Smyrna times., 1902-11-12
RESUME OF THE NATIONAL
CONVENTION AT PORTLAND
TWENTY Y-NlNTH ANNUAL CONVENTION OF
THE NATIONAL W. C.TU.
Impression of the Great Gathering Of White
RibbOners at Portland, Maine, Told By
Mrs. Eva KiIbreIh Foster

Christian Temperance Union begin
and end its deliberation.
Rarely does it fall to one to spend
so many consecutive days in an atmos-
phere so charged with noble thought
energized into noble action.
From her castle in Old England,
from far-away Eastnor came Lady
Henry Somerset president of the
Worlds Woman's Christian Temper
ance Union) to the Convention City
in our own New England, and her
presence gave added interest to the
occasion, an occasion freighted with
dignity and beauty.
From distant states and distant
lands, across seas, came the delegates,
five hundred strong; and when the
National President, Mrs. Lillian nj.
N. Stevens began her annual address
! (Friday morning, October 17th) the
outside world, too, had contributed
liberal delegation-had sent its quota
of apprecl ative listeners.
In our report, subject, as it is, to
the limitations of time and space, we
can but characterize the address as
one of majestic scope, majestically
handled.
A philanthropist before she became
a reformer, Mrs. Stevens brings to her
work that practical knowledge of
human nature essential to intelligent
treatment of sociological questions.
And with sociological questions of two
worlds this leader has familiarized
herself (through extensive reading and
traveD thus acquiring a broad and
noble outlook upon life, which gives
to her words the weight, the influence,
they so richly deserve.
By one we'll qualified to judge-by
ex-Congressman Dingley of honored
memory-it has been said that Mrs.
Stevens, as a parllamenterian is with
out peer.
Her command of the situation is a
mastery one, ever; her rulings are
strong and just. Mingled with these
rulings, permeating them, always, one
is conscious of the continued influence
of Frances Willard; her beautiful
spirit seems still to dominate the de-
liberations of this body, this organiza-
tion which she led so long and so
nobly.
To "Welcome Night"(a the occasion
on which Governor and Mayor and
clergy tender the welcome of state
and city and church) a special interest
attaches itself always, at the Portland
J Convention tn is interest was raised tc
the 10th power, with the welcome
coming from a Prohibition State an6
City, and with the Worlds President
(the noble Lady Henry among those
to respOnd-unique conditions, these
one must grant-truly imposing.
The twelve years which have passed
since this daughter of Old England
J (this daughter of an Old World aris
tocracy) first came among us, have bu
} added nobility to one already noble
> The sorrows of these intervening
/ years have but added fresh dignity
t and beauty to life already digni fec
| and beautiful, times softening toucl
is noted even by the casual observer,
and the eloquent plea which thi
woman of so many gifts and grace'
. makes for higher living and larger,
1 broader humanitarianism, rarely fails
of its mission, rarely fails to arouse
3 even the most lethargic.
Never wavering in her loyalty t.
Old England, Lady Henry neverthe
less expressed a keen appreciation o
1 New England's splendid strides along
6 the lines of true reform, along the line
9 of Prohibition, and noted the adyan
0 tages accruing to all humanity from 1
s noble standard nobly maintained
1 Transported from her own 'dr1nk
ridden country" to Prohibition State
4 this philanthropist and reformer from
4 across seas could speak appreciatively
0 intelligeutly of the matter, the merit
1 and demerits of this vital question.
8 In the person of the Rev. Henr.
Sanders, former rector at Eastnor
1 now of London with an East Sid
2 Parish numbering seventeen thousand
5 the Convention enjoyed another CUES
of distinction from across the water.
2 But to the Convention body, to tn
z splendid, uh'altering leaders Of tn
70 various and van led branches, we woul,
give what little sOace replains.
2 Saturday eveniL g's pr, gram furnish
q ed gratifying protf of the progress
1 made by the young,r rcruits in thi
's mighty army, the Ge-ng Woman
Branch aud the Loyal Temperate
!. Legion, which is instilling into tn
2 children today temperance sentimen
2 which will crystalline at the poles, in
the ballot box, tomorrow.
1 Demonstration Night" "Stat