The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-31

PREPARING ron CONVENTION.


An active and enlightened public sem
t,ment in sympathy with the teachings OF
Christianity and actuAtej By an abhor-
renee Of the saloon evil u the keystone OF
our structure" was the sententious re-
mark made by Mrs. l.. II. n. Stevens. ma
tsonai president Of the woman's Christian
Temperance Union last night. Accom-
panied by Miss Anna Gordon, vice pres.-
dent az large OF the association, Mrs. Ste
vens reached the city last night from Port
land She was met here by the local
officers OF the W. G.. r l.. and escorted to
the Hotel Seattle. She VIII meet the work
ers In the white rfboon cause today, and
will leave this afternoon for Portland.
Mrs. Stevens visit 10 this city at the
present time IL timely. In view OF the fact
that next October the association Of womr
en- Of which she Is president will meet In
annual session in this city. IT is for tho
purpose Of laying the foundations for
great meeting Of workers In the cause OF
temperance that Mrs. Stevens and Mrs.
Gordon have come TO the Pacific coast;
They have been away from Chicago seven
weeks holding meetings at many cities
and encouraging the local workers to re-
newed efforts In the cause In which they
are engaged and which they hold mos, sa-
cred.
Mrs. Stevens has been for nineteen years
past q leader In tho work In which Franz
ces Willard spent a large part Of her
life. She believes that the world is grow.
ing daily better and that slowly the public
mind is responding TO the appeals con-
s;antly made by the organized band OF
women reformers and enemies Of the Il.
Cuor traffic.
Every member OF our association is a
power" said Mrs. Stevens at the Seattle
last night. ''The example OF every one.
with her white ribbon. teaching the ex-
ample OF total abstinence from intoxicat-
Ing liquors. is a power for good in this
world We hope TO succeed only as we
reach the public mind and the public heart.
mat We are succeeding Is evidenced tn
Countless ways every day But for the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
there would be no sentiment against the
saloon. and young men. and women, too
would follow the temptations In drink. re-
gardless OF themselves.
Our work Is steadily advancing. Imme-
diately after the death OF Miss Willard.
muny OF us did not know wha, effect her
loss would have on the structure TO the
up.ouliaing OF which she spent the best part
o. her lie There was fear and trepdatton
Then the women cav the necessity for
renewed effort and greater activity than
ever. They organized and they worked and
the result was that the association was
soiicified and in the nine months following
the death OF Mss Willard Ne gained more
history Of the society.
In influencing public sentiment and leg
ielation on one line-tempefance- the
secret OF our success. I fancy that busi-
ness men and young boys OF today ex-
perlence FAR more restraint than thev did
quarter OF a century ago in entering
saloons and drinking during any time OF
% not In the oper and unconcerned man
ner OF a generation ago
Along the line OF public and social
purity, the work OF the association Is
steadily advancing. We are encouraged.
for We recognize that every Hay we are
more and more respected In public opin-
ION. Al great reforms move slowly and We
progress Is alike marvellous In America and
Great Britain. We heard lately from Lady
Henry Somerset, the prssiden, Of the Brit
and over there wonderful advance Is being
made.
''rhe approaching convention OF the Ma
fiona' w. c. T. L. in Seattle will he one
or the most memorable In our history II
viii be the FIRST convention ever held on the
Pacific coast. or the twenty-five national
conventions we have held all save one
have been in the East-that one was a,
Denver. A; the Seattle convention too. We
are to choose delegates to the worlds con
vent.on. which meets next year.
Miss Gordon s no less n famous worker
In temperance lines than Mrs. Stevens She
WAS FOR twenty-one wears closely identified
with Misc Frances Willard. She began her
work With Miss Willard when a Young girl
fresh from her school.
came to the Pacific coast TO plant the
seeds Of their organization here. During
that trip they visited Seattle Miss Cor.
don last night expressed 10 the ladies who
weicomed her and Mrs Stevens her
amazemen, a, the changes that had trans
pired since her former visit here Both
unreservsdly praised the city and each
prophssied big attendance OF W c. T. T..
delegates. visitors ard friends at the APP
preaching convention
Today Al 10 o'clock. In the par,ors Of the
Seattle. Mrs. Stevens and Miss Gordon Will
meet the ladies Of the local societies They
wili return 'e Portland this afternoon
speaking at Tacoma route and after
wards touring the principal cities OF Eas;
ern Washington. Personally Mrs Stevens
10 most delightful character. She is
from Maine. and Is proud Of The purlic
men which her state has given the nation
Miss Gordon "a mos interesting on account
% her Vide knowledge OF the w C. r T.
associations In ali parts OF this country
and Europe. She has Travelled extensively
and Is an ifdefatssable worker Her home
is IN Evanston. III.
on their trip through Eastern Washing.
ton Mrs Stevens and Miss Gordon vii
visit Wails WaIla. Spokane Dayton Col
fax and ORE or two other niaeas ma. We.