibitions Of her
form, whether pictured or real, before
audiences Of immoral men. The victory
gained by Lady Henry Somerset, Mrs. Or
miston Chant, and other White Ribbon
women in bringing evidence to the London
county council, which caused ii by vote
of IS to 81 to refuse liquor and promenade
hall licenses, so that prominent places OK
amusement In London are closed, Is per-
haps the strongest proof that better day
has dawned and deserves to rank beside
the victory of women I'm Kentucky over
breckenridge and of women in New York
over the tiger of Tammany."
The appointment Of matronly women on
every police force was urged by Miss Will
lard as a sure method of minimizing the
degradati ton of the night side of life in the
municipality. White Ribbon women In tho
local unions were urged to invite the lead
ing men in the temperance and labor ranks
to unite in forming Home Protection
Clubs" these to be fostered and built up
by the local society and induced, IL possible,
by comparison Of their views. to combine
on a platform Of principles and to send
delegates to the various county, district'
state and national conventions OF their re-
spective parties uhe populist and prohipi-
tion) who would strive to bring about q
union Of forces,
The Newspapers.
The naturalization of all means OF loco.