The Saint Paul globe., 1898-11-13
The w. c. 7. u. Convention.

Men are gregarious. So are women.
Witness these last ten months of
federation conventions-the National
ID. A. r., the Mothers Congress. the
Women's club biennial at Denver, the
executive session OF the National Coun-
ell Of Women at Omaha, and last in
order, but first in number. the National
Woman's Christian Temperance union.
Truly, now, is It not time for the
brethren TO gather themselves together
to inquire into the meaning OF this
unusual massing of feminine forcesy
The w. c. T. u. may fairly be called
the pioneer organization, the one which
twenty-five years ago began to beat
through the briars and brambles of
prejudice path where other associa-
tons now go on their way without an
noyance. 1t is a matter of regret that
the credit for this achievement is SO
seldom given to the Temperance union
Many a woman belongs now TO a local
club or national association who twen-
ty-five years ago would have secuted
not only the w. c. T. T., but women $
organizations generally.
These women. who are at present
holding their national convention in
st. Paul. organized when ridicule of
such matters planted itself in the open
as just They fought it until now IT
turks only in the corners as unworthy
TO be seen. They made the splendid
educational, patriotic and philanthropic
work Of the organizations which have
sprung UP IN the last ten years COM
paratively easy and pleasant tasks. It
is but fair that they should have the
credit
So much for what the W. c. T. u.
has done indirectly. AS to its direct
results one cannot read through its
official reports without feeling that,
even without the ballot, these women
are welding a telling power in the
educational, economic and social world
Their methods are we'll defined; their
organization is firm and effective, and
their aims are. TO use their own words
For God and Home and Native
Land" How does It happen that their
numbers are not even greater than
they are? There is no true woman
who does not. from the bottom of her
heart. want her boy to be temperate,
pure. healthy and manly For this
the w. c. II. L. stands. Why then
is not every mother at least a MEM
Der? The question suggests many an
swers. burt. perhaps, that which viii
cover all is that methods and, es-
pecially, manners create q barrier
The greatest curse TO the cause of
the Womans Christian Temperance
nninn fN tho tssb., In oil
ing to fight the battles Of womanhood
have made the mistake OF trying 10
fight in a mannish way. The word al
Ways has loved and always will love
the womanly. and when a few MEM
bers OF an organization allow them
selves 10 become mannlsh they infict
damage upon 1t that is next to ire
parable. 1t doesn't help matters to
say that women should be discriminat-
ing and not confuse the eccentricities
Of a. few with the principles of the
association. The fact IS they don't
discriminate. and the failure to do so
IL not peculiar 10 members outside OF
The organization.
The secret OF the astonishing in
fiuence OF the late Frances Willard IS
found in her superb womanhness. 1t
was not the much-ta talked OF fine
edge" which blunts in the first clash
with public life. but a sIlken texture
fine. firm. enduring. She could talk
10 5000 people as II she were talking
TO but one. and that congenial friend
No woman was more widely known.
yet no one ever called her mannish-
por yet womanish. but the very pearl
of womRnhoOd
Yet. even she could not wholly
ccunteract the influence exerted by the
few women who persist I'm donning
the manners of men.