The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-02-14
THEY ASK PROHIBITION.

Union will sent to President
Cleveland in Washington the most
gigantic document ever carried
under the roof of the White House.
1t is the famous polygot petition
for the suppress a of the liquor
traffic and the opium trade. 1t bears
the signature of 5000, 900 women
who live in all parts Of the world.
The petition is printed in fifty
LANGUAGES, and is six miles in length.
1t is the most determined assault on
ne liquor and opium industry ever
made. 80 ~ r !.
After s'7e petition has heel, .-;ss:. .,,-;ss;s;,
seoted 70 President Cleveland il will
he sent to England and submittt ! to
Queen Victoria. Next it will -
taken to all the countries of Europe
and shown to the various rulers.
The potentates OF Africa and Asia,
the governors of Australia and the
East Indies, the executives of South
and Central America republics and
the president of Mexico will be
visited by the delegation having the
petition in charge and they will be
asked to heed its prayer.
The English version of the petition
is as follows;
Honored Rulers, Representatives and
Brothers:
We, your petitioners, although belong
ing to the ph. Iiuan, =, eaksr sex, are
strong OF heart t. love mr. homes. our
native land, and 'ir~ ~ord's family of
nations.
We know tina, clear brains and pur,
hearts make hone. lives NJ S-,,y
homes, and that by these the nations
prosper, and the time is brought 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 our
children.
We know that stimulants and opiates
'''N 'SAN NhNti dbNtGS NulCu
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
populations, either ignorant or unwilling.
We know that the 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
great iniquities beneath which the whole
world groans, but you have power to
redeem the honor oi the nations from an
indefensibe completely.
We therefore come to you with united
voices OF representative women OF every
land, beseeching you to raise the stand
ard Vi .hs law 10 .hat ci Christian morals,
to strip away the safeguards and sane
tions OF the state from the drink 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.
For four years the signatures to
the petition have been pouring in
upon the officers of the w. G. 7. U.
in Chicago. The names and ad-
dresses and the texts of the petition
in various languages have been
pasted on sheets of muslin, which
are sewed together and make one
immense document.
The petition will be presented to
President Cleveland by Miss Francis
Z. Willard, president of the worlds
w. G. T. u. Mrs, Clara G. Hoffman
of Kansas City, president of the
Missouri W. c. T. u; Mrs. L. N.
Stevens of Maine, Mrs. Heler N
Barker of Chicago, Mrs. "a -her.Ea
Lent Stevenson of Chicf 60 Mis-;
Belle Kearney of Mississippi AID
Lady Henry Somerset, pre- ,i1enl of
the British W. o. T. U. 4ue peli-
ton is in the custody of Mrs. Steven
son of Chicago, and will be shipped
to Washington by her. Miss Willard,
Lady Henry Somerset and Mrs. Clara
q. Hoffman will take the petition to
the foreign countries.
At the national convention of the
w. @. T. u, held four years ago,
this unique attack upon liquor was
planned. The petition was prepared
and the text of it was sent to the
fifty countries in which the w. Q. T.
U. is organized.
The around the world missionaries
of the w. G. T. U. sought for sigma
lures in the various countries which
they visited. DIR. Kate Bushnell
went to England, Mrs. Elizabeth
Wheeler Andrews to China and Miss
Mary Allen West to Japan, where
she died while circulating the petit
ton. Miss Mary Clement Levett and
Miss Jessie Ackerman made a cir
cult of the globe for the express
purpose of gaining signatures.
They went from Chicago to New
York and thence to Europe, Asia,
Australia, Africa and South America.
1t is hardly possible that the
earth's rulers will grant the prayers
of the w. @. T. u, but the magni-
tude of the undertaking will inn
press them with the deep-set
aversion which women have for liquor
ON account of it's baneful influence
upon the half of hum anity to whom
they look for the protection and
good example.
ORDINARY DISEASE.