The morning times., 1895-09-15
District ". C. 7. U. Preparing for
Its Annual Me
OFFICERS TO BE AAnOTED
dany Interesting s:eI.orts from the
Various Departments Are Expected.
Brief History of the Famous
Orgn nizatioE " hich Is Felt the
World Over.

city September 27. The indications are
that there viii be an unusually large at
tendance. The Washington branch of the
union is making extensive arrangements for
the reception OF the visiting delegates, and
many important matters will be discussed
at the sessions of the convention.
In the Qaiet little town OF HIllshoro, Ohio,
swenty-one years ago, the Women's CARTS
tian Temperance Union was born. 1t was
two days before Christmas, in 1873
when the woman's crusade was started.
The next day the crusade opened in Washing
ton Court HoUse, and for fifty days the
whole country kept interested eyes on the
women, while the crusade was carried into
seven OF the neighboding States.
In Cleveland, November Is, 1874, the
powerful organization known now all over
the world as the W. C. T. o., and designated
by its tiny bow of white ribbon, was christ
ened, a constitution framed and list of
resolutions adopted. Mrs. Annie Witten-
meyer, of Pennsylvania, was elected presi-
dent aul Mis- Frances T. Willard secretary.
From this beginning has sprung an organiza-
ton which has gird!cd the globe with the
white ribbon, and has resulted In the
world's Womcn's Christian Temperance
Union, of which MFs. Margaret BaSlet
Lucas. the sister OF John Bugiet, the famous
British coIlmoucr, was tie first president
Miss Frances Il. Willard was elected
president of the National Woman's Chris
tian Temperance Union in 1875, on the
platform Of woman's suffrage, and has held
that office ever since, by the almost unani-
nous vote OF her vast constituency.
ITS GREAT MEMBERSHIP.
She leads an organization in the United
States of over 1860 local unions, ag
greeatins an active membership OF nearly
800. .GOG. The society has an official paper,
the Union Signal, with vast circulation.
and operates large publishing business
1t advocatcs first and foremost the exter-
minatioI OF theliGuor traffic and thereclaim-
ing Of incbr.atea, prison reform. social rJr-
ity, the ;nelioratioa OF the laboring classes,
the advancement and Improvement OF the
public scho.ls, as well as aH methods of
progressive education, and in fact, advo-
Gates everything that the women believe
will better the condition. OF humanity. Is
has its headquarters i'll Chicago, at The
Temple, one of the handsomest and most IA
yorably located buildings in that great
pages of temperance literature are sent
broadcast over this and other countries from
this &C nter every year.
The District OF Columbia W c. T. u. was
organized in 1874, and its first president
was Mrs. Annie NJ. Linviile, VINO was sue
ceeded by Airs. C. L. Roach. She served
for ten years and was followed by Mrs
SD. LaFetra, for eight years. Mrs. Mary
E. Griffith is the presiding officer at the
present time. The organization, including
the young women's branch, or the Us, has
Q present membership OF nearly 1,G0O.
The annual meeting will be held in
Foundry NJ. E. Church on September &c
and 27, with all-day sessions. There viii
be full reports from about twenty de-
partnents of work, each with an eff
Gent superintendent at its head. Besides
there will be valuable reports from all
the general officers of the local society.
There Will also be the election of officers
on the morning OF the second day, and the
election of two delegates to the national
W. T. U. convention, which will meet in
Baltimore on October 1S to %. All of
the officers of the District W. C. 7. U.
are ex-officio voting members of the ma
tioDal society-the District of Columbia
ranking as a State in this regard.
The report which will be submitted to
the convention through Miss L. S. Weight
man will be of very Interesting charac-
ter. 1t will embody the reports from the
several superiDtendents of the different
departments.
SOME OF THE WORKERS.
Mrs. Francis E. Reauchamp, the assist
ant recording secretary, an indefatigible
worker in the cause, speaks of the work
OF the organization as more than salts.
factory. She admires the work of the Us
and says they work with zeal and earnest
ness.
The "Y'' proceeds largely along social
lines. The basic principle is to give little
entertainments, to which young men are
invited who have not the influence of home
life. They are thus drawn from the So
ciety that many young men without homes
would naturally seek.
Inducements are offered to young men
to become honorary members. The en-
tertaiD ments offered are conducted by
young men and young ladies', and are in
flueDtial in bringing other young men
from evil associates.
A noble worker In the cause is Mrs. Alice
is particularly a fighter against cigar
cite smoking. This work she has been
successful largely in by enlisting the SER
vices of the public schools, and by anti
cigarette leaguers among the school chill
dren she has accomplished much good.
The efforts of ssClinton Smith as cham
pion petitioner of the organization are most
extraordinary. She has had petitions from
rfo cf,r nf off xrh hox-
been largely signed. She purposes pre-
senting the petition to the next Congress
1t prays the prohibition of the sale of
Intoxicating liquors in the District.
MANY EVILS WATCHED.
Another earnest champion of the cause
IL Margaret b. Platt. She works on
temperance literature while Mrs. Eliza
beth A. Chambers keeps an eye on the cir
culation of Objectionable pictures. Her
keen eye takes in all the windows where
Objectionable pictures are liable to be
displayed, and whenever she sees "decoy
picture" she calls the attention of the pro-
prietor to the necessity of removing it.
Mrs. Chambers says she could fill a large
book with experiences she has had in her
line of work. She has on several 90
casions been compelled to tell proprietors
she would have to use her power as an at
torney and bring them to court.
There are a host of other noble women
who labor In the reforms for which W. c. T.
U. is synonymous, and many of them will
be heard from when the society meets.
Birds Cause a Fire.
An outbreak of fire near the roof of
dwelling house at Offerton this week is at