Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-16
United States Report.

The following report for the United
States is an extract from the report Of
the secretary Of the worlds w. G. I. L.
given ut the Edinburgh convention.
Mrs. Susanna NJ. ID. Fry reports: Since
the worlds convention at Toronto Can
ada, in 1897. events of much importanc
have followed each other in quick success
sion. chief among these We're the pass
ing Of our beloved Miss Willard. the CO.
ebrd ton of the twenty-fifth anniversary
of the crusade. the celebration of the
close of the first quarter of "A century OF
our organization. and the removal of our
national headquarters from Chicago to
Rest Cottage. Evanston, Ill.
our national convention at Buffalo, in
1881 followed the next week after the
worlds convention and was enhanced in
interest by the presence and words o.
many wise and witty visitors from other
countries. prominent among whom were
our English friends.
When Miss Willard went away into the
beautiful beyond. hearts at first stood
verified. Mrs. Lillian NJ. \. Stevens. the
vice president-at-large. took up the bur
den and went braVely and tactfully for
ward and at the next convention. held ut
St. Paul, Mimi. November. 1898. was
elected national president. with Miss An
ma Gordon. 50 Intimately associated with
Miss Willard for many years, as vice
president-at-large.
At our national convention in 1898 me
twenty-iifth anniversary of the temper
ance crusade was celebrated with appro-
pirate ceremonies. MS occasion WAS OF
Worldwide interest. because from the
crusade had sprung the white ribbon
work wherever found. One of our three
affiliated interests was discontinued at
this convention.
Last autumn our annual convention
was held for the first time on the Pacific
coast at Seattle. Washington 1t took
the official train from Friday night till
Wednesday night to go from Chicago
Ill, to Seattle with lay-Over of twenty
four hours for the Sabbath, ana the east
ern delegates two days longer: and,
though the larger part of our member
ship is east of Chicago, still there We're
25g delegates present. with many visitors
from all parts of the country. This con-
vention marked the close of our first
twenty-five years as an organization, and
our silver jubilee was celebrated with Il
most impressive program.
During the past two years several coll
ored State unions have been organized.
there being now eight of these in all.
Alaska. our extreme northwestern terri
tory has territorial president and other
officers appointed. This leaves no more
States. but increases the necessity of To-
cal development which often presents
greater difficulties than the securing of a
general state or territorial organization.
Hawaii has become one of us by volun-
tary annexation. and. while little Cuba is
only visiting with us for a while, we are
doing her all the good can.
Some notable legislative work has been
done. There remain at present only two
states that do not have scientific temper
ance instruction laws. The heavy vote
against seating Mr.. Roberts. the Mormon
polygamist, in the United States Con-
gress, was attributed by leading journals
to the influence of women, most numer-
Gus of whom were white-ribboners. A
wagon-load of petitions was paraded
through the streets of Washington the
day previous to the vote. A national bill
against establishing canteens for the
soldiers was passed last year. but was
annulled by the infamous ruling of .ne
United States attorney general, and at
this writing work is being done in favor
of a new bill relative to the abolition of
canteens among the soldiers. The Legis-
lature of the state of Illinois did itself the
honor last year of passing bill appro-
priating $4,000 to erect statue of Miss
the capitol building in Washington, d.
G. Artists are now competing for the
privilege of making this statue. Our
chieftain will be the first woman to have
a place among the statesmen, soldiers.
and men citizens of the United States in
that historic hall.
All of our departments of work are
prosperous. Our department of peace and
arbitration has done much during the
past two years to educate public senti-
ment in regard to the desrability of set
Ting all difficulties between nations by
arbitration. but We could not prevent the
war with Spain. Our work among the
soldiers and sailors has formed an impor
tant part of our record, and we have
continually exertcd our influence against
the abominable canteen system. There
has been an increase in interest in our
departments of young womens branch
and the chidren's branch. the Loyal
Temperance Legion. might go on to
show in detail that great gains have been
made within the last two years in all of
our departments and that the work con-
tnues to broaden and deepen, but space
will not permit.
The next national convention is to be
held in our national capital, Washington.
ID. c., beginning Nov. 80 This will give
an opportunity for delegates and visitors
to witness the opening of the United
States Congress the first week IN Decem-
Der, and you are all cordially invited to
attend.