The Saint Paul globe., 1903-11-14
HOW WOMEN DRINK
President of W. c. r. U. Dis.
cusses the Question.

| thirtieth annual convention of the w.
! c. Z. u. began a session of six days
here today with a large attendance, the
| 500 delegates constituting only small
part of the visitors. Prayer meetings
and conferences We're held early. Mrs.
| r. j. Trego, national evangelist, was
! the leader of the opening devotional
exercises. The purity conference was
addressed by Mrs. c. e. Hunt, of Illi-
| nois; Mrs. Francis w. Graham, of New
York, and Mrs. E. l.. Stevens, Of Penn
| sylvania
The Ninth Street Baptist church was
crowded when President Stevens called
| the convention to order. The reports
of the executive and other committees
were presented. Mrs. Lillian N. M.
Stevens, of Portland, Me-, in delivering
the annual address, spoke in part as
follows:
"The w. C. T. U. is today, and if true
to it's heritage will ever be, arrayed
vice. We painfully recognize that there
are some evils that cannot be annihilated
in this day and generation, but We ever
more declare that these evils. If they
exist, shall do SO in opposition to law
rather than by sanction of law. The rec
ord of the attempt made two years ago
by the mayor of Minneapolis to introduce
| system Of regulated vice should be a
wise. The best element of the American
people will always, IL need be, unite in
protest as loud and as long as that which
resulted in the issuance of the order
from the war department, with instruc-
tions concerning its carrying out, which
practically abolished the system of legal
| iZed and licensed vice which had existed
for time in the far away Philippines.
Notwithstanding the great spectacle
of sin and misery which is ever visl-
BILE to those who seek the worlds amel-
ioration, there is manifold testimony that
the religion of Christ is making its way.
"The question, rs liquor drinking among
women increasingly is hard to answer.
We surely hear more about drinking
women than formerly, perhaps from the
fact that the drinking habit attracts
more attention than it did in the days
when nearly everyone used liquor in one
form or another Speaking of intemper-
ance among women and that much of 1t
comes through the use of alcohol in med
icine, Sir Thomas Barlow, physician to
the king of England, Is reported to have
said: THE only remedy for the evil is
total abstinence, half and half measures
are useless, We must Danish alcohol en-
tirely.'
"Since nothing can arrest the progress
| of true principle on its way to the
strange if we could not declare. as we
can that the question of the equality or
women under the gospel and under the
law Is gaining new ground and new ad-
HeTe1lS. IHeTc Is COIbllluetHy iHCiSdc-
ing number of women who feel concerned
in regard to the legislation that affects
all the people, whether or not all realize
this to be so. There is a proportionately
large number of men who acknowledge
the justice of the equality of the sexes in
all of those matters which pertain to the
interests dear to womens hearts, those
interests which are connected with the
home. the church, the school,, the state
and the nation t,.
Mrs. Susanna NJ D. Fry submitted her
report as corresponding secretary, which
contained the following:
"The national organizers report 332
unions organized. with 9,547 members
This does not include the work of state
or local organizers The receipts of the
Willard memorial fund were $4,138. A
larger number Of w. C. r. U. institutes
were held during the past year than
ever before. Eleven states have made
gain of 500 or over new members above
all losses. and, some of them well on to-
ward 1000 new members, which gees TO
prove that the w. c. I. U. is marching
/ on ,iwith a regular and measured swing.
Thirty-five other states report an increase
of membership"
The reports of Miss Helen Barker, as
treasurer, and Mrs. Calista e. Bigelow,
as auditor, were also submitted The
former showed TIE gain in membership
for the year to be 6,954, The total re-
eeipts Were $26,177, and the expenditures
$25399, the balance on hand being $77S.
Miss Olive Christian Malvery, of India,
addressed the convention and was elected
an honorary member. Following the
evangclistic hour, conducted by Miss Eliz
abetk w. Greenwood, greetings were sent
to prominent absentees in all parts of the
United States and to Lady Somerset, in
England. oE3
On account of ''much talking in the
a sergeant at arms. Mrs. Forbes, of Con-
audience" it became necessary to appoint
necticut, was appointed jointly with Mrs.
Demerest, Of New Jersey but the work
Of preserving order was finally left to
Mrs. Demerest, with authority to appoint
assistants. On motion of Mrs, Marie c.
Brehn of Chicago, the American flag was
adopted for the official salute instead of
"unhygienic use of handkerchiefs,' and q
committee was appointed to secure flags.
Addresses were made by DR.. w. F.
Crafts, of Washington; Miss Emma Alex
ander, editor of the Union Signal, and
others. Among the superintendents re-
porting on their departments was Mrs.
Emma w. Shores, of Wisconsin, on work
among minors" Tonight welcome ad-
dresses were delivered by representatives
of the city government, local churches,
state and local branches of the w. c. T.
q. and organizations. An overflow meet
ing was conducted in another church by
A1ono Of