The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-06-13
TROUBLES N Y. c. I j.
MARY CLEMENT LEANITT AFTER
LADY SOMERSET.
Grave Charges Against Successor to
Miss Willard-Local Union Closely
Watching the Outcome.

The W. c. +. I. of Honolulu and in
! fact the world at large, is Just now
deeply interested in IA war being mer-
cilessly waged by Mary Clement Lea
witt against Lady Henry Somerset,
the successor to Miss Frances f.. Will
lard as head of the Worlds w. G. T.
| L. Letters by the Doric brought adj
! ditional information concerning the
matter.
Mrs Leavitt, who was last in Homo
lulu in 1893, is honorary life presi-
dent of the w. c. +. L. She and Miss
Willard were close personal friends,
and she has known Lady Somerset in
timately for years. BY virtue of her
office Mrs. Leavitt is what may he
called "Organizer of the Union" and
as such has travelled in most all lands
and is more widely known personally
than either of her superiors.
Mrs. Leavitt was surprised at the
selection of Lady Henry Somerset to
succeed Miss Willard. There has
been and is considerable talk about
the reasons. Some have been cruel
enough to say that Mother" Leavitt
desired the position: while others
have been equally ready to declare
this statement false. Being a woman
of determination. Mrs. Leayitt OPEN
ed out her guns and charged right in
to- the camp of the enemy. She be
gan with IA caustic letter. bristling
with demands for rNplaaation. etc,
addressed to Lady Somerset.
The new head of the w. c. +. L.
was short and diplomatic i'm her reply.
She said in effect that she was devot-
ed to the cause of temperance and
woman: was responsible to God and
humanity only, and not to Mrs. Lea
witt; for which reason she must de-
cline to answer the questions asked
or to notice the cowardly attacks of
her American correspondent.
This letter had anything but tran
QUILTING effect upon the rutiled tenn
per of Mrs. Leavitt. for she has issued
a bitter declaration against the new
leader and has importuned the Coop
GRAFTON of the Unions of the world
in the fight Copies of her manifesto
were received in Honolulu by the last
| mail. There are charges in the paper
| that have stirred II breeze of COM
nent. the precise effect caused in the
United States and England. These
are the principal charges, set in bold
type and separately Photographed:
although an abstainer personally,
she has allowed wine to be served at
her own table to her guests till Jan
uary of this present year.
"She does not think it necessary for
all persons to become abstainers.
"She does nus wish all public hous-
es' (the exact equivalent of saloons
in the United States) to be closed.
"She does not wish public houses
closed during the entire day Sunday.
"She makes a proposition in regard
to selling drink to children that is
far from being in unison with w. c.
7. L. principles.
"She does not wish prohibition.
''She receives revenue from two or
three beer-houses upon her own es-
tates."
AS above stated Mrs. Leavitt closes
by asking all members of the order
to join in the condemnation of their
leader. 1t is not likely that the local
w. c. T. L. will take any active
stock i'm the fight but will watch the
outcome with profound interest.