The sun., 1903-08-16
THE CAUSE OF WOMAN.
CHAUTAUQUA DISCUSSES THE
LIQUOR QUESTION.
Johr G.. Wooley. Mr. Robins Of Chicago
and the President OF the W. q. T. T..
on Prohlbltion--Prof. Starr OF Dr.
Harper's Institution Stands Out for
strong DrInk-OId Maid Insurance.


strong DrInk--OId Maid Insurance.
Limior problem week at Chautauqua
has brought out discussion which would
hc ,napproachabe even at national tenn
variance convention, FOR the freedom of ex-
nrcssion Is permitted at the great New York
Assembly impossible at specific conven-
t;on where speakers and audiences are
nractically of ono opinion. The considera-
lion Of any question at Chautauqua has the
immense advantage Of reaching larger
assemblage than can be secured elsewhere
and one composed Of men and women from
every State in the Union and every corner
Of the globe, representing every shade Of
belief on all subjects The attitude of those
who attended the recent conference on the
Et,lor problem ranged from that of John
& Woolev, who declared that -the Prohi-
hilton party is the perfected logic of every
line of temperance work and absolutely
necessary to the teaching power of the
reform. and there is no show for the political
temperance reform without this party"
70 that of DR.. Frederick Fl. Wines, widely
accepted as expert authority, who asserted
that "the complete suppression Of the
Eouor traffic is an ideal incapable Of real
i2ation
Limited space forbids detailed notice OF
the many addresses which ran the whole
camlt Of opinion bet ween these two ex-
tremes and found their audiences all the
way from the big amphitheatre through
the various halls, temples, womens clubs
and parlor receptions Among those
which stood out with especial prominence
we're those Of Mr.. Wooley. the Prohibi-
tion candidate for President in 1900; Mrs
Lillian VI, ~ Stevens, president of the
National Womans Christian Temperance
onion, and Raymond Robins, for the past
eight years a resident Of the Chicago Com
mons and at the head Of the college settle
men work in that city The particular
feature of each of these addresses with
which this department of THE SUN is es-
pecially concerned was the almost entire
absence of any recognition OF woman suf-
rrage as factor in the solution of the liquor
problem.
Mrs. Stevens is a very pronounced ad-
vocate Of the franchise for women. other
wise she would not be worthy successor
of Frances E. Willard, but, while once or
twice in her lecture she referred to this
fact. there was no plea. no argument, for
the ballot in the hand of woman TO meet
tho great political influence of the saloon
and its friends which she 50 eloquenty
portrayed. This conspicuous omission
was a decided disappointment to those
who would not have believed it possible
Of Mrs Stevens. Here she stood, woman
al the head Of an organization Of 250,OOO
women, addressing an audience OF 5000
women (for there were scarcely thirty
men present)-and yet, with this mag
nifcent chance. no stirring of the souls
of these women by pointing out their help
lessness without vote; no demand that
there should be placed in the hands of these
earnest opponents of the liquor traffic
the same power by which alone il is able to
maintain it's supremacy, A grand, lost
opportunity for which the president of
he Woman's Christian Temperance Union
cannot be forgiven!
Mr.. Robins's address, THE World of
Graft, dealt with the saloon and its vic
TINS in Chicago, and running through the
whole was the constant reference to its
political power "ln Chicago there are
every twenty-seyen votes cast at the last
election in all Cook county After re-
ferring to the social service" rendered by
the saloon, which also gives it great infiu-
ence, he returned again to its political hold
and made the following strong statement:
"In the last elections in Cook county.
involving the control of the judiciary Of
the entire county for long term of years.
100, 900 Of the best citizens OF Chicago stayed
away from the polls. despite the fact that
the Independence, integrity and decency
OF our courts were at stake, | do not be-
leve there was saloonkeeper in the city
who failed to vote, and more than that, he
got everybody he could to go 10 the polls
We count on five votes to every saloon
keeper, so that in any campaign calcula
tions We allow that each saloon will mean
FIVE votes in the direction its owner wishes,
and on this basis We make our estimates
for the ward We have found this to be
reliable and correct The saloonIieepers
are models of civic virtue in attending to
their duties at the polls on election day.
No politician is Of any account
who does not do business with the saloon
and the saloonkeeper. and this will keep
on being so as long as the church is asleep
and good people are Indifferent"
Now. il il not remarkable that Mr. Robins
cnuld make this arraignment Of the church
and NOT recognize that three-fourths Of
it, members are absolutely disfranchised
and cannot vote even if they desire most
anIOusly to do so? IL IL not inconsistent
that he should stand up before an audience
OF several thousand women and mourn he
cause the -best citizens" do not 30 TO the
ballot box? Is it not adding insult to in
jury TO taunt thesa earnest women, who
n lame and impotent way are doing most
OF the temperance work of the world. with
the sad fact that the saloonkeeper is the
dictator in politics and owner-in-chief Of
the politicians? The women fully realize
this every time they go before Legislature
or City Council; every time they try to
secure a promise of assistance from a
candidate: every time they witness the pro-
cession marching to the polls while they
are shut in their own dooryard. Is Mr..
Robins so blind he cannot see that the only
effective way to meet political power is
with political power, and that the only
way 70 kill one ballot is with another ballot?
II 100000 Of Chicago's citizens are willing
fhat the saloonkeeper shall dominate cleo
fion day, why not give another 100000
Of the best citizens" at least a chance to
take away that domination? II would be
a decided satisfaction to hear from Mr..
Robins his reason for not demanding that
the church shall be allowed 20 speak on this
question through the vast ma jority of its
members, and that the women of Chicago
shall have at least an equal voice with its
salOonkeepers
And so Mr., Wooley said in the course OF
a speech which was the strongest presenta-
tlon Of the ject from the standpoint of
the Prohibition party which possibly could
he made: Generations of high and mighty
talk have banished every prospect that
with our mouth we shall prevail II takes
!hayonets, sometimes, it takes votes always.
mis- has been my one word to the Church
Tor sixteen years, nv PRAYER NV boast nv