Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-18

had marked out before her. her 1apors,
her successes and her achievements nave
been e!oauently portrayed here today by
those who have preceded me. 1t is enough
for me to note that no man or woman
of her time wrought better or accomplished
more for the protection and upbuildlng OF
her sex and the cause of temperance Inc
endearments of home and the quiet OF HeI
ffreside we're sacrificed in the interest," Oh
the unfortunate among both men ana
women
Her great soul carried her activities
beyond state and national lines. ana ied
her to help the unfortunate In all countries
and all chimes. Her gentieness OF heart.
her charity, her frmness of principle ana
her attractive personality made her q
power that attracted to her the gooo
women and men of this and other countries
that she visited and enabled her to ac-
compish her great work
Senator Dolliyer referred to Miss VIII
lards wonderful eloquence. She WAS mas
ter of the English tongue. In 1888, IN the
great prohibition campaign, he was among
her audience and was amazed at the telllhs
effect of her elOqueuce. In removing men
and women to higher lives she mad Gone
great service to her country "hich CHI
bodied in 1t the highest patriotism.
The Senate adjourned al 4:32 as a mark oil
respect to her memory.
In the House.
When the exercises began in the House' at
4 O'Clock, the galleries We're packed anu
damned One section of the galleries mao
been. by vote of the House, reserved Tor
the members of the Illinois statuary COM
mission.
The proceedings were opened by the read
ing of q letter from Gov. Deneen or liiinois
presenting the statue to the United states.
Mr. Foss of Illinois offered resolution OF
acceptance. Pending its adoption speecheS
extolling the life and deeds of Miss Willard
were delivered by Representatives foSs,
Graft and Rainey of Illinois and Lttleheid
of Maine.
Mr.. Foss. in whose district Miss Willard
resided made the first address. He SAD, III
3ar.:
Sketch of Her Career.
Frances E. Willard was of New England
ancestry She was born in 1889 in the lit
tie village of Churchville, about fourteen
miles west of the city of Rochester N Y.
When but three years of age her parents
removed to Oberlin. Ohio and five years
afterward they settled in Wisconsin, near
the town of GAINESVILLE, where her father
purchased d large farm on the banks OF
Rock river, and here she spent twelve
years of her life. At the age of seventeen
she entered the female college of Mllwau-
kee. where her aunt was professor of his
tory. and remained there a year, and then
pursued her studies further at the Wo-
mems College of the Northwestern Uni
versty at Evanston. She stood at the head
of her class and became editor of the col
lege paper, and was a natural leader among
her companions. Upon graduation she
chose the profession of teacher and, had
she continued, would have made one of the
great teachers of the country, as she had /
natural fitness for this work. For time
she taught at a female college in Pittsburg,
Pa, and at the Genesee Wesleyan Semi
nary, Lima. N. Y.
"She became president of Chicago Wo-
mans Christian Temperance Society, and
soon afterWard prepared her first lecture on
The New Chivalry,' which produced such
favorable comment that she was besieged
with a large number of engagements to
speak. and thus began her career as pub
he speaker.
In October fthe same year she was the
moving spirit in the organization of the
Illinois Woman's Christian Temperance
Union. and in November following she as
sisted in the organization Of the National
Womans Christian Temperance Union at
Cleveland Ohio and became it's secretary
so that within a few brief months after
the choice OF her career we find her an
active force In the local, state and national
unions. In 1879 she was elected president
of the National Union, and was reelected
year after year until she died
in 1888, with Anna A. Gordon, her de-
voted friend and assistant she visited ey-
cry state and territory in the Union, travel
ing 30,OOO miles, and organizing local unions
everywhere. In the same year Miss Willard
founded the Worlds Christian Temperance
Union, and became its president. She visit
ed England in 1892 and was given a great
reception in London. participated in by
fifty philanthropcal societies and some of
the foremost men of Great Britain. She
returned home and pursued her work with
greater zeal and energy. until she departed
this life in the city of New York, February
II. 1898. seven years ago today.
Mr.. Graft said Miss Willard was the most
universally known and loved woman in the
United States, and the influence of her
spotless life and example had become more
ana more apparent. and always for good.
Mr. Lftt1efield of Maine said it was most
fitting to place in the Capitol the statue
of Miss Willard. Illinois had honored her
self in so doing by giving to womanknd
thai noble recognition.
The Closing Speech.
The closing remarks were made by Repre-
sentative Rainey of Illinois, who said:
When the act was passed which estab-
lished this hall of fame men were winning
the right to a place here upon the field of
battle at the head of crushing squadrons of
cavalry. or directing the movements of long
INES OF infantry amid the roar of cannon
and all the din of war. But the real battle
which made this nation, one and indiyisi-
bic, was fought and won after the surrender
at Appomattox. The real victory was won
long after the green grass was growing and
the flowers were blooming upon the graves
of the men who fell in this, the greatest
civil war the world ever saw. 1t was a VIC
tory won in a battle waged by men and
women of the south, standing shoulder to
shoulder with men and women of the north
"A peaceful struggle to quench the fires of
sectional hate and antagonism.
1t was at this time that there came out
of the north a new leader-not a leader of
armed men. but a leader of unarmed wom-
en-; woman of supreme capacity, mental
and moral and physical. Illinois today pre-
sents her statue, exquisitely carved out of
the Whitest of Carrara marble, to the nation
as her contribution to this great hall of
fame.
In the years which followed the war one
of the forces most petent to sweep away
the mistS and let In the sunlight upon
north and south alike, was the army of
women led by Frances E. Willard. marching
through the north and south, following the
white banners upon which she had inscribed
the motto: 'Foc God and Home and Native
Land
I'm the dark days which followed the war
she furnished the common ground upon
which all could stand-whether they lived
under bright skies. where the magnolia
blooms, or under grayer skies in the colder
north.