Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-22
MILLIONS OF NAME S
Arranging to Present the Huge Polyglot
Petition.
WOmen's Christian Temperance Union
VIII Have Elaborate Ceremonies
ON the 18th of February.

The polyglot petition Of the Worlds Wo-
mems Christian Temperance Union will
be presented to the representatives of the
United States government on the evening
of February Is. The ceremonies will be
under the conduct Of the Women's Chris
tian Temperance Union of this jurisdiction,
and by way of preparation the initial
conference of the committee of arrange
ments is being held this afternoon. This
committee consists of Mrs. Mary E. Crit
fifth, Mrs. La Fetra, Mrs. Clinton Smith,
Mrs. NJ. e. Cohen. Mrs. Emma Shelton,
Mrs. Mary +. Catlin, Mrs. L. d. Merrlck
and Mrs. s. NJ. Wescott
1t is proposed to make the coming cele-
bration one of the greatest within the
history of the local temperance union. 1t
may be that the coming event will be the
greatest of a temperance nature which the
District has ever known. The Neal Dow
celebration was a great one, but the pre-
sentation of the polyglot petition promises
This petition Is In fifty languages and
bears four millions of names 1t is to be
presented to all the governments of the
earth, and the United States was chosen as
the first to be thus distinguished. The de-
tails of the event can be prOphesied with
reasonable certainty. though no program
has as yet been determined upon. The
monster meeting will be held presumably
at Convention Hall. 1t will be presided
over by Miss Frances f. Willard, president
of the Worlds Wornen's Christian Tenn
erance Union, who will make an address,
This address Is to be in keeping with the
general dignity and Importance of the
meeting. 1t will probably not be a long
one, certainly not 80 long as that which
she delivered last November at Cleveland,
Ohio, on the occasion of the twenty-first
convention of the National Womens Chris
tian Temperance Union. The principal adj
dress of the evening will be that by Lady
| . fl,,t 1n,.
The platform viii be filled with representa-
tive men in statescraft and theology. A
large number of invitations will be issued
TO men of this chracter. 1t Is expected
that the President, his wife, and cabinet
and the wives of the cabinet officers Will
also be present., -
An effort will be made to accomplish this.
The matter Of music is an important one.
Some favor the Marine Band, others the
Moody choir, and some think that the mag
ritude of the occasion will warrant the en-
ployment of both these musical organiza-
lions. The arrangements for the formal
presentation are immature. The ideas OF
| the committee have not taken the shape
| Of plans and the committee Is still in the
suggest ton period. 1t Is thought that per-
| haps II will be best to first informally talk
| over the matter with some Of the sympa-
| thetc legislators in both branches of Con-
gress The advice of these gentlemen will
| probably be followed. The ladies with
whom The Star reporter spoke think that
Congress should appoint special commit
| tee to atterd the meeting of the union and
| there receive the petition. This is what the
ladies want 1t is also thought that large
delegations of American women from va
rious associations will attend. All the
| churches of this District will assuredly be
| largely represented. The great petition is
| to be presented to the representatives of
| the government of Great Britain at the con-
vention Of the Worlds Union, which Is to
| be held at Queens Hall, London, June 14-2l,
| 1895. 1t is thought that the American pre-
| sentation will be as magnificent and as
| impressive that to be held In the capital
| Of the British realm.