The Portland daily press., 1895-02-16
FOUR MILLION NAMES.
A Monster White Ribbon Petition That
Was Due in Washington Yesterday

Chicago. February 15.-Four million
names to singlespetition. Four million
men and women of fifty countries and
nationalities united in one single re-
quest. Such is the monster document
which Mrs. Matilda B. Carse has in
charge, and which started with her
Monday for Washington. 1t prays all
civilized governments to abandon all pro
lection or recognition of the drink traffic
and the opium trade. and totally pro-
hibit the one and the other within their
respective jurisdictions.
Imposing as the figures are of them
selves. the huge document is yet mere
imposing plea. We're 1T to be unrolled
and joined in a single sheet it would
measure thirty miles in length. Rolled
up it weighs half ton. 1t is con-.
tanned in five huge boxes, three of which
have been iu Chicago and two in Evans
ton, under the care of Mrs. Rebecca Shu-
man. This petition is sent to Washing
ton that it may be DISPLAYED at the
White Ribbon convocation, which will
open there today under the auspices of
the worlds National and District of Co.
lum pia Woman's Christian Temperance
Unions. Convention Music Hall is to
be draped and festooned with a few
miles of the petition, and the remainder
will form great monument of itself,
| 1t is not for self graduation or pride
| that the display is to be made, hut as
the most effective way of bringing it
before the National Congress. This eve
| ming it is hoped that the mem bers of
the Senate and House will accept the in
vitation to be present at Convention
Music Hall to inspect the monster petit
tion and to listen to it's advocates. Were
| the names to be read in Congress by a
series of the most rapid readers. it would
require continuousksession of II days
and nights, without an instant's pause,
to accomplish the gigantic task. There
| fore, the following substance of the
great document will be placed on the
desk of each mem Der:
Honored Rulers, Representatives and
| Brothers:
We, your petitioners, although belong
ing to the physically weaker sex, are
strong of heart to love our homes, our
native land, and the worlds family OF
nations. We know that clear brains and
pure hearts make honest lives and hap
ply homes, and that by these the nation
prospers, and the time issbrought nearer
when the world shall be at peace. We
know that indulgence in alcohol and
opium, and. in other vices, which dis
grace our social life makes misery for all
the world, and most of all for us and
for our children. We know that stimu-
lants and opiates are sold under legal
guarantees, which make the governments
partners in the traffic by accepting as
revenue portion of the profits, and we
know with shame that they are often
forced by treaty upon EQUATIONS, either
ignorant or unwilling. We know that
law might do much, now left undone,
to raise the moral tone of society and
render vice difficult We have no power
to prevent these iniquities, beneath
which the whole world groans, but you
have power to redeem the honor of the
naions from an indefensible completely.
We therefore come to YOU with the
unifed voices of representative women
of every land, beseeching you to raise
the the standard of the laws to that of
Christian morals, to strip away the safe
guards and sanctions of the state from
the dl ink traffic and the opium trade.
and to protect our homes by the total
prohibition of these curses of civilization
throughout all the territory over which
your government extends.
We hereby certify that the foregoing
petition has been circulated among peo-
pie of fifty nationalites, and in as many
countries; that it has received signatures
in all, and that to the best of our
| knowledge. the number of signatures.
Cncluding the Endorsements of men and
the attestation of great societies) aggre-
gates not fewer than 10000
Mary Clement Leavitt, isabel Somerset,
Ella +. M. Williams. Katherine Steven
son. Frances e. Beaucham, Frances
E. Willard, Anna A. Gordon, Lillian
NJ. N. Stevens, Cara c. Hoffman,
Helen NJ Barker.
The oonvocation will last three days,
today being the great day. The evening
programme includes addresses on "The
Origin of the Petition" by Miss Willard;
ats Value as an Educator" by Mrs
Mary H. Hunt; what the Petition Will
Mean to the World" by Lady Henry
Somerset; and sits relation to the Final
Victory" by Mrs. Clara G. Hoffman.
In June the great petition will be sent
to the W. CT. U. worlds convention in
London, and from there will be sent
around the world.