The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-03-08
w. c. T. U. COLUMN.

even those that have in the past
been silent on those questions that
relate to the drink traffic have been
a unit in giving mention of it in
their columns and perhaps it would
not be amiss to insert a copy of this
petition in our column for the ben
eft of those who have not yet heard
what is embraced therein.
This petition, Mrs. Sherman the
maker tells us, is already two
thousand yards long and growing
daily. Over two miles of blue and
red braid have been stitched on the
cloth on which the petition is
mounted, all of which has been
done by Mrs. Sherman's own fingers.
Many times she says when she was
more tired than usual she has
wished that the men would behave
themselves then we would not have
this to do. The names are mounted
three columns across, and have been
signed by one million, one hundred
and twenty-One thousand actual
signatures and six million attestat
lions making in all over seven mil
lion people. One million men have
endorsed the petition.
Fifty languages are represented
on the petition, among those are
names from Ceylon, Burma, South
Africa and Indian Territory. Some
Of the last named are very odd,
such as Ka-hu-ta, Giving Wolf,
Martha Nakedhead, Lenora John
nycake.
The petition was first started
twelve years ago. Mrs. Sherman
has worked at preparing it for five
years, in that time she has spent
two years allowing eight hours a
day.
The oldest signer was ninety
three years ofage, the youngest (by
special permission) a boy of seven.
The petition was packed in boxes
strongly made, two by two and a.
half feet, and sent to Washington
where it was presented to the GOV
eminent in Music Hall on the
evening of Feb. fifteenth. The hall
has a seating capacity of more than
four thousand.
The Moody choir was in attend
ance but when the time arrived
the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union had, in the language of the
Union Signal, an excellent oppor-
tunity for proving its splendid
vitality when it found itself forced
to enact the play of Hamlet with
two Hamlets left out. Miss Viii
lard and Lady Henry Somerset
both having had "a grippe were
unable to be present, but the great
petition was an inspiration in itself
as it hung in great festoons all up
and down that immense hall.
Mrs. L. NJ. N. Stevens presided.
Miss Anna Gordon read Miss Will
lard's address on the history of the
petition. Many Senators and Rep
resentatives were present.
Miss Willard and Lady Henry
Somerset afterwards arrived in
Washington and together with the
National officers were received by
the President of the United States.
and Miss Willard addressed the
President as follows "That mas
much as this petition had original
ed in the United States and has
been largely signed here, it is here
by respectfully brought to you not
on any legal ground, but because it
is addressed to the governments of
the world and you are the execu-
tive chief of this government
The President received them
very cordially and after the inter,
view a message was sent from Mrs.
Cleveland asking to receive Miss
Willard and Lady Henry Somerset.
They spent very enjoyable half
hour with the leading lady in the
land.
Among those who took great
interest in the petition meeting was
Hon. Frederick Douglass, saying
he ''enjoyed it beyond expression"
The last interview of Mr.. Douglass
was with Miss Willard and Lady
Henry Somerset, he and Mrs.
Douglass having called at their
hotel to talk over some matters