Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-04
w. G.. T. u. Department
THE W. c. T. U. AND PROHIBITION
BY JULIA A. GARRISON

'I think that all concede that there
was no more active force than the w.
G. r. U. in securing Tennessee's pro-
hibition victory, and while the w. G..
II. U. as a whole did magnificent work,
the organizers did specific work in the
way of agitating the subject. We lit
orally covered the state; there was no
road too long or too rough for us to
travel; no day too hot, too cold, too
dry or too wet for us. From the noun
tains to the river we went, talking to
large and small audiences, pleading
with the men to elect a legislature
that would protect our homes, every
where organizing the women into
unions, and teaching them how to carry
forward the work when we were gone,
insisting on their holding public meet
ings under the good citizenship depart
ment, and keeping the atmosphere
warm with temperance sentiment. So
well was the work done that in few
months the entire state was ablaze
with prohibition truths.
"Our organizers not only made public
speeches and organized unions, but
they made house to house visits, dis
tributing literature and seeking to in
terest all women in our battle and line
them up on the right side.
1.-THE fight was won in Tennessee not
by any one or any department but by
the united effort of consecrated men
and women: but all will graciously
agree that the state and national or
ganizers contributed in no small meas
ure to the success of the movement"
Mrs. Sena Hartzell Wallace of Kan
sas describes how prohibition victory
was won in Lincoln, Neb., which may
serve as a hint to other workers:
'Tn Nebraska, where I recently spent
six months in field work, a great many
victories have been won, the most not
able being that in Lincoln. Last year
forty saloons were closed when the city
voted dry. The liquor men raised a
great hue and cry over the loss of the
900 revenue, and they forced the is
sue again. The people answered with
a prohibition majority three times that
of last year.
"The enemy spent money lavishly.
On Sunday, April 8, when one of the
saloon speakers was to hold forth at
the opera house, a thousand women.
led by Mrs. Frances B. Heald, Mrs. c.
M. Shepherd, Mrs. M. M. Claflin and
other prominent white ribboners were
seated in the body of the house facing
the speaker Upon the breast of each
was a white placard on which was
printed the words No Saloon
"In the parlance of the day, that
speaker took cold feet His address
was a miserable failure and brought
dismay to the hearts Of his colleagues.
When they cursed him for his failure
he said, Who could face crowd like
that? Every one of those placards
looked as big as a dinner plate.'"
Miss Christine @. Timing Of Vir-
ginia says:
Mrs. S. settled in Georgia good
many years ago, young mother anx-
ious to bring up her two children
VI. r11n do hn1
home had a population of one thou
sand and contained no less than six
barrooms. This little woman felt that
for the sake Of her own children and
her neighbors' children something must
be done, but she hardly knew how to
begin.
"She had heard of the w. C. T. u,
but was quite unacquainted with its
working. She wrote for information
to Mrs Buell., then national cor
responding secretary, and received from
her literature and suggestions. She
went from house to house seeking the
cooperation of other mothers, but with
little encouragement. For three months
she kept on visiting and pleading, and
at the end of that time she had Sc
cured eight women to join her
"They organized a union. Instead of
support and sympathy, they met with
criticism and calumny. The minister
denounced Mrs. S. from the pulpit by
name, as a woman who was trying to
ioin hands with north and SOUTH.
"Still she went on. The work was
uphill all the way but the dauntless
few kept right at it. For one thing
they organized an L. T. l.. and held it
every week for ten years. At the end
of that time all the boys and young
men in the town, with two exceptions,
either were pledged abstainers or were
studying in the legion as associate
members.
"The fight against the barrooms was
kept up until they were all closed. Az
ter while the county went dry.
"Who shall say how much this one
woman counted for in the fight for
state prohibition? And who shall esti-
mate the influence of the organization
of which she is practically an unknown
member? These questions can find an
answer only in eternity"