Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-01-31
From the w. C. L. q.

Ed. ReQiSter-A week or two ago
the REGISTER inquired editorially,
Where are our friends, the w. G. I.
o., on these Philippine and South
African ~murders?" The subordinate
body" which the editor dimly ~recollects
as ''entering a weak protest" was a no
less body than the National w G. T.
u. in convention assembled at Seattle,
Washington. Among the resolutions
passed by tbs body was the following:
1--WE deeply deplore the attitude ia
ken by our nation with respect to the
Philippine Islands, and since govern
ments can derive their just powers only
from the consent of the governed, we
protest both against the policy which
would compel a foreign people to sub
NIT to the rule of The United States and
against the war through which the ad-
miuistration is striving to enforce its
policy"
At the same time, Oct, 1899, Mrs.
Katherine Lente Stevenson, in the Con-
yention Sermon said:
s.What shall we say of that breach
in human brotherhood which hides it.
self under the name of war? What of
our own country where since February
last our feet have beer keeping weary
step to the rattle of m%usketry six thou
sand miles awayP What of that other
great nation, our mother country,
which is turning Its mighty enginery
of power against one of the smallest
and feeblest nations upon earthP 1t
seems almost too horrible to be true
that 10 these last years of the nine
teenth century such things should exist.
IT war on the part of a Christian ma
ton be ever justiiable it can only be
so when in the interests of justice and
righteousness a strong people shall
take arms for and not against a weak
people. This was the sole plea we
| could urge in ~extenuation of u war
with Spain. Lacking this plea the war
in the Philippines becomes nothing else
than q national humiliation. The
spectacle of a great nation battling
with its former allies because they
have rebelled against a government to
| tDCH nCNCl lSASC0 oliS
| glance is not an inspiring one. 1t will
be a costly market we will have opened
in the East if in addition to the blood
of our brothers and our sons the price
paid must be treachery to the fouuda-
| ton principle of our constitution-that
governments car derive their just pow
ers only from the consent Of the gov
erued; If to a sister republic, however
inchoate, we urn oppressor Oh, sis
tiers of the w. C. T. u, if ever we were
called to the study OF this question. il
ever the existence of the department OF
peace and arbitration was justified it is
surely now. Let no heart beating un-
der the white ribbon swell with triumph
over so-called victories which are in
reality direct defeats. Let us clasp
hands with our sisters across the water
where under the inspiration of our
| Olive Schreiuer's magnificent protest
they are lifting up their voices against
the cruel T~ransvaal war;"
All that I have written and much
more has appeared from time to time
in the Union Signal, official organ OF
the National and Worlds w. C. T. U.
These speak. methinks. with no uncer-
tain sound. The Woman's Christian
Temperance Union will be always
found working ''for God and home and
every land" not only through her de-
partment of peace aud arbitration but
through the others OF the thirty-six
- z.. NJ
the Lord hasten the day when her
work shall be known and appreciated!
MARY F HILRIRN,