Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-04-24

with one thing before them, the de
stroyer of their homes. The move
ment has been unparalleled in its devel-
opment and power At once it drew
to it the sympathy of womanly women
and manly men, of every creed and
party.
Its work in Mississippi has been of
the highest value. To this organiza-
ton, more than to any other one force,
is due the advanced state of temper
ance in this State. When men in the
centers like Columbus. Meridian. Jack
son, Jagged and cringed and temporiz-
ed and sought compromises, the W. G..
I. U. never quailed nor dickered, but
forced the fighting not only up to the
walls, but into the very citadel of the
enemy. | know that am telling the
truth, albeit in "A very meagerly way,
for the pen does not move that can de
scribe the heroism of this Spartan band
of women in the face of the difficulties
of a few years ago. Joan of Arc was
no greater heroine than women | know
in Mississippi and all over the eoun-
try.
1T IS \ THOROUGH GOING TEMPERANCE
BODY.
It's wisdom lies in its not being
wise after the time serving, slavish or
der of many whose wisdom is kind of
refined worldly wickedness. 1t is rad
zeal. aiming to remove this vile cancer
of the liquor traffic by the roots. It
sees the whole satanic business with
that clearness of vision which comes of
singleness of heart. 1t has no party
the great American god to take care
of, no friends to serve, no offices to
seek, no rotten churches to hold to-
gether, no precedents to honor; but
one thing to do, to destroy the destroy
er of all good.
IT IS WISE IN ITS AVAILABILITY.
1t seeks to use all legitimate means, To-
cal and general. 1t is comprehensive in
plan. 1t educates not only along the
straight line, but along all collateral
lines. 1t does not pursue the see-saw
policy of educating up through the
churches and down through the whis-
ky parties. 1t is sensible in seeking to
apply practical methods, rather than
to float in a sentimental dream land.
1t has passed the young girl period of
crying and grunting, and has come to
all practical business
1T is VERY TROUBLESOME BODY.
SO are all reform bodies worth a nickel.
So were the prophets of Israel trouble
some. The w. @. I. u posters preach
ers who are ''as good temperance men
as any in the world" but train with
workers Of iniquity, They trouble ed
itors who are trying to serve God and
MammOn at the same time, or are try
ing to go with God and Prohibition,
while they work with the devil and pol
iticians pledged to support the liquor
traffic. They trouble the men who
want everything just like it used to be.
They trouble saloon men sin their bus
mess" They are very troublesome,
these women are, for they are making
it plain to the world, that the day when
women will silently submit to the mul
titudinous and aggravated wrongs in
flicted on them by a semi -barbaric sa-
loon-ridden society is rapidly reaching
the sunset hour
1t is, in an unusual degree,
AN INTELLIGENT AND REFINED BODY OF
WOMEN,
and deeply pious too. | know every
prominent worker in Mississippi. They
are the chief women in all the church
es, devoted, active, helpful in their sew
eral churches. They are cultured, the
very elect of the elect In saying this
| am not unmindful of the sneerS OF
saloon men and some weak, good men.
vino, caught up 10y flaw in the wind
or smarting under some sense of per
sonal dignity offended, join "the lewd
fellows of the baser sort" in depreciat-
ing body of Christian women as pure
refined, intelligent and pious as ever
blessed the homes and churches of any
people. And there are men of slight
culture, indifferent and defective
breeding, who do not know what mod
esty, true, deep and genuine womanly
modesty is. They think that Florence
Nightingale acted immodestly in going
to nurse the sick in the army; that the
women who presented flags to the sol
diers as they were going into the war
did shocking thingi that for a woman
to shout in meeting or tell an expe-
rience before a church or teach men in
Sunday School is unblushingly i'm
modest. They are vulgar minded. They
think evil where the truly refined would
never imagine anything not hly-white.
They do not grasp the essence of mod
esty. They would, no doubt, have be-
rated Deborah as an "out-doing terma-
CANT"
But
THESE REFINED TEMPERANCE WOMEN
are keeping the camp fires of tenn
perance burning through evil as we'll
as good report, and their white flag