The Monitor-register., 1896-02-28

SIGNAL-FEATURES OF WAsHINGTON'S
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION = WASHING
TON AND wILLARD-oPENING PARA.
GRAPHS OF ONE OF THE PAPERS READ.
The Spring Executive Committee of
the New Jersey W. G. T. U. will meet at
Florence on the 9Th proximo.
Mrs. Mary Grant Cramer, sister of that
illustrious leader, Gen. Ulysses s. Grant,
contributes continued article to the
Union Signal of Goth inst. The subject
Is "Reminiscences, and Mrs. Cramer's
style seems to be particularly her own
in it's attraotiveness and originality. 1t
will be read by large circle of people.
The Celebration.
The spark of patriotism must smolder
in the heart of every citizen of Woods
town and vicinity, if one may judge
from the magnificent audience gathered
in the Opera House on Washington's
Birthday, and we heartily congratulate
the committee in charge for having famed
this indwelling spark to such flame
upon this occasion.
The decorations, with life size por-
traits of WASHINGTON at the left and
WILLARD at the right wing of the stage,
draped in ample folds of American flags,
was in itself fascinating story to those
who read clearly the signs of the past an d
of the present.
For as was Washington the "Saviour
of his country" from the clutches of
England's tyranny; also is Willard prov
ing the Saviour (through the grace of
the Most High King) of the American
Home, the source of the nations
strength, from the greatest tyrant ever
known under Heaven-the saloon
through the tireless waging of the
peaceful war" of which she is its most
illustrious general. And may God grant
that her life may be spared to see the
"waging war" cease and "peace" alone
reign triumphant over all evil institu-
tions against which she has set her sword
OF purity.
The program of exeroises-although
lengthy-held the audience to a finish,
and to the gentlemen and ladies, lads and
lassies not members of the W. G. T. U
who SO kindly and ably aided in making
so signal success-I know the heartiest
thanks of the Uuion are extended.
Some of the papers prepared, l hope
to give to the readers of the MONITOR
REGISTER, and am glad to be able to
give this week portion Ito be continned)
of the one giving:
Reasons Why the W. C. T. U. is a
Patriotic Organization.
BY BELLE H. MOONEY.
Tonight it is with more than passing
degree of interest that greet you upon
this occasion.
Enough has already been said to prove
to every thoughtful person present that
we are living in an era of the worlds
history just as important, just as
dangerous, and just as trying as that
which tried mems souls during the life of
our first loved chieftain. And tonight /
come to you with no message of that
long ago; but do come to you with
message for the present, illuminated by
hope for the future. And trust that
you may, by the words so fitly spoken
by those who have preceded me, become
fired by that same patriotic devotion to
the home, the state and the country as
that which has been, and is, the inspira-
tion to every follower of the Hill Side
Cause.
And tonight this w. G. T. U. comes
to you with psss!eessi pasissssseesie hearts, with hearts
beating loyal and true to ss> American
home. With hearts fired by living
hatred of the curse that overshadows
every road of our fair land. But we
come with willing hands; we come with
determination that knows no hindranoe;
we come in the interest of common
humanity.
You ask me why we are a patriotic
organization, why we are aotuated by
love of our country, why we can claim
zealously and unselfishly to serve it?
Our country is naught but the compila-
tion of homes. Through long, long
years of training and hereditary tendency
the home has been as it should be. the
most sacred legacy of womanhood. But
through long years, too, has that homo
been descrated by an overpowering infu-
ence which we have not been able to
reach. And SO in the closing era of tha
organization such az history has never
before chronicled.
And presumptuous as it may seem, the
leaders of this organization are those into
whose hands you, as men, will not
entrust the ballot. But ones who-when
it is entrusted to them-will brush the
moth and the mildew not only from the
petty borough Office, but from the
National Capitol.
We have long recognized the grea
necessity for National house cleaning;
we have long recognized that you as the
intelligent. honored and respected citi
zens of your community have naught to
do with the laws that govern us; we
recognize that the wire-pulling and
gerrymaudering are done by another
GLASS than you. We recognize the fact
that many of you would make honored
and respected statesmen, but such poor
candidates that you could never reach tbe
Office.
And so cropping blindly down thr
centuries, woman has hoped against hop
until to day she stands before you with
new resolves and new aspirations for the
future. We have looked along the ling
the last quarter of century. and to
night We know of wrongs that striks.
deep at the root of home and country,
and this organization stands pledged t.,
the support of perfect network o.
departments to strike out these wrongs
First Of all is the drink traffic that We
have borne the burden, the shame, the
disgrace of, more mighty 10 proportion
than any other wrong, more deeply rooted
and more far reaching.
We have seen the deserted hearth stone
we have seen manhood and womanhood
become it's most. abject slaves; we hay.
seen childhood deprived of single ra,
Of hope for its future; we have seen tb
saloon planted where the church and
Al oho