The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-30
PURPOSES OF THE W. {. T. U.
A Correspondent Says IL IL to Teach
Peace and Goodwill.


To the Editor: From the tone OF 'hs
posr-Irtslltgencer's editorial of October p
there seems 20 be a misrepresentation on
its car, as TO the work proposed by the
Womau's Christian Temperance Union
II will be noticed that the name or me
association indicates very plainly the pan
OF its operations.
The proclamation 70 the world 10 that II
Is a union of women banded together ZOE
the avowe! purpose OF giving tnelf oeS'
endeavors 20 the promotion OF Christian
i.y ard temperance. X cannot be gaInsald
without dong violence 10 truth that ihe
teaching ot Christ favors peace ana OPP
poses war Indeed. this Is not only the
spirit but the actual wording OF his mes
sage TO mankind. Peace on eirtn ana
goodwill 10 man" IS enc essential feature
OF this declaration.
Nowhere does He advocate the murdeEous
butchery of man in warfare By Ills fellow
man. On the contrary. His whole teaching
IS a damper on warfare, and tends 10 pre-
para man for the coming time when swords
shall be beaten into pruning hooks ana
cannon into piowsAares-wheu the arts OF
war shall be studied no more. forever. ms
noble band OF women who. from social
standing and intelligent thought, are al
the forefront. doubtless felt that they were
acting in conformity with Divine RUE ana
ties attaching TO their order when they de-
ciared against the Philippine war in no un-
certain tones. Evidently they felt the fun
force OF their responsibility in the mat
ter, and SO proclaimed Il 10 the world. Ii
l. is not the duty OF an organization so
constituted 10 declare against such mon
s,rous evil as war on humanitarian and
Christian principles, surely the name or
the order would lose much OF its sisnih-
canoe.
The question of the Philippine war comes
home with weighty concern 10 every
mother III the land, and as many of the
best men OF all parties believe IL 10 ba
unnecessary and aggressive. II was most
natural and timely for the order 10 protest
against its prosecution.
So horrible is the thought and so blight
ing Is the realization OF war that 1t would
seem the finer sensibiities of woman would
impel her 10 protest against such cruelty
even II Christian sentiment hal nothing
10 do with it. \ war OF sef-defense is al
lowable In all lands. but that is quite diff
ferent from ore OF aggression and con-
quest, many believe this TO be, No
doubt those ladies made this broad dis
tinction.
Many Of the blest men In the Repub
iican party, such as Thomas Reed. Senator
Hoar. John Sherman, Carl Schurz, William
war. and so do many leaders in the other
parties thus making the opposition nom
partisan and free from dis.oyaity Ia what
they conceive to be the best interests OF
our country.
War the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union doubtless felt to be awful in its
Consequences and greatly 10 be depiorei
even IL self-defense. but when waged
against q people who have been held in
bondage by the strong arm Of the military
FOR hundreds OF years, and are now striving
TO the utmost 10 secure their natural. I'M
deniab.e right 10 freedom and indepen-
dence, was infinitely less 1ustiilable. There
is nothing in this sentiment which con-
ficts with the sympathy held for the
brave soldiers who enlisted to fight Span
iards and free Cuba. but were used to
wage a war against another people on the
other side OF globe who had been serving
under the same taskmaster for $50 years
b. +. HART.