Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1895-03-07
Polyglot Petition.

Brothers:
We. your Petitioners, although belong
ing to 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 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 for
our children.
We know that stimulants and opiates
are sold under legal guarantees which
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 re-
deem the honor OF the nations from an
indefcnsble completely.
We therefore come to you with the
united voices Oh representative women Of
every land, besceching you to raise the
standard OF the law to that of Christian
morals, to strip away the safeguards and
sanctions OF the state from the drink
traffic and the opium trade, and to pro-
tect our homes by the total prohibition OF
these curses Of civilization throughout all
the territory over which your Govern
inent extends.
Names Residences.
This petition was first circulated twelve
years ago, when Miss Willard was in Cal
ifornia. Mrs. .Shuman OF Evanston, ILL.,,
who has "made" it, began her work Of
putting it together in June, 1890, almost
five years ago. She has spent two years
on the work, allowing eight hours Of work
day As the several lists Of signers came
in they were pasted on long strips Of
white cloth, one edge OF which was
bound with red braid and the other edge
with blue, SO that the background OF this
great work was our national colors. Mrs.
Shuman has used over two thousand
yards of cloth and over four thousand
yards Of braid in framing the Petition.
When asked to show the machine on
which she stitched the iour thousand
yards of braid, she modestly said, II did
it all by hand" No wonder her ques-
TONERS "looked reverently at the fingers
that had stitched over two miles OF blue
and red braid upon the white body Of the
three columns across the background.
"Threc times two thousand yards Of
names-how many names is that? One
million, one hundred and twenty-one
thousand actual signatures, and six
million attestations, therefore the Petit
ton really voices the sentiment of over
seven million people" care any of these
men?' "One million Names" Men in
authority, members Of Parliament, magis-
trates, ministers, lawyers, and other men
Of note. Among them Neal Dow heads
the list, Joseph Cook and Archdeacon
Farrar. Then there were names from
Indian Territory and from South Africa.
"1here are fifty languages represented on
the Petition. Over a thousand churches
are represented among the attestations-
eighty thousand in rising votes. The
Salvation Army has put itself on record
five hundred thousand strong-as with
u.s. and the United Society OF Christian
Endeavor have swelled the list by two
million. The Petition has been circu-
lated by young and old, rich and poor,
strong and feeble, by the sick and blind.
Sometimes an invalid would write, 4
cannot go out, but | have kept the Peti-
ton beside my bed and asked all whom
saw to sign it, The oldest signcr was
ninety-three years old and the youngest
(by special permission) little boy OF
seven" With some Of the petitions sent
in came remarks such as the following ::
Homeless through drink; "My home
broken up, children scattered by the
curse of drink; 1--WE beseech you in
Gods name; "Ciod grant this prayer" ;
'God speed the work" One from Texas
was scrawlcd "Wh nat is done in this line
mus be done by womau-man is a falour
Commence at the cradel."
The writer from whose article the above
extracts are taken says CAS- roll after
roll was packed in its box it seemed as if
a million voices We're raised in appeal
and million ptiful hands raised for
mercy, that the CALLING chains be stricken
off and they be set free, and we fervently
echoed the prayer, we beseech you in
Gods name. '"-Extracts from "Last
Glimpse OF the Great Petition" in Union
Signal, Feb. q, 1895.
There never was given to the Woman s.
Christian Temperance Union more signal
opportunity for proving its splendid
vitality than when it found itself forced