The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-02-16
FIVE MILLION.
Petition Looking Toward Sup
preston Of Misery.
The Alcohol and Opium Vices Will Be
Fought TO the Death.


bon of the Woman's Christian Temper.
ance union is in evidence in oil quarters
of the city, the occasion being the annual
convocation.
At the afternoon session Mrs Emily L.
Mclaughlin made a strong plea for tenn
perance work in large cities, and for q
home missionary temperance fund, with
which to do IL.
Devotional services were conducted by
Mrs. Helen NJ. Barber. Addresses were
delivered on "The w. G. II. u. has at
tanned Der majority; Is she worthy OF
citizenship" "Moral and political reform
in large cities" and "a retrospect OF the
W. c. L. u"
Convention hall was crowded by 5000
persons at the evening session. After do
votionnl exercises, Miss Anne Gordon
read MISS Frances Willards address, tho
latter not being present, being detained In
Boston by sickness. The address was as
follows
Miss wiiiard's Address.
"Home protection Is tho key word OF
woman's work Manufacturers seek the
tariff for the purpose of protection TO in
dustries, adult and infant; trades unions
from the aggressions of capital, and cor
porations and monopolies from the en-
croachment Of competition; but 10000
groups of loyal hearted mothers and
wives, sisters and daughters have formed
for the purpose of acting in organized
capacity as protectors OF the home. the
tempted youth and the little child.
"For this cause, there are bands OF rib
bon white around the world, and this
polyglot petition Is but our prayer that tells
out purpose of our hearts and has been
wrought into a plea before tho nations Of
the world. We expect to present this petit
tion TO representatives of every civilized
government
"We prize the polyglot petition work,
because 1t has afforded nucleus around
which women may rally Because we are
patriots, we have come to the capital Of
our native land to present this petition
first of all in the country in which it
originated, and which has sent out all the
white ribbon missionaries who have Sc.
cured its circulation In foreign countries.
We present it tonight TO members OF tho
United States senate and house of repro
sentatives, and we expect to secure hear
ing, with the petition for its basis. before
committees of those two bodies.
"The greatest number of names, en-
dorsements and attestations have been
secured In our country, and next to ours,
in Great Britain. The signatures came to
hand in 90 languages. Besides these
there arc hundreds of thousands of names
yet waiting to be added TO the long roll.
Nor will we ever rest until we have 2,000,.
900 actual names, besides the present 5000
900 additional signers by attestation.
"The document has been circulated in
30 nations, and in the three ways stated
has received 100000 signatures. Tho
total number of actual signatures from
outside the United States is 49, 900. Great
Britain leads the procession with its $50 900.
Canada comes next with $1,000. Burmah
follows with az, 900, and Ceylon, Australia,
Denmark, China, India and Mexico fol.
low, with all the others coming after.
Endorsed Also by Men.
"Though shis is womans petition,
1t should be noted that 1t Is endorsed by
perhaps 100000 men--some by personal
signatures, but most by the attestation of
the officers OF societies TO which they
belong. Thus the Salvation Army has
endorsed IL with its 1900, 600 members;
the Good Templars have put their 57o, 0oO
names upon it by attestations; the Uni
versal Peace union has signed 1t In this
way, and innumcrable societies and con-
ventions have swelled the list; the United
Society OF Christian Endeavor has alone
added 100000 names, while innumerablo
churches and church societies will swell
the total by 100000 more. Even from
Ccylon come the signatures Of 90, 900 mon.
1T is more than 10 years since the petit
tion was written; il i had to rewrite 10
should assuredly include the enfranchlse-
ment OF workmen among the requests it
specifies"
The petition reads ms follows:
For God and Home and Every Land PolyRiot
Petition Of the Worlds Woman's Christian
Temperance Union, Addressed 10 tho GOV
ernments of the World:
Honored Rulers, Representativ ives and Brothers.
We, your petitioners, although belonging 20
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 happy homes. and that
by these the nations prosper. and the time is
brought nearer when the world shall be at
peacs. We know that indulgencetin alcohol
and opium, and In other vices which Disgrace
our social life. makes misery for all the world,
and most OF all for us and for our children
We know that stimulants and opiatos are
sold under legal guarantees, which makes the
governments partners in the traffic by accent
ing as revenue a portion OF the profits, and we
know with shame that they are often forced
10y treaty upon populations, either ignorant or
unwilling.
We know that law might do much, now left
undone, 10 raise the moral tone Of society and
render vice difficult
We have mo- power 90 prevent these great in.
iquities beneath which the whole world groans
but you have power 20 redeem the honor of
the nations from an indefensible completely.
We, therefore, come 20 you with the united
voices Of representative women of every land.
besccching you 20 raise the standard of the
laws to that Of Christian morals, 10 strip awav
the safeguards and sanctions Of tho state from
the drink traffic and the opium trade. and 10
protect our homes by the total prohibition of
these courses q civilization Throughout all tho
territory over which yogr government ex.
tends.
At .-e close of the reading of Miss win.
ards address. Miss Belle Koarncy read an
address 20 men. She was followed by DIR
Lunn Of London and Mrs Baker, the ma
tional treasurer Of the union The latter
held that man had no right To mark ont
Wouan's sphere I'm the world aAdan,