Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-27
LIQUOR MONOPOLY
IS THE GREATEST
SUCH is THE DECLARATION OF
MRS. L. N. STEVENS IN HER
ANNUAL ADDRESS.
Opening Of Annual Convention Of the
Woman's Christian Temperance
Union-Presldent Sees Progress in
Movement, But is Not Satisfied.

Movement, But is Not Satisfied.
Hartford, Conn, Oct 26.-The
thirty-third annual convention OF the
National Women's Christian Temper
ance Union opened here today. Mrs.
Lillian N. Stevens presided. Delegates
from all parts of the United States,
Austria, Japan England, Greece and
other countries are present.
The Women's Christian Temper
ance Union" said Mrs. Stevens in her
annual address, "is organized in ten
thousand localities in our nation: and
in three hundred thousand homes the
White Ribbon Is worn over hearts
loyal and true.
Probably no member of this CON
vention is fully satisfied with the re-
suits of the years work for the ad-
vancement of moral measures, and yet
no former year has marked greater
progress. The people more widely
than over before know what alcohol
is. We can hardly enumerate the
many ways in which the knowledge
has been acquired. Scientific re-
lSllSlOuS COuNlCIlOA tAu UuSl-
ness interests are bringing forth rea-
sons for total abstinence which COM
pei attention and action. The reitera-
tion that alcohol Is poison and not a
food, has forced the study of the IL
quor question upon many who here
tofore have been unmindful, If not al
together unbelieving, and the careful
unprejudiced student of the question
cannot fail to be in sympathy with
the W. G. T. u. in its manifold efforts
to have the people understand what
alcohol is and does
Mighty Monopoly.
''The liquor trade Is a mighty mono
poly compared with which every other
monopoly fails into insignificance;
but the bulwarks of the trade are con-
stantly being weakened. A wide
spread call for a new sort of morality
in public officials has been heard in
many states; and In the nation at
large the idea has been emphasized
that large corporations and men of
greatest wealth are not exempt from
the requirements Of the peoples laws
in the peoples courts. The liquor
trade Is not only sustained by ararice
but by an appetite more insatiate than
that Of miser-an appetite which un-
consciously sways or controls the &C.
ton of the man who Is counted
among those never known to drink
to excess. Notwithstanding all this,
the saloon more than ever before, is
regarded with disfavor by respectable
people.
Wlckedness In License.
Sooner or later, every well-mean
ing person who gives any attention
whatever to the liquor problem, If he
is capable of sane reasoning, will
come to see the fallacy and theick-w1
edness Of any form of license as ap
age purposes.
IA candid review and fair compari
son Of conditions before and after the
abolition Of the liquor canteen make &
good showing as whole in favor O
the present system. The oft repeated
statements that low dives and drinl.
| ing places develop in the vicinity o
military posts because of the abolish
ment of liquor selling in the canteeu
is disproved on authority of such Of
flcers as Colonel Ray Of Kentucky
and Major Nave of California and b,
the honest investigation of the rea
conditions
secretary's Report.
The national corresponding secre
tary, Mrs. Susanna Fry, in report say!
half of the entire area Of the United
States Is now under liquor prohibit
tion laws, in securing which the white
ribboners have taken an active part
1t is estimated that Of the twenty
seven million population in the south
ern states, seventeen million are unde
prohibition.
Regarding the anti-canteen law re
port, she says every session of con
gress has witnessed a effort to repea
the provision, but the bills have al
ways died in the committee, and tn,
chance to repeal is lessening. Th,
report says the fight against polgam.
is being vigorously carried on by tn,
Il w. G. T. U. and similar organization
with the ultimate object of securin,
an amendment to the constitution O
u the United States forever prohibitin,
4 polygamy.
4 Delegates From Abroad.
4 Delegates from England, Sweden
Japan, Fiji islands and Greece spok
a few words Of greeting and wer
enthusiastically received. Addresse
3 ewre made by the branch secretarie
an dbrief talks were given by the o,
ganizers.