The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1907-12-28
WOmdn'S Page
a Power For civic righteousness.

and for that matter, in Idaho, the Womens Chris
tan Temperance Union cannot be figured as a neg
ligible quantity.
Their organizations everywhere are complete
sound and sincere. They go about their business
with serious belief and faith in the accomplish
ment of definite purpose
Some women's organizations chiefly strong
in imagination and are SO styled STRAW" organiza
tons, existing on paper only. The Womens Chris
tan organization is composed of women Of blood
and of action They believe in their mission. They
trust in inevitable righteousness for the accom-
plishment of a correct solution Of the cause they
espouse.
They do not utter the words, For God, Home and
Native Land" in an idle tone. They utter it re-
Elective Of genuine belief in sober, temperament
in all things, domestic, material and political
A review of the organization in Idaho may cause
surprise to those who have not paused TO look
about them as to results to which this one organ-
cation of women has contributed in small de-
gree; and so far as organizations of
concerned, they ante-date probably all others.
In the year 1Ss7-twenty years ago-the initial
convention of the w. c. T. u. met in Boise, Idaho
being presided over by Mrs. H. Shelton. Prior to
this local union, probably the mother union of
Idaho territory organized in Nampa.
At this Boise convention in 1887 a territorial or
Boise, was elected president, and Mrs J. A. MCGEE,
of Nampa, secretary. Seven unions were repre-
scented at this convention and the membership
less than one hundred
There are now two divisions in Idaho, designated
as Northern and Southern The former has fifteen
and the latter thirty organized unions. There are
about 75O active members of all these unions and
as many more associate honorary members.
During these twenty years the following are
among those who served the Southern Idaho unions
as State presidents Mrs. ]. H. Barton, Mrs. S. E.
Hobrook Mrs. ]. Truman, Mrs Rebecca Mitchell,
Mrs Sarah Mitchell Mrs. Ora Lucas Oakes Mrs.
Ella Crawford and the present incumbent, Mrs.
A. A. Garlock.
They made no boasts to their accomplishments.
Probably the major portion of the good deeds which
they perform are never written paraded in meet
ings but are written the hearts Of men, women
and children which have been made lighter by
reciprocal relief in times of need
But there are a few statutes written in Idaho
which, when read, make the student of Idaho affairs
think instinctive1y of the Women's Christian Tenn
perance Union.
One of these is womens suffrage Another is the
anti gambling act; another the State parole system;
then there is the age of consent law, the anticgar
cite law the child labor law the Sunday rest law
and the vital statistics and registration of births
law.
There may be extremists among them in Idaho
and everywhere but they are there and al
ways contending for the right and for the lofty,
the noble and the pure legislation.
They do not disintegrate or go back to their homes
after meeting defeat in Legislatures and despair of
al effort at reforms. They face defeat cheerfuly
and bravey and come up smiling at the next bat
lie making valuable of their past experience to-
rain ground in another struggle for purer COM
nonwealth