New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-14
W. c.. T. Z. CONVENTION.
NEARLY 1000 DELEGATES AND VISITORS
PRESENT IN ST. LOUIS.
MISS WILLARD DELIVERS SPIRITED ADDRESS
REPORTS OF THE SECRETARY. TREASURER


AND DEPARTMENT sUPERINTENDENTs.
| ST. Louis. Nov 1s-For the twenty-thrd time in
the history OF the organization the Womens Chris
tian Temperance Union met In annual convention this
morning The delegates. to the number OF nearly 800
| assembled in Schuyler Memorial House at O'Clock
and attended devotional exercises led by Miss Eliza
beth Greenwood OF New-York. Shortly afterward
the audience adjourned to Music Hall In the EXPOSE
ton Building which had been e.aborately decorated
! in honor OF the conference. Nearly 1000 delegates
and visitors present when Miss Frances E.
Willard called the convention order at 945 o'clock
Among the prominent delegates were Miss Agnes
Slack of England secretary OF the Worlds W c. T.
L.: Mrs Maud Booth. OF the American Volunteers:
Miss Rebecca Krikoran. OF Armenia the Rev f. d.
Greene secretary of the Armenian Relief Committee.
New-York: Or. Mary Wood Allen Of Detroit, and
Mother Ransom. of Los Angeles Cal
When Miss Willard appeared on the platform. the
audience rendered the Chautauqua salute. The pro-
ceedngs began with the reading OF the crusade
Psalm. after which Mrs. Henrietta l.. Monre. presi-
dent of the W. c. T. T. Of Ohio. delivered the OPEN
| ing prayer. The convention then Joined in singing
the Crusade Hymn: Give TO the winds thy fears
| The report of the Executive Committee brought out
some spirited debate over the recommendation that
the State superintendent should be under the direct
control of the National Committee so far as the col
lection and expenditure of money in the cause were
concerned The matter was finally settled by ma
|
committee also recommended that the W. c. T. T.
begin active crusade against the evils OF gambling
| and the Committee Legislation was authorized to
| take toward the abolition OF gambling
After the usual committees were appointed PRESIDENT
Willard addressed the convention.
Miss Willard said that her annual address was
partly prepared when the call came to work for the
refugees in Marseilles and since that time II has
been impossible for her to complete her MESSAGE
| and she therefore gave familiar talk TO the dele
! gates. of which the following Is an outline:
l. She expressed the warmest appreciation OF the
| White Ribbon women Of st. Louis. who. undeterred
by the calamity OF the cyclone invited the conven-
ton and had made generous and elaborate provision
for its entertainment. In 1884. only few days pre-
vo,Is TO the Presidential election. the W. c. T. L.
met here ard ventured the high seas OF political
contention They had espoused the cause OF the Pro-
hiblton party and called down curses on their de-
voted heads
She spoke of the heroines of the rank and file who
had borne and labored and had patience when the
W C. r. t. passed under the rod OF a Nations
| criticism"
Miss Willard continued: We have marched far
| since then and the algnments of parties have
| changed. The labor movement has taken on pro-
portions vast that no one speaks lightly OF II
any more. They arc forging their to the front.
misguided often. making pitiful paths in the wilder
ness. following false lights and RELOCATING the fight
for clear brain Spartan ba nd Of Prohibition
| lists when II labor would win. II must make the
temperance reform the ark Of God to he born In the
very van OF its swift gathering army. In 1892 some
Of us sat up all night with the Committee on Reso-
tutons of the great Labor convention, with its thou
sand delegates pleading with them to put prohibit
ton and home protection plank In their platform,
and they would not.
She said that prohibition In politics has been and
IS now and IL to he the embodied protest OF the
home against the saloon 1t holds up torch In the
| the keyu Of n divine anthem OF
| liberty When the White Ribbon women plighted
| their faith TO the movement. II had poileu Only
10 900 votes In 1854 the number rose to l'oo"" and
had gone on slowly increasing until 2luo~ had been
| gathered: but owing 10 the great controversy con-
| corning the free coinage of silver. this party ike
| every other had split In twain in this memorable
| wear OF 1896 and the vote had fallen OF TO about
| 200 600 out Of I4.OOO.OoO ballots.
| when We were in St. Louis twelve years ago
| she continued we declared for the only party that
| was pledccd to prohibition and the home protection
ballot. hut as there are now parties so pledged,
u. cannot I'm conscience declare for either. but We
| are | hope the earnest friends OF both ana snail
I'm this convention make IT plain that we VIII lena
| our influence TO any party that incorporates our
principles into its platform. do not mean that we
| shall indorse all the panks in that PLATFORM o"'
| only those embodying our principles
| Miss willard then spoke OF the womans ballot as
| THE s,irest method of political PROHIBITION one
| emphasized the declaration of the California SUI
| fragists they defeated by Tue "t"o
league and rejoced in the victory for woman oa'-
| LOT that seems to have been gained IN luaho'
| She made the point that the men or wyoming
| after having watched the workings OF woman
suffrage for twenty years. had Incorporated IL i''o
their constitution. and that II the men OF Kansas
| Colorado and Utah had felt that the erect Oh 'he
| enfranchlse mcnt OF women had been to make them
less loyal to the and all that 1t Involves they
| would never have given them the ballot IL was
| significant that the States that had enfranchiseo
women were all In group. n fact that ought 10 DE
| conclusive in favor of womans ballot 10 any reas-
| enable man.
| Ion, work done by Mrs Stevens. of Maine; Mrs
| E,ssend.n and Mrs Blackwell. of Massachusetts.
in finding homes for the refugees sent over d! her-
| self and Lady Somerset and praised the Armenian
| Relief Committee and the Salvation Army LOT the
| admiral BILE work done by them, so that nearly v"
| fr,epdIess men had found friends and occupations
| She stated that the Worlds Woman's Christian
| remnerance Union Intended take up work for
the Armenians as an important part Of It's endeav-
| or: they would probably found colony In cyprus
| for the women and children. II has been stated Dy
those who ought to know that among all the So
cicties rot had sent in so much for the Arme-
| MANS AZ the Womans Christian Temperance Union.
Sh, spoke of the proposition TO form new depart
men to be called The Department OF w1 OK
disgust that all sensible persons must feel IN view
of this growing ey as eynteI ny .ne M VERSA iy
many of It's phases well-nigh exceeds belief
| She gave notice that the National Woman :
| Christian Temperance Union would call upon all
temperance and philanthropc societies throughout
| The world to apart March 90 the birthday or
| General Neal Dow AS prohibition Day.
Miss Willard closed with anectionatee. mention OF
| Mrs Lctitia Youmans. OF Canada the White Ribbon
pioneer In that country. and Mrs Sale Chapn. the
Southern pioneer. both OF whom have recently
| passed away. $4,000 .
| Ar the closa OF Miss Wizards address a pretty
| Incident occurred. Ffty-eght young ladies'. pupils
| OF n local seminary marched upon the platform.
each carry ing huge chrysanthemum. which they
| presented to the president In honor of the nifty
| eighth milestone which she has passed on the jour
| nev OF life The cntir, audience and again
| yayed the Chautauqua salute.
| The afternoon session was opened with an elo-
! auent PRAYER by Mrs Mary Garland president Of
| the w c. + u. OF North Carolina. The report OF
The committee on Credentials showed that all dele