The San Francisco call., 1896-04-22
They Had Expected the Poet of
the SierraS to Assail
King Alcohol.
HE TOOK AN OPPOSITE VIEW
Boldly Proclaimed That He Drank
Wine and That the Ira ffic Could
Not Be Checked.

SANTA CRUZ, CAL, April 21.-The
sentiment OF dissatisfaction with Joaquin
Miller's lecture, delivered before the Tri-
County Woman's Christian Temperance
Union Convention, held at Pacific Grove
last week, and which was given in fnll in
the last SUNDAY CALL, has been very pro-
nounced by the ladies of the Santa Cruz
Union, who returned from the convention
to-day. They say they voice the feeling of
the whole convention in their declaration
that the poet of the Sierras is not in SYM
pathy with the work as conducted by the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
They believe he expressed his honest con-
victions upon the subject of temperance,
but that his expression was not such as q
Christian organization can indorse. So
they received from him not that encour-
agement in their work that they had
hoped for, but rather a discouragement
since he presented theory that has for it's
foundation creedless Christianity. There
was feeling of unrest and dissatisfaction
prevalent during the delivery of the lee
ture that grew to almost an outburst of
objection, which was held in check only by
the firm action of the president, Mrs. Ed
ward Griswold Greene.
1t was through Mrs. Greene's action as
president OF unions of the the three counties
represented in the convention-Santa Cruz,
Monterey and San Benito-that the lee
turer was engaged and she evinced de-
sire to-day in speaking of the matter to
impress the fact that Joaquin Miller did
not by any means voice the sentiments of
the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union. Speaking for herself as we'll as for
the tri-county union she said:
If Joaquin Miller had given US simply an ap-
propriate lecture upon any topic of interest to
women, without reference to temperance, it
would have been far more acceptable. If he
were not in full accord with our plan of tenn
perance work he could have said so and de-
clined to talk on the subject. 1 have no doubt
there are many methods of temperance work
that are effective. But we are working on
Christian lines and we crave all the encour-
agement we can get from all Christian sources
Ii Joaquin Miller had been talking for the
benefit of the liquor traffic his lecture would
have fitted the idea very nicely. Icannot think
he felt that way about it. however, for he
seemed to be sincere in his utterances and to
believe that the "Lion in the Path" is the
one he described.
But we do not believe his way, and his lec-
ture was wholly inappropriate and entirely
out OF place before an assemblage of Christian
temperance women. He put the proposition
on commercial basis, presenting the idea that
money controls the traffic and the inference
gained from his expression is that we cannot
accomplish our object through the methods we
employ of appealing to mems souls. We be-
1ieve that man must be saved from drink by
the power of Christianity. Mr.. Miller evil
dently does not agree with us.
He referred also to subjects or incidaots in
his lecture which were unpleasant to women.
We are aware OF the sad deficiency of some of
our idols, but we do not assemble in conven-
ton to talk of them nor to be talked to about
them.
We were at Pacific Grove for the purpose of
furthering the work of temperance ON the
lines we have laid down. 1t might have been
pleasant relief from the labors of the conven-
tion to listen to a lecture upon literary topic
or upon some of the accomplishments of
women beyond or without the subject of tenn
perance, but the man or woman who comes
before us to give us recreation or encourage us
in our work should at least speak in accord
with the principles we believe in and main.
tain.
was so much impressed with a lecture that
Joaquin Miller delivered to the school chill
dren OF Santa Cruz some time ago that was
greatly impressed with the idea that he would
be just the man to lend US a helping hand in
our temperance work. But 1 am very much
disappointed in the result of his visit to Pa.
cific Grove, and that was the sentiment of the
entire convention.
Other Santa Cruz delegates expressed
about the same opinion of the lecture as
voiced by Mrs. Greene, two of whom pre-
sented very positive and original ideas of
the man who pointed out the Lion in the
Path" Miss Sophie Shirley, the reporter