The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-16


Idea of Praying the Assistance of
the Various MOnarchs in the
WOmen's Christian Temperance
Union Carried 1t Into Every Land.
Who but Frances E. Willard would
ever have conceived of so gigantic an
undertaking as the accommodating of
signatures from every country in the
world civilized or unciviliZed, known
as the Polyglot Petition To her tina
credit of this achievement, as we'll as
of most of the others that have been
undertaken by the Woman's Christian
Temperance union, must be given. Orig
inality of methods, plans and Withal
their successful fulffllment is the one
characteristic of that society, which
makes it the greatest organized body
of women in the world, and the lack
Of which has kept other bodies from
measuring UP to it. The sentimental
in contradistinctfon to the prosaic was
ever one of Miss Wizards strong char
acteristics, and with this sentiment the
w. c.. T. U. is thoroughly imbued.
When her thought of petitioning all
nations ito raise the standard or the
laws to that of Christian morals 10
strip away the safeguards and sane
lions Of the state from the drink traf'
fic and the opium trade and to pro
tect the home by the total prohibition
of these curses of civilization through
out all the territory over which all
governments extend" was preached, II
was considered visionary and chimerlc'
but today the great petition speaks foT
itself. 1t first started on its journey
in 1885. Miss Willard wrote 1t under
the inspiration of book she had read
on THE Opium Traffic in India and
China" which gave such horrible facts
that she was UNNECESSARILY touched Dy
il. The Den, Rest Cottage, Evanston,
was the scene of it's formation, and 1t
was the hone Of the White Ribbon
chieftain that it might be the glass to
focus the universal desire of women for
better things into one radiation that,
like a searchlight, might be turned on
all countries.
Mary Clement Leavitt, the pioneer
missionary of the w. G. L. u. Tor nine
wears, carried the petition into Aus.
fralia New Zealand, South Africa ana
Nradag scar. Burma, India, China, Ma
deria. Mauritius, Ceylon, Siam, Inc
Straits Settlement, COrea, Japan ana
T,I.roDe. Great Britain, Hawaiian ISL
ards. South America and Mexico, un-
winding the white ribbon as she went.
Mary Allen West circulated it largely
in Japan, where she died in its mis-
sion. Jessie Alderman set it going in
back through Iceland" Elizabeth
Wheeler Andrew and DR.. Kate Bush
nell started from Evanston the home
of the petition" and carried it "all
round the world" Alice Palmer took
signatures in South Africa, and so 1t
has gone, attended by loving hearts
and willing hands. Miss Gwenllian
the work In the mother country. 1t
often has been attested by thousands
of people in large gatherings, the first
time being at the international tenn
rerance congress at Antwerp, Belgium,
introduced by Mary B. Willard, Sept.
u, 1885
IN ALL LANGUAGES.
1t has been translated into the Ian
guage of every civilized country and
signed in fifty languages. Among this
vast number of names appears group
of Indian signatures, which were Sc
cured with considerable difficulty. The
women were anxious to sign, but
serious difficulty arose over the prob
lem as to what names should be writ
ten. They could not give their own
names, as they are allowed no indi-
viduality; to sign their husbands
names would have been immodest.
Finally, they resolved to give their
fathers names and have so written
the signatures.
The petition is couched in the fol-
lowing languages:
To the Queens Most Excellent Majesty:
We. your maiestys petitioners, although
belonging to the physically weaker sex, are
strong OF heart to love our homes, our ma
five land and the worlds family of nations.
We know that clear brains and pure hearts
make honest lives and happy homes. and
that by these the nations prosper, and the
time comes nearer when the world shall be
at neace. We know that indulgence In al
cohol and opium, and in vices which DIS
grace our social life, makes misery for all
tbe world. and, most of all, for us and for
our children We know that stimulants and
oniates are often forced upon populations
either ignorant or unwilling We know
that the law might do much now left un-
done to raise the moral tone OF society ana
render vice difficult. We have no power
TO prevent these iniquitles beneath which
the whole world groans, but we know your
maiesty's benehcent influence over your sub
3acfs in all parts of the world, and, there
toYa we your majestys petitioners, come to
ION with the united voices Of representative
women of all your dominons, beseeohing
vou to continue to use your great power TO
raise the standard Of the law to that of
Nhrihtian morals, and to protect our homes
there so aEs' SvS TSe SS s s%Drs cut
tends.
aigned by the general officers of the
Worlds w. O. T. VI Frances 3. VIII
lard. president, Americai Isabel SOM
ersst. president of the British Woman's
Temperance association, vice president,