Smyrna times., 1909-10-13
SPICY w. T.U. ECHO MEETING
Law and Order Society Called to Ac-
count and woman's Suffrage Dis
cussed-To Fight Speakeasies

SOuHt anu woman Sufrage Dis
cussed-To Fight Speakeasies
The Echo Meeting of the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union held in
the lecture room of the Asbury M.
E. Church last Wednesday evening
brought vividly before the minds of
those present the recent State Con-
vention held in Wilmington. The
chancel was effectively decorated for
the meeting with white ribbon and
large bouquets of flowers. The open
ing devotional service consisted of a
congregational hymn with Miss
Bertha Smithers as piano accom-;
panist; prayer offered by Mrs.
George W. Burke and he reading of
the Scripture lesson by Miss Mary
W. Thompson. AS presiding officer
Mrs. Kate E. Smithers led in the
echoes of the convention by giving
an interesting description of the first
session and in this connection Mrs.
W. F. P. Jacobs gave the response
to the address of welcome. The
! other delegate present, Mrs Chan
dler, (several were absent from town.
told of the visit to the Girls Indus
trial School, gave a glimpse of the
Y demonstration and spoke of the
distinguished speaker of the conven-
tion, Mrs. Smithers having also
! c.ixyor oJJ;+;o1oI ;pfor,,o4.a H.
/ these lines. The Rev. DR.. Robert
Watt supplemented the interest of
the program by giving his impression
of the convention and of the banquet
which he attended In passing DR..
Watt also paid high tribute to two of
the speakers, Mrs. Lillian M. N.
Stevens, president of the National
Woman's Christian Temperance I'm
ion and Miss Anna A. Gordon, vice
president at-large, mentioning the
great intellectually of the former
and the rare winsomeness of the
latter. The special music of the
evening consisted of a duett by Miss
Emma Stevenson and Miss Gussie
Chandler with Miss Agnes Stephenson
as piano accompanist, and a solo and
chorus by Mrs. Bertha Wilson and
the audience. Near the close of the
program Mrs. Smithers was intro
duced as the newly elected president
of the State<Woman' s Christian Tenn
perance Union and in response ex-
pressed her appreciation of the honor
and her surprise at the great respon-
sibility thus placed upon her. But
the meeting Unexpectedly driftec
into another channel by suggestion
offered by the Rev. George W. Burke
that efforts be made to close the
speakeasies of the town. This gave
rise to an explanation by the Hon
Walter o. Hoffecker president of thu
Law and Order Society, including th'
statement that the Society was read!
to prosecute offenders when evidenc,
against them was produced. Mr.
Hoffecker also mentioned an ordi
8 nance which had been a law fo
years, but which has not been en-
!, forced, imposing a fine of Ten Dol
lars upon any man found intoxicatet
on our streets. DR.. Watt called at
tention to the decrease of drunken
ness under local option and Professo
/, Belts, principal of the Public Schools
! expressed his interest in the effort
to prevent the violation of the law
: Just here spice was given to tn
meeting by DR.. Watt, who declare
: that when women could vote ther
would be a great advance in all mora
a movements, adding that for a Ion
time he was prejudiced agains
, woman suffrage but that he had bee
thoroughly converted to it. TIL
: Hon. Walter o. Hoffecker said tha
9 he was a recent convert to the fran
. chise for woman and the Rev. Georg
. W. Burke said that for some tim
. be had believed in it. Followin
! these remarks, "No Saloons in Del
q aware" was heartily sung by tn
audience and the meeting closed wit
the benediction pronounced by Dl
e Watt. Press Superintendent.
e - -~ap------