Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-10-14

utlCaI nIlueuCe, WITHOUT tue IIieuuIy
recognition Of the masses, unpopular
In the social world. and yet, consid'
ering It's age. the w. c. T, Y. through
cut our land has accomplished greater
results. and opened the way TO more
truth and greater good to humanity,
than any other reform organization
OF all time.
In our persistent efforts for less
rum and more righteousness. ofttimes
we have made mistakes and met de-
feat; ~ofttimes our well laid plans
have come to naught. and because Of
the constantly changing population Of
our territory. over and over again
have We given long, weary miles Of
travel. sleepless nights, fatigued In
mind and body. In our efforts 10 keep
alive the saving influences Of the prin.
ciples for which we stand. Then. too,
great clouds of apathy and indiffer.
ence seem at times to obscure the
moral vision. In cur midst, vice Ia H.
censed. corruption Is courted. laws
are defied and dark indeed seems
the prospect Of earnest and prayerful
effort. and We ask ourselves II these
are the conditions for which the ma.
tority of our population stand. Pain
ful as the outlook may appear. II Ia
only discouraging when we forget
that the sun never ceases to shine,
when We become unmindful .Of the
fact that the eternal verities, and the
truest and best things We may do.
are known alone to God, who will
never forsake the truth.
The fruits of our labors have been
and must be productive of good, be-
cause We use only the truth to length.
en- the lines and broaden the con,
fines of our work.
Our field Of labor Is large terri
tory. sparsely settled. with the great
procession ever moving onward. yet
some results of our existence will
continue long after professions have
ceased to be.
In hasty review we may recount
some changes that have come as a
result Of the white ribbon In New
Mexico.
A territorial humane law was Sc
cured to prevent cruelty to children
and to animals; a law raising the age
of consent of our helpless young
gir1hood from IA to 16 years, and a
third an anti-cigarette law prohibit
ing the selling or giving Of tobacco
of any kind to boys under eighteen
years. Through the efforts of local
unions the Sunday closing laws have
been enforced In some places. the
ringing of curfew bells instituted,
drinking fountains established. ,ordi-
nances secured prohihitinE -expectoc
III - - - kl - =
many pioneer f9lf6iHe r00hs pllssd'
the way for better things. Some OF
you remember when the little w. C.
T. U. reading room near the corner
of Douglas avenue and Sixth street
was the only public reading room in
Las Vegas, and how we took turns
in keeping the room open and in or
der. afternoon and evening, for sev-
eral years. Many wayward boys and
girls have been helped 10 higher
hopes and better lives, orphan chill
dren have been placed in good homes,
drunkards have been pledged to 20
berness Of life and to Christ. school
children have been taught the evil
effects Of strong drink upon the
body. mind and soul, prisoners con.
verted. because faithful women have
carried the saving message inside the
prison walls, while the white ribboner
herself has grown truer of purpose
and stronger Of heart because she
has heard and hearkened to the great
heart cry Of the world. Time would
fail us to tell of the persistent seed
sowing OF the w. c. T. U. In contin-
ual struggle for the life Of others.
And vet with all that Is possible for
us to accomplish Under the present
system, we are fast coming to realize
that we are using up the vital ener-
gies Of soul and body In trying to
patch worthless garment, and SO
loEg as men are licensed to make
profit out of the weaknesses and life
blood of humanity. so long as children
are ground up by the wholesale in
great factories, for profit. and houses
Of prostitution are allowed to eat out
the very life blood Of all moral life.
because. forsOoth. some one makes
profit out OF the infamv-so long
must we continue the patching pro-
cess, and with little avail. Any sys-
tenn that allows traffic for profit In
the drunkenness of loved ones, the
wrecking Of childhood, the house Of
ill-fame. the breaking up Of home
life. poverty making and ruin.
ed health, a system Of legalized mur-
der and the results can never be de-
stroyed until the cruelty unjust and
murderous cause Of profit making
through these avenues Is forever elm
mated
Beloved comrades, friends in a
common cause, the human cry of the
world today is for iustice--for an
opportunity to live--yea for chance
to live up to higher and truer ideals
of nobler manhood and woman
hood Peace has been declared be-
tween two warning nations. that
brought Joy TO many lands, but there
is another conflict now on In this
and other nations, conflict between
civic righteousness and public plum
der. between honesty and law en-
forcement on the one hand and pri.
vate and public graft on the other.
This conflict sneaks long and loud for