The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1907-02-22
WHITE RIBBONS
FOR THEIR BADGES
Crusaders in the Cause Of Total
Abstinence.

dsulugtOuf CO. IT empeE
ance a DIV coates. one thousand
strong, marched through the Ma
tional Capitol to-day in support Of
the bill introduced by Representa-
tive Webber, of Ohio, to rid the
District Of Columbia of liquor traf-
fic. Men, women and children repre-
senting a score OF total abstinence
orders and the leading churches
of the district. formed the process
sion which moved through the Cap
itol for more than two hours. while
Representative Webber and other
prohibition advocates were speak
ing before the House Committee on
the District of Columbia 10 an effort
to secure favorable report on the
bill.
Only Fifty of the temperance ad-
vocates were able to get into the
small committee room and lend their
support to the arguments against
the sale of liquor. Repeatedly, the
crusaders moved about the rotunda
under the great dome of the Capt.
toll.
Surrender" was the watchword
of the reformers and many of them
pointed to the great oil painting in
the rotunda representing the sur
render of CORVALLIS and Burgoyne
a nd announcing confidently that
right and just;c always triumph.
The White Ribbons OF the Wo-
mans Christian Temperance Union
predominated in the long line of
crusaders. Women made up three
fourths of the army and practically
all of them wore the white badge.
The Rev. Carl G. Doney and Rev.
r. G. Dinwiddy, of the Anti-Saloon
League, were among the prominent
lie a ders in the movement. Mrs.
Clinton Smith, President of TIL e
District Woman's Christian Tenn
perence Union, headed a column
composed of prominent members OF
the Rechabites. the Independent
Order of the Good 'remplars. the
prohibition crusaders, the Catholic
Total Abstinence Union, the Chris
tian Endeavorers and other reform
organizations.
Representative Webber was in
charge of the prohibition speakers
before the House Committee. and
Robert CRANE led the argument
against the Webber bill. In his
opening speech Mr.. Webber stated
that liquor is responsible for the
condition of 80 per cent. OF the per-
sons in the Jail, work house and in
sane hospital Of the District, and
after reviewing the income from
liquor licenses, explained that it
falls more than $500, 900 short every
year Of maintaining the institutions
which he said made liquor neces.
sary.
In support of his declaration that
prohibition had be en- "a failure
wherever it was tried Mr.. CRANE
quoted from the statements of Bish-
op Potter, Of the Protestant Epis-
copal Diocese of New York.
The mention of Bishop Potter's
name called forth derisive laughter,
followed by kissing from the tenn
perance advocates in the committee
room.
Mr.. Craine denounced the action
IF the prohibition delegation and
stated that Neal Dow, the main
prohibition leader, admitted week
before his death that he had been
IN the wrong track all through his
ong fight for prohibition.
Its not true" practically all the
white ribboners in the room ex-
'laimed' jumping to their feet and
'epeating their denials again and
again
Mr.. CRANE said the South was
in its movement for pro-
libition and that the laws regulate
ng liquor selling in Tennessee and
md Kentucky have been failure.
lie stated that the blind tigers" Of
tennessee have caused an increase
+ murder and crime 10 that State.
This brought an emphatic denial
rom Representative Sims, of Ten
essee, member Of th E House
ommittee on the District Of Colum.
ia, who said the speaker had no
nowledge Of what he was talking 1
bout and declared that the State {
Tennessee has found its prOhibi.
on legislation an unqualified sue
I'D