The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-09-30
BICYCLES STOP DRINK
Miss Willard Says That They
Decrease Intemperance.
This Has Been Shown Clearly
in England.
BLOOMERS ALL RIGHT.
She Doesn't Wear Them but
Doesn't Decry Them.
Miss tWi17ord XNri%oC a D0n,11
'LOOMERS ALL RIGHT.
Miss Willard Writes a Poem
Flag on the Omnibus"

Willard came down the gangplank of
the steamship New Y ork Saturday. look
ing the picture of health. Her step was
firm and her cheeks were delicately
shaded with the brown evidence of a
sea voyage Her gown was pale blue
of yachting character, and a straw hat
shaded her eyes.
Il is quite needless to say that Miss
Willard was in excellent spirits or that
she is filed with ideas about her work in
London, where she has been for many
months, about her future plans, and
SO On.
"There never was" said she, $50 much
teetotal sentiment in England as there is
today. The custom of emitting wine
from the dinner table is growing One
of the things that helps temperance is
the bicycle. 1 am a bicycle enthusiast,
and after three years hard work have
at last induced Lady Henry Somerset to
ride wheel. The bicycle is spelling
the business of the saloons and of the
low variety theaters,
sit is a splendid thing to abolish drink
by indireciion. l think the bicycle is
heavens way of helping people to have
q good time without using stimulants.
In England out door exercise for women
is much more prevalent than it is here,
oA4 WOAAOA SOAhR ia AOA ~ LAOAO
than ever. They ride to hounds and go
yachting oftener than we do. They
often play cricket and there was a
match between two women's clubs when
l was there.
1.-The effect of this is that English wo-
men are gaining in health and strength.
1 felt like Liliputian among those mag
nif1cent, gwell built creatures. The fash
ionable game in England now is croquet
cnnQr0oH0H fopnjC and rolf this
mer We had very hot weather and it
was too warm for those games
India. you would think, needs little
temperance agitation, as the Hindoos are
supposed to abhor alcoholic drinks. But
the Englishmen in India simply swim in
liquor. This condition of demoraliza-
ton is affecting the natives more OF less
" want to get groups of women to-
gether who will disseminate temperance
ideas, and we want the physiological
effects of alcohol taught in the Indian
schools.
"Most people have an idea that France
is not a good field for temperance work,
but we are already reaping fruit there.
The French have begun 10 classify
drinks and those OF an alcoholic nature
like absinthe they call poison drinks.
Lots of distinguished Frenchmen
have stopped using intUxicants l think
I <
took drink with him when he was in
New York? Well, l guess I'm wrong.
/ Oh, l was thinking of Alphonse Daudet.
| The president of France. VI. Faure, has
strong views on temperance.
II think Mr.. Roosevelt is doing a
! grand work in New York in enforcing
the excise law. am glad that d man of
his wealth aud prestige is so much of
patriot as to stand up for the laws re-
gardless of attack and insult He is a
| wonder to the world and l have been do
ing nothing but talking him up.
IAN l so much in favor of a commu-
1 nifty OF masculine and feminine inter
j ests that I would like to see them dress
+, alike? Do 1 favor bloomers? l don't
oppose" them, though l don't wear
them. l am 90 years old and don't
think it would be suitable. but l
don't see any objection to them. You
know Worth, the great French dress
maker, sai i'd that the prettiest dress a
woman could wear was the divided skirt
of the Persian women, and that is u sort
of bloomer. 1 suppose the opinion OF
Worth ought TO count I think that
have seen only only one woman in bloom :
ers in,my life. They don't use them in
England I wear a skirt in bicycling
just few inches shorter than the one /
have on"
Thinking over the relationship be-
tween England and the United States
while in London. Miss Willard's atten-
ton was attracted by the little English
flag carried by some of the omnibuses.
She sat down and wrote a poem.
Here is the poem. 1t is called "The
Flag on the Omnibus"
The eyes that follow thee. old flag. are fond;
A Western heart leaps up. thy folds to greet;
| A SaXOn'S eyes confess the sacred bond.
AS England'S standard fiutterS down the
street,
With its red for love. and its white for law,
And its blue for the hope that our fathers saw
OF larger liberty.
Thou art the Mother flag of destiny,
| Our banner of the spangled stars is there;
Cromwell was sire of Washington, and we
| Claim the same cross that bIaZonS thy ensign
With its red for love, etc.
| o, Holy flags, bright with one household glow.
Together light the highway of our God.
riIl the dear cross of Christ to men shall show
That stripes and stars both mark the path He
trod.
With their red for love. etc.
The long march of the nations shall be led
By those two flags till war and tumult cease
Along the happy highway where shall tread
The brOtherho d of labor and of peace.
| With their red for love- etc.