The Newtown bee., 1895-05-10
local unions. The first national conven- tfon was convened in 1874 at Cleveland, O., and so widespread had been the movement that IS states were represent

O., anu so WldoSpreaQ HaQ been the movement that IS states were represent ed.-a-- yss x In 1878 the Illinois union drew up petition to the Houses of Congress of that state asking that women might have 3 chance to vote on the temperance question. That nothing might be left
 undone to further their cause, some of Ethose devoted, women rWent each day
 over to the State House and interviewed the party leaders man by man, soliciting their aid for the petition. The excuses | of these men were varied but honest, one leader openly confessing that as his
 law practice was nearly all from the sa- looms and his, hopes of promotion from them he could give no aid to the petition. Another who had promised to make the presentation speech when the petition
 should come up, afterwards refused say ing that the caucus had threatened, him
 and he didn,t dare go, back on the men who had elected him. It goes without l saying that the petition was lost.
 l's' In 1881 Miss Willard, then president of the national union, went to Washing ton to be present at the inauguration of Gen Garfield, who was believed to be a firm friend gof total abstinence. Very
 much to her surprise and -disappoint-
 ment she found that he. was not the dis ! ciple of old but an aadroit politician in
 the hands Of his friends and, that he
 was fully aware that the liquor camp
 held the balance of power. .EEH N@
 Thus the third time these brave women
 failed through the very men from whom
 they might surely have expected aid
 and they are the men chosen to make the
 laws whose enforcement is to protect
 our-h homes and conntry.-
 But these failures, however, did not
 dishearten the white ribboners. They
 only served to show them what strong
 foothold their enemy had in this country.
 It was now that the movement began to bemore widely extended. One devoted woman in England took up the cadse and to-day her name, stands beside Mise I Willard's. Very few womenI have
 wrought so we'll in so short 8, time as
 Lady Henry Somerset. But the crusade did not step in England: the white rib-
 bon, the emblem of purity and peace,
 was sent on to all countries until it rhas
 encircled. the gIobe:- %n E .,avr,f a
 Now let us see why it is that this
 movement entirely in the hands of wo.
 man has done so much more for the tenn.
 perance organizations and that they were the first to do this, In the world E
 history to-day are many brave men en-
 gagged in this fight against intemperance
 but men take only one line, while women
 are born branchers-out. By inheritance
 and environment they are varied in their
 methods. They have learned we'll the
 lessons Of unity and diversity.
 Men pursued their work at first along
 the line of temperance, then total abstin ence; license, then prohibition, while
 women have oyer 40 distinct departments
 of work under the heads Of preventive, educational, al,evangelistie, social and legal.
 Women think in the concrete. The cru sade showed them the drinking man and they began upon him. 1t showed them the selling man and by various means they persuaded him to give up hisS bad business. But often times these would | go back te7 their old habits; then the women said we must train the children. Men do not remember that although the work is slightly dependent on the child ren of, to-day it will be wholly So for the prosperity of tomorrow. It was left;for women to find this out and throughgthe influence of the public schools they have begun laying sure and strong fpunda. tion for the temperance cause.ofsrz ars.asi
 In the evangelistic department cbhsyt are doing noble work. Homes have been provided for friendless children and mniiss- sionary work has been started among, all classes. Women with specialsiess have, been cultivated and the temperance rea form introduced into strong holds of power. Not a convocation of ministers. teachers, voters or editors announced to meet in any city or town but there is 8 woman whereabouts who knows it is her business to secure a resolution, ia Yoring temperance movements. Not aelegisla- ture or congress in session but woman of the white ribbon is near with a peti-. tion asking for prohibition, and they. have not. asked in vain. .lg-, urs~cs -s~ Women have been in the temperance work not quite p. years; man not Tess than 90, and yet men are moving along the same path inFwhich they, started. What have they done and what-are they doing now for the suppression of s7ntefn- perance? They'hase passed laws in pear= ly every state in regardTto thee buying and selling of intoxicants, the granting of licenses, and other laws regulating the traffic too numerous to mention. ButI these laws arenot enfof reed. The saloons have now gained 50 much powWeear. tRh tRhatti men seem to lack the courage to stand out bravely against'them. Al few States it is true have succeeded in passing and enforcing prohibition laws, but these are the few exceptions to the rule. saDrl E. R. Gould, who prepared the system of liquor traffc, rel gently published says, <, $ Practically nothing. has been done by our govern. ment and the ealliance-between liquor and f politics is being drawn eleserand closer.oI In Norway, that place to which men men point as the most effective proof of, 'whatt 'hey can do, the liquor traffic has ,simplyl changed hands. Instead Of being soldI5 y individuals liquor il' sold by the government, and although many ofs the i horrible things connected with it's. sale rave been abolished, yet the. traffic is l.' 'arried on none the less, and is not made h ny more respectable from it's connectionI't