The San Francisco call., 1896-11-17
WORDS OF PRAISE
FOR The PRESS
Temperance Women Tell
How the Work Is
Promoted.
Mrs. Stevenson Speaks of the
Value of Newspapers In
Public Education.
Other Reports at the Conferenc. oi
the National Union Show a Good
Financial Condition.

ST. LOUIS. Mo-, Nov. 16.-Mrs. Charl-
ton Enholm of New York conducted the
prayer-meeting of the w. G. 7. u. con-
vention this morning, while Mrs. Annie
Nj. Palmer, the National evangelist from
Iowa, led the season of prayer when the
convention was called to order at 9
O'Clock. The special order of the morn
ing was the reports of department super
intendents. Mrs. Katherine Lente Ste
venson of Massachusetts presented the
report OF the department of the press, in
which she took somewhat radical ground
concerning the relation of the organiZa-
ton to the newspapers. On this point she
said:
I'VE have not attempted to keep a rec
ord of the money value, at advertising g
rates, of items furnished TO the press, but
it can easily be seen that 1t would be an
enormous sum. Personally l do not like
to put our work for the press upon the
basis of paid advertisement. | prefer TO
think what the newspapers would pay for
the items we have furnished gratuitously,
if sent to them as is the majority OF the
matter which fills their columns. You
will readily see that in such case the
balance would be overwhelmingly on the
other side.
sit seems to me that it is upon Just this
basis that our work should be considered.
1t is true that we have received great
favors froIa the press. but it is equally
true we have granted them favors in max
ing it possible for the papers to fill q con-
stantly increasing demand on the part nj
their readers. | believe this view of the
situation will be more and more realized
and expect to see the day not very far dis
tant when this department will be self
supporting and when the majority of our
leading papers will appoint Women's s
Christian Temperance Union editors"
Mrs. Stevenson went on to say: mo
other agency in the affairs OF the people
so truly deserves to be called the power
behind the throne as does the press
Where the pulpit and lecture hall reach
hundreds and thousands weekly. the
papers and magazines reach millions
daily. The potent factor each printed
word may become in molding thought
and influencing action we cannot over
estimate. Examples are coming to us
continually of legislative issues carried or
defeated, OF lives turned into the channels
of righteousness or unrighteousness, ac-
cording to the printed word which was
suffered to influence individual or national
minds. These things being so, it becomes
a matter of the utmost importance that
the papers of our land should be made the
channels of purity rather than i'm purity !;
righteousness rather than unrighteous-
ness; truth rather than falsehood.
Twenty-one thousand two hundred and
twenty five papers and magazines are pub
llsbed in ouE own country alone.
If the trend of even the majority of
these was always and unequivocally to-
ward the highest good, we should hasten
by mighty strides the infringing of the
kingdom OF heaven. which is the kingpom
of righteousness. The Woman's Christian
Temperance Union at a very early period
of its existence recognized the i'm portance
of securing this agency Tor the promul-
CATION of Its principles. From the very
tlrst we have strlven to establish re-
lationship OF mutual helpfulness and CO.
operation between the press ard our own
organization.
'sThat this relationship has constantly
grown in strength and cordiality we are
continually assured. We are no longer
forced to sue for entrance to the columns
of the papers of the land, but they are
thrown wide open to us, and heartiest
words OF appreciation are spoken concern
ing the value of the matter we bring"
At the afternoon session Mrs. Sophia
Grubo OF Missouri, superintendent of the
work among foreigners reported that it
was progressing very favorably, although
influenced by the general depression in
business. The seven National associates
had done effective work
Mrs. M. B. Carse. president of the Pub
fishing Association, reported that the re-
ceipts were $145,337 and the expenditures
$125, 121. The receipts for 1896 were S14 49,
less than in 1895, but the net gain was
$516. The financial storm had been
weathered by reducing expenses, the
volume of business being smaller.
Mrs. Carse also submitted report about
the temple. She had raised Sal, 1893 of
the 100000 needed to buy the trust bonds,
and would try to secure the balance this
year. The interest on the bonds had been
paid. The States subscribing over $1,000
were: Illinois $4275. New York S2973.
Massachusetts $258l, Pennsylvania $2772.
Ono $2237, Michigan 1857, Connecticut
$l313, Maryland s1O59, Missouri 5000.