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AODKESS OF THE PRESIDENT
I LILLIAN M. N. STEVENS
Before the Thirty-Seventh ANNUAL CONVENTION
BAITIHOSE :: HAKYLAND HOVEKBBE 13, 1910
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Address Mrs. Lillian M. N. Stevens
President National Woman's Christian Temperance Union, before the Thirty-seventh Annual Convention, Baltimore, Maryland, November, 12, 1910.
My Dear Comrades and Friends:
As our National Woman's Christian Temperance Union assembles for its thirty-seventh annual convention, we are profoundly stirred by the thought of our large membership, who are in the midst of a great, world-wide struggle for the complete overthrow of the liquor traffic. It is an electric and a progressive age. Mighty forces are contributing to our success. Each day the cable, the tele- graph, the telephone, the up-to-date daily, the friendly cartoon- ist, the magazine writer, the sermonizer, the thoughtful edu- (^.ator, the medical expert, the scientist, the railroad magnate, the factory owner, the athlete, the autoist, and even the aviator are pointing out total abstinence as the way of health and the way of prosperity. The hearts of our noble W. C. T. U. women, from the first, have been illumined by this truth and now on white wings it encompasses the world.
"The Lord gave the word" — the glad word of total abstinence and prohibition — "the women that publish the tidings are a great host."
I salute you, beloved comrades! You have achieved! You are to achieve still more and more in days to come, for there are heights before us which we must attain. I salute you of Maryland who already have made us so happily welcome. For five days at least your IVHaryland will be "My Maryland" — our Maryland! I salute those who have never before attended a national W. C. T. U. con- vention as well as those who year after year have been coming up to our W. C. T. U. "Harvest Home." Delegates, ex-officio members, officers, all one in heart and purpose — with one accord you all have come together with praise on your lips and prayer in your hearts that we may advance the interests of the W. C. T. U. and so help to complete the overthrow of the drink habit and the liquor traffic.
For the third time our national convention meets in the beautiful
city of Baltimore, and looking over this inspiring assemblage I wonder how many are present this morning who attended the Balti- more convention in 1878. Tw^enty states w^ere then represented by presidents not elected by their respective states, but appointed by the previous national convention. To read the report of the Balti- more convention of 1878 is a powerful and encouraging proof of the great advancement made by the National W. C. T. U, since that con- vention— a convention strikingly notable in its day and in its way. Seventeen years later the national convention came again to Balti- more wdth all the states regularly organized under the matchless leadership of that peerless organizer, Frances E. Willard. Now, after fifteen years more of labor and achievement, w^e assemble here this morning in the monumental city by the Chesapeake — a city noted for its charm and its hospitality. We shall learn more than some of us have ever before known, of its advantages and its glories, and we should recall at this opening hour that it w^as in Baltimore, three score and ten years ago (in Chase's Tavern, Liberty street), that the Washingtonian Movement w^as born. As is w^ell known, the six men who led that organization held meetings and told the stories of their lives. They had suffered, and their appeals touched the hearts of others who were suffering, and the reform spread to other cities and states and many thousands were re- claimed.
The temperance reform has been greatly extended since the Washingtonian daj^s, and in this mighty expansion the Woman's Christian Temperance Union has acted nobly its part. When w^e were here in 1878 our representation w-as comparatively small; our entire receipts for that year, from membership fees, were $628.92. Our receipts from membership this year are $25,576.74. When we w^ere here in 1878 only about seven million people in our country lived in territory w^hich had outlawed the sale of strong drink. In 1895, at the time of the next convention, the number had advanced to fifteen million, and now, in 1910, it has reached upwards of forty millions, more than a third of whom live in territory w^hich has not only outlawed the sale, but also the manufacture of strong drink.
WORLD'S W. C. T. U. CONVENTION
Many are here w^ith us this morning w^ho in early June attended the eighth triennial World's W. C. T. U. convention at Glasgow, Scotland, the most far-reaching and important temperance gathering of the year and I may say of any year. It was but natural that the white ribboners from the United States should far outnumber the representation from any one of the many other lands. We have reason to rejoice over the proceedings and the outcome of the
World's convention, and I trust that there may go from this con- vention on the opening day, a cablegram expressing our love and gratitude to the President of the World's W. C. T. U., the Countess of Carlisle. Our World's president has entered upon the work of the World's W. C. T. U. year with great enthusiasm and earnest- ness, promiseful of much for our world-wide organization. Surely a message of love should also be sent to our former beloved President, The Lady Henry Somerset, who recently addressed a World's W. C. T. U. meeting held at Castle Howard, the home of the Countess of Carlisle. We shall also wish to send a message to the President of the Scottish W. C. T. U., Miss Forrester-Paton. No country has a more devoted W. C, T. U. President, and nowhere are there more royal-hearted women than ours of Scotland, the hostesses of the Glasgow convention. We greeted at our World's convention as we affectionately greet here this morning, Mrs. Katharine Lent Steven- son, who has returned safe and sound and happy from her success- ful world-tour on behalf of the World's W. C. T. U. We also greet with love. Miss Flora B. Strout, World's White Ribbon Missionary, who has just reached her home city, Baltimore, after three years of devoted work in Japan.
Among the scores of distinguished people whose voices were heard in our World's convention no one was listened to more in- tently than Mr. Cameron Corbett, M. P., from whose inspiring address I quote a short section indicating that our mission and our purpose are understood and appreciated:
"Your organization recognizes that the evils that are inseparable from the mse of intoxicating liquors constitute a world-wide call to a devoted womanhood to range themselves on the side of total absti- nence, and we congratulate you upon the marvelous development of your agencies and operations and the success that has attended your labors. We feel assured that these first fruits are but the precursors of a rich and glorious harvest. We trust that the gathering of so many, representing the cause of national righteousness the world over, will prove a means of great stimulus and blessings to the workers from across the seas, as well as those in our homeland, and will tend greatly to hasten the day of the emancipation of the race from the thraldom of the drink curse."
The complete address, in elegantly bound and illuminated book form, was later presented to the World's W. C. T. U.
The closing public meeting of the convention was one of novel and intense interest to the delegates and to our staid Scottish friends. Commodious St. Andrew's Hall could not seat the great audience and an overflow meeting was demanded. Seventy-five women from every corner of the earth spoke in rapid succession
and were held strictly to the one-minute time limit. Humor and pathos, prose and poetry, song and story, kept a responsive audience busy with applause as India gracefully gave way to Japan, China succeeded South Africa; Australia, Canada, Scandinavia, Syria, Egypt, Germany, Wales, Ireland, Mexico, vied with many delegates from England, Scotland and the United States in a good-humored rivalry — crowding the most talk into a minute's time.
The hearty adoption of a resolution of thanks to our Scottish friends was followed by the singing of the national anthems of Eng- land and America. All hearts were deeply touched as Miss Darling of Edinburgh sang to a favorite Scotch melody this verse:
"Sweet's the lark's note and lang Lilting wildly in the glen; But aye to me he sings one sang Will you no come back again?"
The vast audience of Scottish friends spontaneously arose and in a mighty chorus caught up the refrain:
"Will ye no come back again? Better loved ye canna be Will ye no come back again?"
And with hearts overflowing with gratitude the women from every land responded in the same sweet melody,
"Better loved ye canna be Yes, we will come back again."
I am quite sure that our white ribboners who went to tho World's convention, and especially those who at its close toured about in various lands, are glad to be at home again and all can heartily endorse the sentiments of Dr. Henry Van Dyke, expressed after his return from abroad:
"Oh, Europe is a fine place, yet something seems to lack, The past is too much with her, and the people looking back — But life is in the present, and the future must be free We love our land for what she is, and what she is to be.
So, its home again, and home again,
America for me! The blessed land of Room Enough beyond the ocean bars, **************
Where the air is full of sunshine, and the flag is full of stars.'^
There is something pathetic in the love of the homeland which- ever land that may be! A striking illustration of this was fur-
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nished in Chicago last spring- at the time when fifty squares of sod from far-away Old Ireland reached that city. They were to be used on a platform at a great public function, and many heartfelt tributes were paid to this piece of Erin-land by young and old, by rich and poor, by the immigrant who had arrived a few months before and by the young American whose people came over generations ago. Men, with hats reverently removed, stood around the sod, while one woman knelt and kissed the shamrocks so fresh and so green, not- withstanding the long winter voyage across the stormy sea; and another woman exultingly exclaimed, "Every foot of Irish ground is holy with the footsteps of Saints and of heroes." The love of one's own country is akin to the love of home and the love of home is akin to Divine love. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union in every land by endeavoring to purify the home and thus exalt the nation is expressing its love of country. May
"All success be nobleness and every gain Divine." TOTAL ABSTINENCE
There is no home in any country that is happier or more pros- perous because one or more of the family use strong drink; but there are hundreds of thousands of homes from which alcoholic liquors have driven peace, comfort and happiness, and substituted discord, squalor and misery; and there are thousands of other homes darkened by the drink curse — homes where pride and wealth still reign. The sad-faced mother hides from the world her crushing sorrow, unless perchance the silence is broken as in the case of a mother who recently said to a friend, "My terrible grief is en- hanced by the fact that I permitted in the home into which came the blessing of a little son, the use of that which has ruined my boy." Oh, that all might understand that it is love of home; that it is love of sweet mothers and broken-hearted wives, and a burning desire to have happy homes everywhere that has brought together this morning women from every section of our land. You know Tiow drink curses innocent children; for in their sore need you provided for them. You know how drink causes crime because you have ministered to those in prison, brought there through the use of strong drink. You know that reason is permanently dethroned l)y alcohol because you are students of the causes of insanity. In support of the theory that strong drink produces insanity we quote from a report of Dr. Hercod of Switzerland, a leading professor in the college of Lausanne, in which report he gives the evidence con- cerning the conditions in Italy furnished him by the director of an insane asylum:
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"The hospitals and the insane asylums are filled with alcoholic patients; consumption, promoted by alcoholic degeneracy, rages; pellagra joins itself with alcoholic poisoning; crime is becoming more frequent among the young; the suicides are legion; the people
are growing steadily weaker and more morally degenerate
But the rulers are blind; they do not see that the certain conse- quences of the encouragement they have given to the alcohol in- dustry will be the extension of alcoholism."
W. C. T. U. women are convinced that alcohol is a poison and their belief is identical with that of Dr. Peterson, professor of psychiatry of Columbia university, and a specialist on neurological diseases. Dr. Peterson says: "Alcohol is a poison. The daily regu- lar use of alcohol even in moderation often leads to chronic alco- holism. Alcohol is one of the most common causes of insanity, epilepsy, paralysis, diseases of the liver and stomach, dropsy, and tuberculosis. A father or mother who drinks, poisons the children born to them, so that many die in infancy, while others grow up as idiots and epileptics."
In every civilized land there is an increasing interest in the subject of total abstinence. This sentiment is aroused by those wha believe in conservation of the life, health and happiness of the peo- ple; by those w^ho are not only interested in the poisonous mosquito and fly, bad water, bad food and bad air, but who likewise believe that alcohol is a poison and its victims more numerous than those of any other pestilence.
Last year's convention address gave the names of about forty railroad companies w-hich, considering intoxicants a menace to life and property, officially condemned their use. The latest and most emphatic pronouncement of this kind has come from that railroad king, James J. Hill, who along the entire line of the Great Northern and Northern Pacific Railroads has positively forbidden the em- ployment of drinking men. In spite of the protests of brewers, Mr. Hill has firmly adhered to this decision. It is not necessary to enumerate the other great business corporations which discriminate against those who use alcoholic beverages; among them are 72 per cent of agriculturists. 79 per cent of manufacturers, and 80 per cent of tradesmen. In short, people are digesting knowledge, and are getting wise on the alcohol question. The wonder is that they have been so long in reaching this point. The table of insurance offices in England show that one hundred moderate drinkers die for every seventy-three abstainers, and many insurance offices are insuring abstainers at less price — as they certainly can afford to do. The athlete, training for a boat race, abstains from alcohol, and it has.
been proved that the extremes of the tropical sun and the arctic circles are best endured by the non-user of alcohol.
The liquor tribe who declare that the prohibitory law is an in- fringement of the personal liberties of the people must be dread- fully disturbed that the state of Michigan has a statute which reads : "No person shall be employed as an engineer, train dispatcher, fire- man, baggageman, conductor, brakeman or other servant for any railroad in any of its operating departments, who uses intoxicating drinks as a beverage; and any company in whose service such per- son has knowingly been employed shall be liable to a penalty of $500 for every such offense, to be sued for in the name of the people of the state of Michigan.— 6284 CL."
ALCOHOL AS A MEDICINE
While in times past the temperance reformers have had occasion to blame the medical profession, we now have much for which to thank the physicians. The most pitiful drunkard I have ever known was a woman who began her downward course by taking beer on the prescription of her family physician. He saw his mistake when it was too late to be rectified, but I am sure he was more cautious thereafter; and today many physicians in our own and other lands agree with Dr. Joslin of the Harvard Medical School, that, "Alcohol is rarely helpful in the treatment of disease." The use of alcohol in hospitals is rapidly decreasing. This tends to promote instead of prevent the practice of total abstinence.
DRINKING TO THE HEALTH
Quite recently our daily papers have had somewhat to say rela- tive to the reported statement of Mr. Whitelaw Reid, Ambassador to Great Britain, in which he advocates the adoption in this coun- try of the custom of drinking a toast to our President in the same form that Great Britain's people drink to the health of their king. The President of the United States is certainly entitled to as much good cheer and good health as the king or queen of any country, but we should condemn any custom which called for the use of wine or other alcoholic liquor, and it surely would be out of place to drink to the health of President Taft in alcoholic liquor since on public occasions he has himself so splendidly set to the young men of this nation the example of total abstinence. Ambassador Reid did not suggest the kind of drink to be used. Many of the subjects of the King of England are total abstainers, and King Edward sanctioned their custom of drinking his health in non-alcoholic beverages. Last June a naval officer asked King George for the continuance of this privilege to total abstainers. The reply came
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from Windsor, "The King has much pleasure in giving his sanction to the continuance of the permission granted by King Edward that total abstainers may drink His Majesty's health in non-alcoholic beverages." This incident is valuable from the temperance stand- point as it shows how long established and dangerous drinking customs are giving way to make place for w^ays that are safe for all to follow^
PROHIBITION
Adolphus Busch, the millionaire St. Louis brew^er, before start- ing not long ago on an ocean voyage, gave as his farewell message, "Prohibition is the meanest thing in the whole w^orld." The W. C. T. U. gives as its every-day message, prohibition is the best weapon in all the world, with which to fight the legalized liquor traffic; prohibition state, and prohibition national. The reason why the W. C. T. U. stands for prohibition is cogently expressed in the w^ords of Miss Willard: "The prohibition of the liquor traffic is pledged by the natural law of human brotherhood, by the right of every man and w^oman to be all that God meant to make of them, and by the right of every little child to be sheltered from harm."
Theoretically prohibition is right, otherwise the Ten Command- ments should not have been given and laws prohibiting murder, theft, forgery, lotteries, etc., should never have been enacted. Prac- tically prohibition is successful although prohibition at its best can never be realized in any state until all states have a prohibitory law or until the United States government gives to prohibitory territory just and adequate protection from the invasions of the liquor fra- ternity.
Since the first of last January, through the provisions of the Knox Bill, a small degree of protection has been furnished. In the prohibitory state of North Dakota the illegal sale of malt liquors has been greatly diminished, and in Maine the Knox Law has been valuable in reducing the number of bogus express companies formed for the purpose of aiding illegal liquor sellers. While recognizing all the good that there is in the Knox Law, we must say that it falls far short of what is needed and should be provided. Last Feb- ruary when Miss Gordon and I w^ere in Washington, in company with Mrs. Ellis, our legislative superintendent, we conferred with some of the temperance leaders in regard to a new Interstate Com- merce Liquor Bill. The temperance friends agreed on the form of the bill which shortly after was. introduced into Congress by Senator Miller and Representative Curtis, both of Kansas. The main feature of the bill is that the Interstate Commerce character of the shipment shall cease at once upon arrival in the state. In other words it provides for the protection of the states in the exer-
else of their police powers at a point Avhere such, exercise is not now guaranteed. During the next session of Congress the W. C. T. U. should do everything possible to secure the enactment of this bill, which is as follows:
A BILL
To constitute intoxicating liquors a special class of commodities and to regulate the interstate commerce shipments of such liquors.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all fermented, distilled, or other intoxicating liquors shall constitute a special class of commodities and, as a special class, shall be admitted to and carried in interstate commerce subject to the limitations and restrictions hereinafter imposed upon interstate commerce in ar- ticles of such special class.
Sec. 2. That the interstate commerce character of all fermented, distilled, or other intoxicating liquors admitted to interstate com- merce in accordance with the provisions of this Act and trans- ported from one State, Territory, or district of the United States into any other State, Territory, or district of the United States, or from any foreign country into any State, Territory, or district of the United States, shall terminate upon their arrival immediately within the boundary of the State, Territory, or district of the United States in which the place of destination is situated and before the delivery of said liquors to the consignee: Provided, That shipments of such liquors entirely through a State, Territory, or district of the United States shall not be subject to the provisions of this section while in transit through such State, Territory, or district of the United States.
INTERNAL REVENUE
Not only through Interstate Commerce laws but through In- ternal Revenue laws are prohibitory liquor laws often violated or nullified. We contend that it is wrong for the United States to col- lect revenue from the pernicious and heinous liquor traffic and this is emphatically true when it relates to prohibition territory. To be sure in some prohibitory sections, holding the Revenue Tax Re- ceipts is prima facie evidence of liquor selling, but such evidence cannot be regarded as of very high order inasmuch as this tax is collected in advance from those who are planning to carry on an illegal business. Some measure of relief is to be obtained through an order from Attorney General Wickersham. brought about by the elforts of Gov. Stubbs of Kansas, who appealed to President Taft. representing the gross injustice of the Revenue Tax system. Soon
after by the direction of the president the following order was issued which applies not only to Kansas but throughout the United States.
"Washington, January 25, 1910. H. J. Bone, Esq.,
United States Attorney, Topeka, Kansas. Si7\' — My attention has been called to the attitude of the De- partment with respect to prosecutions of offenses against the In- ternal Revenue laws, and much complaint has been made by reason of the fact that in States, the policy of whose laws forbids the traffic in liquors, the United States Government is clearly aiding and abetting in the violations of these laws by compromising pro- ceedings for the enforcement of the Internal Revenue laws, by the mere payment of money penalties. This seems a just subject of reproach. Governor Stubbs has brought the matter to the attention of the President, who feels as above indicated with respect to the matter. You are, therefore, instructed in the future in prosecu- tions for violataions of the Internal Revenue laws, as a general policy, to refuse to compromise all liability by the payment of money penalties and to endeavor to secure conviction and impri^ion- ment for some reasonable time in punishment of this class of offences. Respectfully,
(Signed) Geo. W. Wickeesham,
Attorney-General."
We copy from the "American Issue" an illustration of the appli- cation of this new law:
"A raid by government officials, at Zanesville, Ohio, recently, of boot- leggers is of the highest importance everywhere, especially where the ma- jority of citizens favor the enforcement of law." It is commented on in the "American Issue" as follows : "Twelve common, everyday alleged bootleggers were arrested in Zanesville last Friday, by Tnited States deputy marshals, and were taken to Columbus and placed in the county jail preparatory to the preliminary hearing before the Tnited States commissioner. They will un- doubtedly be held to await the action of the United States grand jury. This is the first big raid made on Ohio bootleggers by Uncle Sam since the new order of the President has come into effect. It was the practice formerly when men were caught selling liquor without the government license, to per- mit them to pay for the license, but not to prosecute them. Under the new order such bootleggers and speakeasy proprietors will be prosecuted to the limit. The penalty provided in such cases is most severe. The section of the United States statute under which the Zanesville affidavits were made pro- vides that upon conviction the penalty shall be a fine of from .$1,000 to $5,000. and imprisonment from six months to two years. It will be seen that the minimum penalty, therefore, is a $1,000 fine and six months im- prisonment. The imprisonment consists of confinement in a county jail desig- nated by the United States court. In case of non-payment of fine the con- victed persons must spend enough time in jail to liquidate the fine."
We ought to be thankful for all favorable legislation which is
enacted even though it falls far below what should be granted, but
we should remember the encouraging fact that during the past
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three years the majority of the state legislatures have enacted laws harmful rather than helpful to the liquor trade.
THE CANTEEN
Several years ago there was announced the formation of a society called the Woman's Army Canteen Club, whose object was "to undo the wicked work of the W. C. T. U. in securing an anti-canteen law." We have been unable to ascertain if this society really exists, as reported by the friends of the liquor trade. Every year there is an attempt on the part of the brewers and their emissaries to re- peal the anti-canteen law, but these frantic efforts are ineffectual and undoubtedly the sentiment against liquor selling in the Army is all the time growing stronger. This opinion is supported not only by the fact that the last session of Congress took no action on the bill to restore the beer canteen, but voted by nearly three to one against the restoration of the canteen in the old soldiers' Homes. It is worthy of note that during the past year the general court martials in the Army for drunkenness were a fraction over six hundred, while during the last year of the canteen in the Army, the court martials were over sixteen hundred.
Vv^e still hear from some quarters the deplorable tale that the soldier is robbed not only of his beer but of his only place of re- creation. We would respectfully ask all such critics to read the late report of the Quartermaster General, showing that Congress has appropriated since 1901, for reading rooms, gymnasiums, recreation rooms, etc., upwards of three million dollars, and has applied this large sum in 122 of the 133 army posts of the nation.
Major-General Grant, during the army and militia maneuvers at Pine Camp, New York, last August, gave out a statement relative to the workings of the anti-canteen law at the Encampment w^hich is most gratifying. He said, "I think the canteen is better left out of the Army. Many people have the idea that because there is no way under the present law for a soldier to get liquor within camp limits, dives and low saloons about the outskirts of the camp must thrive. Such is not the case, as I have taken care to learn."
Some question having arisen during the year regarding the law prohibiting the use of liquor in the navy, I will incorporate here the order which Secretary Long gave at the solicitation of the naval oflacers :
Navy Department, Washington, Feb. 3, 1899.
"After mature deliberation, the Department has decided that it is for the best interest of the service that the sale or issue to en-
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listed men of malt or other alchoholic liquors on board ships of the navy, or within the limits of naval stations be prohibited.
"Therefore, after the receipt of this order, commanding oflBcers and commandants are forbidden to allow any malt or other alcoholic liquor to be sold to, or isued to, enlisted men, either on board ship, or within the limits of navy yards, naval stations, or marine bar- racks, except in the medical department.
"JOHN D. LONG, Secretary."
We regret that all naval officers are not total abstainers and that some of them do not realize the value of prohibition. This is be- cause they do not know how to make just estimates. Rear Admiral Evans, when at Bar Harbor last summer, made a statement which was taken up by the liquor press of the country as detrimental to prohibition; but the statement when closely analyzed was a re- flection on the ships' discipline rather than upon the prohibitory law. The Admiral said that his men in New York w^ould go out to get liquor and they got it. When in Maine they bought liquor and what they found was not whiskey, for "it was alwaj^s poison and for the most part wood alcohol." This is very good testimony to show- that alcoholic liquor is not sold freely in Maine. The sale of wood alcohol for mechanical purposes is allowed.
Comrades, let us rejoice that prohibition is to keep up its on- ward march! There will be occasional halts, but these will be as nothing compared with the great and ever greater ad- vances! We refer not only to the progress in the United States, but also to the prohibition victories in the British Colonies, Aus- tralia, South Africa, New Zealand and in Canada. The prohibition agitation in England is bringing good results and the situation in England from a prohibition standpoint was never so favorable and so encouraging as today. Iceland already has prohibition, Finland voted for it but the Czar of Russia holds it back, and Sweden has by national plebiscite declared in favor of prohibition by a vote of 1,845,249 to 16,471. This vote unmistakably shows that the Gothen- berg or Disinterested Management system is not satisfactory even in the land of its origin and long operation. The effort to eliminate the liquor selling profit which is supposed to go to the liquor seller, and leave it to the town or state to make the profit, is not likely to work advantageously to the state or town, as has been amply proven in South Carolina where this system was adopted fifteen years ago. Out of forty-two counties of the state only six have re- tained the Dispensary system, and we confidently expect that in the very near future the entire state will adopt prohibition. Pre- sumably the Gothenberg or Dispensary is the best form of license
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law, but all license laws are wrong in principle and so far as sup- pressing the sale of intoxicating liquors is concerned are unsuc- cessful in practice. We condemn the sale of intoxicating drink in the saloon, the hotel bar, the drug store, the grocery store, the can- teen, and the restaurant. We condemn its sale anywhere and ev- erywhere, and we believe the Methodist church was right when it rose as a body and spoke up in its General Conference saying, "The liquor traffic cannot be licensed without sin!" If everyone who professes to hate sin would live up to this pronouncement we should have national prohibition in very short order. Although cruelly de- layed by avarice and appetite, we do not doubt that the order is on the way. Those who are engaged either directly or indirectly in the liquor trade always are strenuously and desperately opposed to prohibition. The larger the measure of prohibition the more stren- uous the opposition of the liquor tribe. They are opposed to local option in license states, for it may lead to local prohibition; still more are they opposed to county option because it may lead to county prohibition and yet still more are they opposed to state- wide prohibition. This of itself furnishes ample proof that pro- hibition prohibits sufficiently to always hurt the liquor business.
Ex-Mayor Rose of Milwaukee from time to time has denied that he was employed or paid by the liquor dealers for his anti-prohibi- tion work, but he has accepted the presidency of a society carried on by the brewers of the country "to oppose the enactment of local option and prohibitory laws." The name of the society is "The American Merchants and Manufacturers' Association." The license advocates claim that prohibitory laws are violated, and therefore ineffectual and should be repealed. By the same methods of rea- soning license laws should also be repealed, for the provisions of the license laws are violated to a greater extent than are those of prohibitory laws. In license communities liquor is sold after closing hours, is sold to minors, to drunkards, on Sunday and all days and all hours.
Let some of the governors of the prohibitory states be heard on this question. Gov. Noel of Mississippi says: "The law is as well, if not better enforced than many other laws on our books, such as carrying concealed weapons, gambling and the like."
Gov. Fernald of Maine says: "There are more than 212,000 school children in the state of Maine. Not one of this great army of healthy, happy, rugged boys and girls has ever seen, emblazoned over a store front, a sign advertising the sale of intoxicating liq- uors. They have walked the hundreds of miles of business streets of our twenty cities and 454 towns, on their way to and from their schools, they have seen the names of their fathers shining in let-
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ters of gold as sellers of all the wholesome and necessary articles of trade, as lawyers and doctors and printers, but never as poison- ers of the human system and wreckers of homes. This is the leg- acy that has come to these 212,000 children from the 200,000 school children of the generation that preceded them. I hope these 212,000 children will pledge themselves to bequeath to the 225,000 school children who without doubt will follow them, the same precious legacy."
Gov. Stubbs of Kansas says: ''I do not claim that we have no violations of the prohibitory law, for if there were no violations such a law would not be necessary. It does mean that the prohib- itory law in Kansas is as well enforced as other criminal statutes, and that when men violate it they are arrested, convicted and promptly sent to prison."
John Burke, Governor of North Dakota, says: ''The big farmer will tell you that when saloons were licensed and a w^et day came, his employes, perhaps right in the very busy season, w^ent to town and got drunk and the farmer suffered a great loss waiting for them to sober up; and that the banishment of the saloon has taken from the employe the opportunity to get drunk and a great many laborers come in during the harvest season, when a day means a great deal to the farmer, and hence the farmer has become a pro- hibitionist. The merchant finds that with the banishment of the saloon the people generally have more money to spend in the legiti- mate channels of trade and that in consequence the collections are better, and the people are better housed, better clothed and better fed and better schooled on account of prohibition, and so the busi- ness man becomes a prohibitionist because it puts money into his pocket and at the same time it improves the moral condition of the community."
W. W. Kitchin, Governor of North Carolina says: "As to dis- respect for the law: There is oposition to it, but I think no dis- respect except by those who violate it. If there is any other dis- respect, it is confined to those who opposed it and who wish to en- courage efforts towards its repeal. As to the liquor sold: There is far less liquor sold in tliis state now than before prohibition. There is less drunkenness and less crime."
We might quote reams of such testimony from prohibition states and prohibition cities and counties.
The trade still continues its cry that prohibition interferes with personal liberty, and creates h^'pocrisy, but people capable of rea- soning know that this accusation would apply with equal logic to all laws ena(5ted to prevent crime. One of the latest charges against prohibition is that it is a drawback to education and religion. This
14
is in strong contrast to the fact that Maine which has more teach- ers in proportion to the population than the near license state of Massachusetts, and at the meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, held a few months ago, it was reported in the session of education that a larger number of pupils are gradu- ated from the elementary schools in Maine than from any other New England state; and certainly it is a mark of religious observance that Maine leads all the other states in the use of the Bible in the public schools.
Last January-, Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman, the great evangelist, spent three weeks in Portland. On Sunday afternoon, two days previous to leaving the city, before an audience of four thousand men. Dr. Chapman heartily commended both the principle and the eflBciency of the Maine prohibitory law. Although it was Sunday afternoon he was enthusiastically applauded by the immense audience. Some license papers outside the state hastened to publish a statement made by the secretary of the Brewers' Association, to the effect that the cases of insanity caused by religious excitement far out- numbered those traced to the use of alcoholic liquor. When I read this I chanced to have lying on my study desk a copy of the Report of the Massachusetts State Board of Insanity; turning to the sta- tistics of "Probable causes of mental disease in persons admitted -to any hospital at public institutions for the insane in the state," I found that alcoholic intemperance had caused insanity in 318 males — 66 females: religious excitement no males and one female. This report, however, was not the latest issued by the Massachu- setts board. In that, under the same classification I found alcoholic intemperance, men 307 — women 93, and not even one case of in- sanity caused by religious excitement.
The Maine Methodist Conference of 1910 thus expressed itself concerning the efficiency of the Maine law: "We have great cause for thanksgiving in the progress of temperance reform in Maine. Never in the history of our prohibitory law has its enforcement been so efficient and so general, never was there a more insistent sentiment against the liquor traffic than today."
Probably no written or spoken utterances on "prohibition, a farce in the State of Maine" have attracted as much attention as have those of Mr. Holman Day. He outdoes "Rev." Thompson of New Zealand and "Rev." Sn^^der of Cincinnati, and even Mr. Peck and Mr. Rose of Wisconsin. One reason is that he is a voluminous writer and then again he is a writer of romance and his home is in Maine. The most important incident connected with his career dur- ing the last year is the decision in his criminal libel case against Editor Ferguson of the National Prohibitionist. This case is well
15
and briefly described by a press dispatch from Chicago on May 12, as published in the Portland (Me.) Express-Advertiser: "After being out for but 20 minutes, the jury in the criminal libel case brought against William P. Ferguson, editor of the National Pro- hibitionist, at the instigation of Holman F. Day of Portland, Me., returned a verdict of not guilty. Members of the jury say that the verdict was practically reached before the jurymen left the box and only one man voted for conviction on the first ballot. The prosecu- tion was pushed vigorously by the state's attorney's office and rul- ings of the court practically deprived the defense of all its witnesses excepting Mr. Ferguson. Mr. Day was called to the stand by the de- fense. "Mr. Ferguson was allowed to tell the jury that he pub- lished the editorial about Mr. Day for the sole purpose of showing the people of the country that his reputation and standing are not such as to entitle him to credence as a witness against Maine's Prohibitory law. It is understood here that the case was brought by liquor interests. Mr. Huffaker, a Louisville liquor attorney, was present at the trial with Mr. Day and coached the prosecution."
Another incident which should be noted by all who read Mr. Day's magazine and newspaper articles and story books, is that he was one of the leading speakers at the United States Brewers' con- vention which met in Washington the second week of last June.
In spite of all endeavors of the liquor trafl&c and its allied forces to discredit Maine, the state still continues to prosper. Its savings institutions now have on deposit $181.1.5 per capita, and one in every three, including women and children, have a savings account. The latest estimate is that those who come to Maine to spend their summer vacation leave in the state twenty million dollars each year, and since Maine enacted its prohibitory law it has more than multi- plied its valuation by five, while neighboring states have not multi- plied theirs by three. The absence of saloons does not repel the desirable visitors but instead it leads many to bring their families to a state which is free from the temptation of the saloon and the hotel bar.
The issue in the late gubernatorial campaign in Maine was not prohibition. The high cost of living, combined w^ith insurgent and tariff ideas such as are prevailing in many other states resulted in a change of oflacials which will make it harder than ever for the temperance people in Maine to withstand the attacks of the enemies of prohibition wathin and especially from without the state. We have reason to believe that the Maine voters, should resubmission be thrust upon them, would do as they did in 1884 when they voted upon the question — sustain with a large majority the law which has brought untold benefits and blessings to the homes of Maine.
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NO DIVIDING LINE
One of the late schemes of the liquor men is by ridicule and other low devices to build up barriers between the southern and northern temperance people; but they will not succeed. True tem- perance people know no dividing line, and there is none. We ever- more have reason to thank and to love the women of the South! When their hearts were wounded and aching because of all they had suffered and all they had lost, they received with loving kindness a northern woman, Frances E. Willard, and clasping hands with her and with the women of the entire land became a great power In the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Let us gratefully remember that the South is now leading in the temper- ance reform. No other section of our country can boast of greater temperance leaders today than Gov. Glenn, Hon. Seaborn Wright, Judge Covington, and scores of gifted, stalwart white ribbon lead- ers; all southern bom, southern bred, southern hearted. We love to have these friends come North to inspire and to help, and by the same token we believe they like to have our sturdy northern leaders go South.
Last springtime in Statuary Hall, in the National Capitol, I stood with a group of white ribboners beside the handsome statue of Rob- ert E. Lee. We wondered not that the Old Dominion state had designed this great scholar and soldier as one worthy to represent his state in that nation's Valhalla, and I was heartily glad when the United States Attorney General decided and the President con- firmed the opinion, that this statue was there to stay,
LABOR AND TEMPERANCE
The question of the relation of temperance and labor is receiving much attention these days from both the friends and the enemies of the temperance reform. Some who profess to be friends of the laboring men claim that the saloon is a social necessity and still others claim that the saloon is a boon to the laborer because he needs the stimulation to restore his wasted forces and exhausted body. Quite frequently Miss Willard is misquoted regarding an utterance concerning poverty and intemperance. I here record what she really did say on this subject.
"Much criticism has been expended on me for declaring in my third biennial address before the World's W. C. T. U. in June last, that as temperance people, we had been in error in not recogniz- ing the relation of poverty to intemperance, and because I stated that, while from the first I had maintained that intemperance caused poverty, I was now ready not only to reiterate that cardinal doctrine but to add that poverty causes intemperance. By that dec-
17
laration I am ready to stand or fall. It is an axiom and will be admitted by every reasonable person; as temperance people we have not been in the habit of saying it, but everybody knows that it is true. I did not say that poverty causes intemperance in the same degree that intemperance causes poverty; nor do I think it does, but as we have not been wont to recognize poverty at all among the procuring causes of intemperance it seems to me high time that we did so."
One reason why poverty may cause intemperance is that the saloon, the blind tiger or other liquor selling places are not usually located in the districts where the rich or well to do live, but they are often nearby or in the midst of abodes of the poverty class, and the poor as well as the rich often yield to the temptation of the saloon. Of the many utterances from many sources tending to show the relation of the saloon to the laborer none is more powerful or heavily freighted with truth than the words of Rev. Father Cassidy uttered in the Cathedral at Fall River in an address to laboring men.
"You profess to be the laborer's friend and yet you vote for the saloon which murders countless laborers every day. You profess to strive for higher wages, and yet you vote for the saloon which murders wages in a thousand different ways. You profess to be willing to work, to live, to die for the emancipation and salvation of the laboring woman. And yet you vote for the saloon which has squeezed the heart's blood out of more women than unionism has ever numbered. You profess to be the friend of our little ones and co-operate with us in keeping them at school and giving them a chance for the higher life. And yet you vote for this cursed thing which has stunted more growing intellects, robbed more children of their birthright, sent stupid through the world, tied up to the warper, the spooler and the spinning frame, more half-grown, half- developed little ones than unionism can ever count."
: NO CAUSE FOR DISCOURAGEMENT
We need not be at all discouraged by the report that the falling off in the consumption of liquor in 1908 and 1909 will be nearly wiped out by the gains in the consumption during the year 1910. Instead of losing courage we should be all the more deeply im- pressed with the fact that never in the history of the temperance reform as during the last months have the liquor fraternity been so desperately alert. They have expended enormous sums of money for anti-prohibition and anti-total abstinence speakers, for sending out their literature to every locality and to every library which would take it to say nothing of the many other ways well known to
18
the trade. We should remember that comparatively few of the mil- lion immigrants who have come to our shores during the year bring with them temperance ideas and total abstinence habits. The tem- perance reform has great obstacles to overcome and it is well for us to consider how much worse the conditions w^ould be but for the work of the great army of temperance people who are heroically battling for the complete overthrow of the liquor traffic and we of the W. C, T. U. are sure of ultimate victory. How soon depends upon our faith, our courage, our steadfastness and our holy deter- mination.
It certainly calls for about as much effort to hold a prohibitory law as it does to secure it. Such effort on the part of temperance people has been nobly put forth during the past year. The failure on the part of the temperance forces to outlaw the saloon in Chicago, the metropolis of Illinois, does not signify that all the glorious edu- cational effect of that splendid campaign counts for nothing, for it does count on the right side of the great struggle and it will hasten the day of doom for brewery domination in Illinois.
There are many triumphs for the temperance cause which can- not be statistically enumerated. There is not a state, and scarcely a community where there has not been a temperance triumph, for the right and the truth are indestructible and wherever they stand they are surrounded by a troop of angels and God himself is keeping watch. The story of the recent struggles and achievements in the states I am leaving largely for the respective state presidents to relate from this platform. Of all the holy crusades, of all the sac- rifices made for righteousness sake, of all the unselfish aspirations and endeavors of the past, not any according to their day and gen- eration have exceeded in noble purpose, sublime pathos and splen- did heroism the work of our white ribbon comrades to free their states from the bewildering, brutal, blighting, blasting curse of the legalized saloon. The state-wide prohibition flag still floats over M3,ine, Kansas, North Dakota, Georgia, Oklahoma, Alabama, Missis- sippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and temperance victories in the other states during the year count notably on the side which makes for the righteousness of our nation.
DRINKING WOMEN
Surgeon Gen. Evatt, when speaking in London not long ago, dwelt upon the deplorableness of drink among women and said he believed the day would come when alcoholic drink would nowhere be sold to women, adding, "for a w^oman to drink is like selling the pass- word on the field of battle." This is a unique and powerful way of describing the effect of drink not only on women but on men. Alas,
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how many have lost in the battle of life Ity selling the password of success and happiness for strong drink.
While in Glasgow we heard the opinion of a Scottish gentleman concerning drink among women. He had traveled extensively and unhesitatingly said that nowhere had he found so much sentiment against women drinking as in the United States and he believed that nowhere did women drink so little. He graphically com- pared conditions in Glasgow as he knew them with conditions in New York and he had found them much to the credit of New York and other American cities. We are sometimes told that drink among women is on the increase. It can hardly be so among the outcasts and lower classes for it is largely drink which has brought them where they are. Alcoholic beverages cannot justly, even among women, be called a class drink, for alcohol in the costly wine glass is as deadly and dangerous as it is in the dingy whiskey mug. Nothing else so levels the classes as does the use of strong drink, and in reality it matters little whether the drinker be man or woman, although it is still true that the world is more charitable to the vices of men than to the vices of women. Very likely this may encourage vice among men, for there are about twenty times as many criminal arrests of vicious men as of women.
SMOKING AMONG WOMEN
We are sometimes told there is much cigaret smoking among women. In the course of my travels in England and America I have never seen a woman with a cigaret in her mouth, except in certain localities in New Mexico where the surroundings were not at all pleasant to contemplate. There is reason to believe that some women in England do smoke cigarets and we are told that there are some in America of like habit. I have seen now and then a woman in a hovel smoking a pipe. Not long ago a writer in the London Chronicle interestingly discussed this subject.
"The woman s^^moker, far from being a result of a decadent civ- ilization, is merely a survival of a rougher and harder life. Even today the women who live the hardest lives compatible with twen- tieth century civilization smoke incessantly. Go into any tramps' lodging house and you will find not only old and j^oung women but bits of girls scarcely in their teens puffing contentedly, not at cigarettes, but clay pipes charged with black twist tobacco. It is part of the etiquette of the 'road' for the men after they have vig- orously puffed at their 'dudeens' to hand them to the women tramps who have no supply."
I am glad that the National and World's W. C. T. U. has a de- partment of Anti-Narcotics and I am happy in believing that the
20
number of women who smoke cigarettes in elegant homes or who smoke tobacco in any form in the tramp lodging house are very few in this country, and I am particularly glad that the youths are be- ing taught to shun the nicotine poison, and this teaching is greatly helped by the requirement of many business firms that their em- 'ployes shall not use cigarettes.
TRAFFIC IN WOMEN
The question of the traffic in women, commonly spoken of as the White Slave Traffic, has, during the past year, rightly received much attention. Although the traffic originated in Europe where its victims are white, it is claimed, and with reason, that the term "White Slave" does not fitly describe the heinous system inasmuch as it involves every race and every color. Buying, selling, deceiv- ing, forcing and imprisoning their victims are among the methods employed by the trade, and the terrible evil is widespread. The Satanic people who are engaged in it are not easily captured, and seldom receive their deserved punishment. There is foundation for hope, however, that the situation may speedily improve, because of the agencies now employed not only for the detection of the pro- curers, but also for the destruction of the diabolical business. Six- teen governments including the United States are now bound by an international agreement to aid in the suppression of the traffic in women. The Fourth International Congress for the suppression of this traffic held in Madrid, Spain, October 24-28, was a notable gathering and its results in the suppression of the terrible evil must be wide- spread and most beneficial. We are glad that the World's and Na- tional W. C. T. U. were ably represented at this congress by Mrs Rose Woodallen Chapman of New York.
The public is no longer ignorant on the subject for it has been discussed in newspapers and magazines, from platform and pulpit. That there is a vigorous endeavor to stop the business is shown by the fact that during the last year the National Vigilance Com- mittee has endeavored to secure the passage in every state legis- lature of an adequate law against this traffic and has succeeded in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and the District of Columbia. Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Oklahoma have adopted laws on the subject similar to the Illinois law which was adopted last year, and the previous year Colorado, North Dakota and South Dakota, Washington and Iowa, enacted some stringent measures, so that within two years fourteen states and the District of Columbia have passed laws against the White Slave Traffic.
As is well known, the Mann Bill "To regulate and prevent the transportation in interstate and foreign commerce of alien women
21
and girls for immoral purposes, and for other purposes," was in- troduced by Congressman Mann, December 6, 1909, and was passed by both branches of Congress, signed by the President and is now a United States law. Already there have been several prosecutions under this law and the guilty parties have been sentenced to the penitentiary. Because there is such universal interest in this question and because we may need to often refer to the law, I in- corporate it.
"An Act to further regulate interstate and foreign commerce by prohibiting the transportation therein for immoral purposes of women and girls, and for other purposes.
"Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of tJie United States of America in Congress assemltled, That the term 'Interstate commerce," as used in this Act, shall include transpor- tation from any State or Territory or the District of Columbia to any other State or Territory or the District of Columbia, and the term "foreign commerce," as used in this Act, shall include trans- portation from any State or Territory or the District of Columbia, to any foreign country and from any foreign country to any State or Territory or the District of Columbia.
"Sec. 2. That any person who shall know^ingly transport or cause to be transported, or aid or assist in. obtaining transportation for, or in transporting, in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or in the District of Columbia, any woman or girl for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for any other immoral purpose, or with the intent and purpose to induce, entice, or com- pel such woman or girl to become a prostitute or to give herself up to debauchery, or to engage in any other immoral practice; or who shall knowingly procure or obtain, or cause to be procured or obtained, or aid or assist in procuring or obtaining, any ticket or tickets, or any form of transportation or evidence of the right thereto, to be used by any w^oman or girl in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or the District of Columbia, in go- ing to any place for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for any other immoral purpose, or with the intent or purpose on the part of such person to induce, entice, or compel her to give herself up to the practice of prostitution, or to give herself up to debauch- ery, or any other immoral practice, whereby any such w^oman or girl shall be transported in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or the District of Columbia, shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, or by imprisonment of not more- than five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discre- tion of the court.
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"Sec. 3. That any person who shall knowingly persuade, induce, entice, or coerce, or cause to he persuaded, induced, enticed, or co- erced, or aid or assist in persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing any woman or girl to go from one place to another in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or the District of Columbia, for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for any other im- moral purpose, or with the intent and purpose on the part of such person that such woman or girl shall engage in the practice of pros- titution or debauchery, or any other immoral practice, whether with or without her consent, and who shall thereby knowingly cause or aid or assist in causing such woman or girl to go and to be carried or transported as a passenger upon the line or route of any common carrier or carriers in interstate or foreign commerce, or any Terri- tory or the District of Columbia, shall be deemed guilty of a felony and on conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars, or by imprisonment for a term not ex- ceeding five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the dis- cretion of the court.
"Sec. 4, That any person who shall knowingly persuade, induce, entice, or coerce any woman or girl under the age of eighteen years from any State or Territory or the District of Columbia to any other State or Territory or the District of Columbia, with the purpose and intent to induce or coerce her, or that she shall be induced or coerced to engage in prostitution or debauchery, or any other im- moral practice, and shall in furtherance of such purpose knowingly induce or cause her to go and to be carried or transported as a passenger in interstate commerce upon the line or route of any common carrier or carriers, shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and on conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars, or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.
"Sec. 5. That any violation of any of the above sections two, three, and four shall be prosecuted in any court having jurisdiction of crimes within the district in which said violation was committed, or from, through, or into which any such woman or girl may have been carried or transported as a passenger in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or the District of Columbia, con- trary to the provisions of any of said sections.
"Sec. 6. That for the purpose of regulating and preventing the transportation in foreign commerce of alien women and girls for purposes of prostitution and debauchery, and in pursuance of and for the purpose of carrying out the terms of the agreement or pro- ject of arrangement for the suppression of the white-slave traffic,
23
IS.oG
adopted July twenty-fiftli, nineteen hundred and two, for submission to their respective governments by the delegates of various powers represented at the Paris conference and confirmed by a formal agreement signed at Paris on May eighteenth, nineteen hundred and four, and adhered to by the United States on June sixth, nineteen hundred and eight, as shown by the proclamation of the President cf the United States, dated June fifteenth, nineteen hundred and eight, the Commissioner-General of Immigration is hereby designated as the authority of the United States to receive and centralize in- formation concerning the procuration of alien women and girls witii a view to their debauchery, and to exercise supervision over such alien women and girls, receive their declarations, establish their identity, and ascertain from them who induced them to leave their native countries, respectively; and it shall be the duty of said Commissioner-General of Immigration to receive and keep on file in his office the statements and declarations which may be made by such alien women and girls, and those which are hereinafter re- quired pertaining to such alien women and girls engaged in pros- titution or debauchery in this country, and to furnish receipts for such statements and declarations provided for in this act to the persons, respectively, making and filing them.
"Every person who shall keep, maintain, control, support, or harbor in any house or place for the purpose of prostitution, or for any other immoral purpose, any alien woman or girl within three years after she shall have entered the United States from any country, party to the said arrangement for the suppression of the white-slave traffic, shall file with the Commissioner-General of Im- migration a statement in writing setting forth the name of such alien woman or girl, the place at which she is kept, and all facts as to the date of her entry into the United States, the port through which she entered, her age. nationality, and parentage, and con- cerning her procuration to come to this country within the knowl- edge of such person, and any person who shall fail within thirty days after such person shall commence to keep, maintain, control, support, or harbor in any house or place for the purpose of prostitution, or for any other immoral purpose, any alien woman or girl within three years after she shall have entered the United States from any of the countries, party to the said arrange- ment for the suppression of the white-slave traffic, to file such statement concerning such alien woman or girl with the Commis- sioner-General of Immigration, or who shall knowingly and will- fully state falsely or fail to disclose in such statement any fact within his kniwledge or belief with reference to the age, national- ity, or parentage of any such alien woman or girl, or concerning
24
her procuration to come to this country, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction shall be punished by a fine of not more than two thousand dollars, or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.
"In any prosecution brought under this section, if it appear that any such statement required is not on file in the ofiice of the Com- missioner-General of Immigration, the person whose duty it shall be to file such statement shall be presumed to have failed to file said statement, as herein required, unless such person or persons shall prove otherwise. No person shall be excused from furnishing the statement, as required by this section, on the ground or for the reason that the statement so required by him, or the information therein contained, might tend to criminate him or subject him to a penalty or forfeiture, but no person shall be prosecuted or sub- jected to any penalty or forfeiture under any law of the United States for or on account of any transaction, matter, or thing, con- cerning which he may truthfully report in such statement, as re- quired by the provisions of this section.
"Sec. 7. That the term "Territory," as used in this Act, shall include the district of Alaska, the insular possessions of the United States, and the Canal Zone. The word "person," as used in this Act, shall be construed to import to both the plural and the singular as the case demands, and shall include corporations, companies, societies, and associations. Vv^'hen construing and enforcing the pro- visions of this Act, the act, omission, or failure of any officer, agent, or other person, acting for or employed by any other person or by any corporation, company, society, or association within the scope of his employment or office, shall in every case be also deemed to be the act. omission or failure of such other person, or of such company, corporation, society, or association, as well as that of the person himself.
"Sec. 8. That this Act shall be known and referred to as the "White-slave traflBc Act.
"Approved, June 25, 1910."
It matters little whether the traffic is "organized" or not. The fact that it exists in New York and elsewhere is sufficient to arouse humanity loving people regardless of all that Judge O'Sullivan or anyone else may say as to the exaggeration of the situation. With- out any exaggeration it is appalling enough to arouse the most apathetic, and investigations in some cities have revealed that eveA little girls in their infancy are sold into these dens of infamy. The body of an unknown girl was found in Lake Michigan. During the twenty-four hours following this announcement in the Chicago
25
papers, upwards of five hundred fathers and mothers came to see the body, each one looking for the girl lost from his or her home, alas, that there are so many "weary of breath" who "thus go to their death," and so many, many more who are suffering a "living: death."
We are glad that early in its history, the W. C. T. U. recognized the close relation between intemperance and impurity. Let u& more faithfully than ever carry on the several departments of pu- rity work and in every possible way do our part not only to rescue and save those who are entangled in the net of sin, but to prevent others from becoming ensnared.
The report of the Immigration Commission before the United States Senate revealed a shocking condition prevalent in the steerage on some of the trans-Atlantic steamers. It is charged that helpless w^omen are subject to abuse from brutal sailors and from indiscriminating mixing of men and women wath no provisions for privacy. Such conditions cannot do other than to result not only in discomfort and suffering, but in immorality. This shame- ful wrong should be righted and we must do our part to have it done.
A bill, know^n as "An Act to regulate the immigration of aliens into the United States," adopted on March 26th, will greatly assist in changing these terrible conditions.
ANTI-POLYGAMY
We should not cease our efforts to secure an amendment to the Federal Constitution forever prohibiting polygamy and giving to Congress power to enforce such prohibition by suitable legislation. To this end the adoption of the following resolution by the states is desirable:
"WHEREAS, It appears from investigation recently made by the Senate of the United States, and otherwise, that polygamy still exists in certain places in the United States notwithstanding pro- hibitory statutes enacted by the several states thereof, and
"WHEREAS, The practice of polygamy is generally condemned by the people of the United States and there is a demand for the more effectual prohibition thereof by placing the subject under federal jurisdiction and control, at the same time reserving to each state the right to make and enforce its own laws relating to mar- riage and divorce; now, therefore,
"Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That the application be made to Congress, under the provisions of Article V. of the Consti- tution of the United States for the calling of a Convention to pro- pose an amendment to the Constitution of the United States whereby
26
polygamy and polygamous cohabitation shall be prohibited, and Congress shall be given power to enforce such prohibition by ap- propriate legislation.
"Resolved, That the legislatures of all other states of the United States, now in session or when next convened, be and they hereby are respectfully requested to join in this application by the adop- tion of this or an equivalent resolution.
"Uesolved further. That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is directed to transmit copies of this application to the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, and to the several members of said bodies representing this state therein; also to transmit copies hereof to the legislatures of all other states of the United States."
This Resolution has already been adopted by New York, West Virginia, Delaware, Missouri, Iowa, Maine, North Dakota, New Jer- sey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, California, Minnesota and Wash- ington. We earnestly hope that the W. C. T. U. in the remaining states will make a determined effort to secure the adoption of this resolution. It can be introduced into either branch of the legis- lature and if adopted concurrence given by the other branch.
THE PRIZE FIGHT IN NEVADA
For the second time Nevada has been disgraced by having within its borders a prize man fight — a fight far more shocking and degrading than a bull fight. In the one case animals are the dumb driven prey of wicked, avaricious men; in the other, animals in human form, in the most cruel and cold blooded fashion, beat and batter and choke each other. These exhibitions are bad enough to suit the most insatiate fiend, without adding to them the sin of gambling, which involves not only the gambler, but ofttimes his suffering wife and children. At the time of the fight in Nevada, seventeen j^ears ago, great preparations were made for kinetescope representations of the shameful contest. We recall how promptly Miss Willard sent mesages to the various state W. C. T. U. presi- dents, imploring them to secure legislative enactments against such picture exhibitions and to do everything possible in all other localities to prevent them. The appeal reached Maine just before the adjournment of the legislature, but a bill prohibiting such ex- hibitions was rushed through both branches and received the sig- nature of the governor.
The interest manifested in 1893 was small compared with the universal arousement caused by the fight that took place in Nevada last July, when again the exhibition of moving pictures was a part of the plan. The result of the July prize fight led in some places
27
to murder and riot, and it was apparent that a reproduction of the terrible spectacle would cause further trouble. Existing laws were brought into action, soine new municipal laws were hastily enacted, in short there was a general uprising against the whole shameful proceedings and it is hoped that our country will forever be spared the repetition of a similar disgrace.
Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, Maine and Texas now have state laws against such exhibitions. The Texas law passed at a recently called session on recommendation of the Governor. No doubt sev- eral states will enact similar laws at the next session of their leg- islatures.
In Louisana the question is regulated by the several municipal- ities, nearly all of which have enacted ordinances against such ex- hibitions. This is true in about half of the states.
In South Carolina these exhibitions are prohibited under the "General welfare" clause of the state law.
The conscience of the people has been aroused, and on October 1st the newly enacted state Anti-Gambling law went into effect in Nevada. Now there is no place in our country where gambling is legalized.
The bill to prohibit the interstate transportation of pictures and descriptions of prize fights and for other purposes introduced by Mr. Smith of Iowa, late in the last session of Congress, is now pending before the committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, and it is the opinion of the friends of the measure that there is good prospect of its passage hy the next Congress, so great have been the changes that have taken place in public sentiment on the subject since the Nevada fight. Following is the bill:
"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That it shall be unlawful to send by mail or in any other manner from any State, Territory, or the District of Columbia to any other State, Territory, or the District of Columbia, or to bring into this country from any foreign country any picture or description of any prize fight or encounter of pugilists under whatever name, or any record or account of betting on the same. Any person violating the provi- sions of this Act shall be punished by imprisonment for not exceed- ing one year or a fine of not exceeding one thousand dollars, at the discretion of the court."
PEACE
Those who were in Great Britain at the time or soon after the death of King Edward, must have noticed that the eulogistic term most often used in connection with His Majesty's name was "King
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Edward, The Peace Maker." His late saj'ings on the subject were printed in attractive form and widely circulated, the reading of which at such a time must have made a profound impression which will greatly help the cause of peace. Prom one of these we quote: "I join wdth you in thanks to God for the maintenance of good faith and amity between the great Powers. The concord of Chris- tendom is unbroken, and rarely in history has the idea of war seemed more repulsive, or the desire for peace been more widely cherished throughout my Empire."
Ab a similarly significant help it is w^ell to record what w^as said last March by the chief magistrate of our country:
"Personally I do not see any more reason why matters of na- tional honor should not be referred to a court of arbitration than matters of property or of national proprietorship. I know that is going further than most men are willing to go, but I do not see why questions of honor may not be submitted to a tribunal com- posed of men of honor who understand questions of national honor, to abide by their decision, as well as any other question of dif- ference arising between nations."
One of the last acts of the last session of Congress was the adoption of a joint resolution authorizing the appointment of a commission to consider the delimitation of the armaments of the nations of the world by International agreement, the lessening of government expenditures for military purposes, and reducing the war probabilities. This advanced legislation is welcomed by the peace associations of w^hich there are upwards of five hundred, and also by many others who are interested in the peace movement. The International Peace Conference at Stockholm last August marked an advance in the peace movement. For the first time in the his- tory of peace congresses, Russia was represented. The action of America authorizing a commission to study the question of delimi- tations of armaments was heartily approved and the congress voted to urge all governments to follow America's example. Resolutions were adopted urging that the principles of right and justice should be applied to the treatment of the Armenians, the Finns, the Rus- sians, the Jews and the Cretans.
The New Bureau of American Republics which, last spring, w^as dedicated in Washington, D. C, is called the Second Peace Palace. The name is appropriate, inasmuch as it is the object of the Pan- American Bureau to promote between the various nations of the world fraternity and good will.
Women always have been interested in the peace movement, and have officially taken part in the series of peace congresses. Indeed it is said upon good authority that the women in this country con-
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uected with peace organizations outnumber the men. Be that as it may, it is acknowledged that the influence which women have ex- erted in the promotion of the cause is very marked. Miss Eckstein, who secured and presented the monster petition to the Arbitration Committee of the Second Hague Conference, is now preparing a similar petition for the next Hague Conference and it is reported that already it contains six million names. Many gifted women in our country and in other lands are incessantly active for the cause. Miss Willard was a warm advocate of peace and arbitration and on her recommendation a department with this name was formed by the National W. C. T. U.
WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE
Polite opponents of Woman's Suffrage have been in the habit of saying that whenever women want the ballot it will be granted. During the last year, however, they have been forced to find some other expression of disapproval, for it has been unmistakably dem- onstrated that women do want to vote and also that they know, and are able to give the reason why. Behold the great spectacle of one- half million women — women from all walks of life — marching in procession on the streets of London! Women eager to be better equipped for their life work and doggedly determined that their legislators should be made to see that a multitude of women were interested in the suffrage bill soon to be debated in Parliament. At the close of this mammoth demonstration the resolution in favor of the suffrage bill was cheered most enthusiastically by thousands upon thousands of people, who had been listening spellbound to the speech of a Briton born, American bred woman, the president of the American National Woman's Suffrage Association, Anna Howard Shaw. Yet another great popular uprising occurred but two weeks later, after the debate had taken place, and it was evident that the suffrage bill had a strong support. Then the Premier called a halt! This second demonstration w^as even more impressive than the first. The American delegation was composed of many leading women from the United States and again our English-American friend and white ribbon comrade, was the chief speaker to hundreds of thou- sands who constituted the great audience.
If women do not want the ballot why such manifestations? Granted that all women do not, neither do all men care enough for the ballot to use it and because of this carelessness they have not been disfranchised. Woman's Suffrage has moved faster this year than at any previous time and undoubtedly it is to keep on quickening its pace.
The results of Woman's Suffrage in New Zealand, Finland and
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other places where Avomen vote prove that as a rule women cast their votes in favor of temperance measures and other moral re- forms. Even Mr. A. Lawrence Lewis of Colorado, who is a well known opponent of Woman's Suffrage, says: "Since the extension of the franchise to women, political parties have learned the inad- visability of nominating for oflace, drunkards, gamblers, notorious libertines, retail liquor sellers, and men who engage in similar dis- <jredited occupations, because the women almost always vote them -downy It is a well-known fact that the liquor trade is always op- posed to woman's suffrage. For this reason many conservative, thoughtful women, who never have taken an interest in the old •question of "woman's rights," feel that it is desirable and also right for w^omen to have the privilege of voting for the protection of their homes.
It is an encouraging sign of the times that many prominent newspapers and journals recently have printed so much that is favorable to woman's suffrage. Today as never before, women work in professions and occupations from which they were formerly de- iDarred; and share with men in educational opportunities and hon- ors. An able woman, Mrs. Ella Flagg Young, leads this year the great National Educational Associataion. This bringing together of ■"two heads in council" has not made men more effeminate nor women more masculine. True manliness and true womanliness will be permanently maintained, not through the supremacy of either sex, but by equality and justice to all, irrespective of sex. This is the keynote today of the woman's suffrage movement.
OUR GREAT HOST
I have referred to the part that W. C. T. U. women have taken and will continue to take in prohibition campaigns, but we should ever bear in mind that white ribboners are working not only during campaigns but at all times and in all ways for the triumph of total abstinence and prohibition and so have a large share in making the sentiment that the victorious temperance voters crystallize at the polls. Many of our own membership have only a faint realization of the wide scope of the Evangelistic, Educational. Preventive, So- cial and Legislative phases of the National W. C. T. U. plan of ac- tion. Let us remember that in all the states and territories and in the District of Columbia, are gifted, earnest presidents and other oflBlcers; and a magnificent rank and file unequalled in any other organized temperance force. Who can estimate the value of the all the year round temperance training in the public school, Sunday School and the L. T. L.! This has been inaugurated and carried on by the W. C. T. U. for the past thirty years. We must, and we
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shall, with unabated zeal and success, continue to go forward with our campaign of education.
I might fittingly speak at this point of all the forty W. C. T. U. departments and rightly claim that each one is an important factor in preparing for prohibition campaigns, but the presentation of de- partment reports is left largely to the capable and expert National superintendents. I do not wonder that oftentimes the casual ob- server confounds a state W. C. T. U. convention with the meetings- of the National W. C. T. U. — so large, and so influential have sonae of the state conventions come to be! The acts of this national convention are to be shaped largely by those whose experience and knowledge as leaders in state work have equipped them for meet- ing wisely the great responsibilities devolving upon a national con- vention. Scarcely less important are the duties of the appointed delegates, each of whom is entitled to speak and vote for the five hundred white ribboners at home, who are to loyally help in carry- ing out the plans here made. In using the w^ord loyal I have in mind principles and plans, rather than individuals — except as indi- viduals personify these plans and principles.
NOTABLE MEETINGS
Many meetings of world-wide import and influence have been held during the year. Already I have referred to the World's W. C. T. U. convention in Glasgow. A few weeks later the greatest of all religious gatherings, the World's Missionary conference, met in Edinburgh. Notable figures of the world's religious life, from all the ends of the earth, were present; and the occasion was one of wonderful power and Heavenly uplift. The Sixth World's Sunday School convention, w^hich met in Washington, D. C, last May, was. scarcely less notable in its attendance and the far-reaching, inspir- ing influence it exerted. The conference recognized and emphasized the need of temperance teaching. The International Temperance conference, held in connection with the convention, adopted the fol- lowing resolutions:
"That we urge the International Lesson Committee to continue to provide for at least four temperance lessons annually in all grades.
"That the International Committee be requested and urged to encourage the publication of an interdenominational quarterly for use by scholars in connection with the quarterly temperance lessons, containing reliable information as to the latest facts, up-to-date illustrations and the like."
At each of these great World's meetings — Edinburgh and Wash- ington, D. C. — many white ribboners w^ere present. The W. C. T.
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XT. is largely composed of Sunday School workers and of those in- terested in home and foreign missions.
"With appreciation of the worlv accomplished we mention the meetings of kindred temperance organizations. The Good Templars, the Prohibition Party, the Anti-Saloon League, the International Reform Bureau, the Catholic Total Abstinence Union, have all held great meetings, have all re-affirmed in their several ways allegiance to the great temperance principles upon which their organizations ■are founded.
This is indeed a day of many conventions and of many meetings. It is estimated that in the United States alone there have been in the past year no less than six hundred thousand meetings under local, county, district, state and National W. C. T. U. auspices. At the national conventions of the Christian Endeavor, the Epworth League and many denominataional conferences, the subject of tem- perance has been brought prominently forward.
The Russian Anti-Alcohol Congress held in St. Petersburg, with over five hundred delegates in attendance, was one of the most re- markable meetings of the year. The government opposed it, be- cause the alcohol monopoly is the basis of finance in Russia. Not- withstanding this opposition the meetings were large and enthusi- astic, attracting extensive attention from journalists as well as from doctors and leading professors. The educational phases of the tem- perance work were strongly emphasized. It is said that the anti- alcohol exhibit collected for the congress exceeded in its complete- ness and value that of any similar exhibit ever displayed.
I might refer to manay other meetings in many lands, all un- mistakably indicating that the great question of what to do with the liquor problem is up as never before for consideration. The great steps in this mighty reform are agitation, education, prohibi- tion, annihilation.
THE LOYAL TEMPERANCE LEGION— THE YOUNG PEOPLL
The value of the influence and the need of the work of the young people is recognized more highly today than ever before. This is especially true in connection with the methods and work of the W. C. T. U. A goodly amount has been achieved by these branches of the W. C. T. U. during the past year. It is true that some un- rest and misunderstanding have arisen because of the action taken at the last national convention in substituting the Young People's Branch for the "Y" and the Senior L. T. L., but such unrest and misunderstanding is rapidly disappearing although doubtless some vestige of it will linger, but cannot materially harm this grand division of W. C. T. U. endeavor and achievement. States like
Missouri, which had Senior Loyal Temperance Legions and Y's, and some other states where the Senior Legion had not flourished, have unanimously endorsed the National W. C. T. U. plans. We predict that in every state there will be, before long, harmonious and suc- cessful work under the policies and methods outlined and recom- mended by the National W. C. T. U. convention.
What to do with the Y's was pleasantly, practically and profit- ably answered by the Evanston Young Woman's Christian Temper- ance Union. Soon after the last national convention, this Y held a meeting which was largely attended by the young women and the young men who belonged. After full and free discussion, it was voted to change the name from the "Evanston Y" to the "Frances E. Willard W. C. T. U. of Evanston," and the young men seemed as well pleased as with the other name and constitution. One of the former members of the "Y" took the presidency of the newly or- ganized Y. P. B., in which the Frances E. Willard Union will take a great interest; and the Y. P. B., in turn, decided to make one of its specialties the oversight and care of the local L. T. L.
OUR NEW BUILDING
There is no other organization in the world that keeps so much splendid machinery in forceful, helpful motion, with so little money, as does the W. C. T. U., through local, state, national and world- wide organization. The increasing demands upon the National or- ganization led to the decision by our last national convention to enlarge the publication of W. C. T. U. literature and erect a mod- est brick building in connection with National Headquarters. The gifts of friends in Evanston and in other localities and states, in addition to the amounts sent from the W. C. T. U. of the various states, as the result of "Gift-Day" effort, have made possible the erection of the building, and it will be ready for occupancy not later than Thanksgiving day, 1910, and will be dedicated without a dollar's indebtedness; dedicated to the service of the blessed W. C. T. U. The building is two stories, handsome and modest, consist- ing of 12 rooms. Some of the rooms are very large, all of them perfectly suited to the purposes for which they are needed.
The "Willard" or National Headquarters oflaces and work will continue the same as ever with the exception of the removal to the new building of the Editorial and Circulation forces of "The Union Signal" and "The Crusader Monthly."
The largest rooms in the new building will be used for the W. C. T. U. literature business. The publication of our literature will, no doubt, be rapidly extended. The need for quick work on cam- paign literature is urgent.
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The vital need of the hour or the moment in the battle of the home against the saloon must be promptly met by ammunition of the printed fact, argument or appeal. More than ever are the peo pie dependent upon the printed page. Where a hundred people can be reached with temperance truths from the platform a hundred thousand can be reached through temperance literature. Before January 1, 1911, we expect there will be flying out from our new building leaves for the healing of the nation and for the saving of the nation from the further blight of the liquor curse, and many of these leaves will fly over the sea to other nations than ours.
OUR PAPERS.
Among the best of all W. C. T. U. literature are our national papers, "The Union Signal" and "The Crusader Monthly." Plans for increased circulation of these papers will be considered during this convention. The subscription lists should be increased and we believe this can and will be done during the next year. I wish to reiterate that no white ribboner can fittingly discharge her du- ties unless she reads "The Union Signal," and "The Crusader Monthly" should be in every home, especially where the home is blessed by the presence of children. "The Crusader Monthly" goes into homes in twenty-three countries outside of America and "The Union Signal" has subscribers in forty-two countries outside the U. S. A.
THE FRANCES E. WILLARD MEMORIAL FUND
Frances E. Willard, founder of the World's Woman's Christian Temperance Union, is "by every year the more endeared." Endur- ing and notable memorials to her great and blessed work have mul- tiplied. The schoolhouses that bear the name of Prances E. Willard, and the schoolrooms in which the favored boys and girls look with loving reverence upon her pictured face, are found in every sec- tion of our land.
The memorial windows at the New York Chautauqua and the bas-relief in New York's state Capitol at Albany are other well known tributes to her memory in the state that is proud to be known as the birth-place of Frances E. Willard.
It is one of the great events in the history of our 2:reat reform and indeed in the history of any country — the placing of Frances E. Willard's beautiful white marble statue in the "Capitol" of the United States. In Statuary Hall in the midst of honored generals and statesmen "How great she stands!"
Once more, the third time since 1900, the enrollment of those whose names are to be inscribed in the Hall of Fame has been
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taken. Among the eleven chosen by the more than one hundred learned electors is the illustrious name of Frances E. Willard. Soon it will find an honored place on one of the panels in the Colonnade. In New York, the city which was the scene of her heavenly trans- lation, she is now enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
We, her comrades, members of the Woman's Christian Temper- ance Union, are grateful for these worthy memorials of our long time and beloved leader, but it is eminently fitting that our me- morial should be the raising of a fund to perpetuate the work for which she lived and labored.
The memorial fund was established at the St. Paul convention, 1898. The plan is for each local union to hold each year a Frances E. Willard commemorative meeting, preferably on or near the sev- enteenth of February; and to send to the Memorial Fund two dol- lars or more from the offering received; this to be used for the ex- tension and perpetuation of the principles and work of the W. C. T. U. All thoughtful, well informed people must agree that no memorial to Miss Wilard could be more fitting; and that nothing could please her more than to know that in this way isolated and needy places are reached with the W. C. T. U. gospel, and that new unions are organized and weak unions strengthened, and finan- cial aid given to assist in prohibition campaigns. We are happy to state that the Fund is very much larger this year than in any previous year, and hence the requests for help from missionary states and for campaign purposes have been oftener granted.
It is not too much to ask, it is not too much to expect, that there shall come from each state for the Memorial Fund each year, an amount equal to two dollars from each local union in the state.
If this were done the Memorial Fund would be upward of twenty thousand dollars instead of less than ten thousand.
BEQUESTS AND GIFTS
In this connection it is fitting to express grateful, loving appre- ciation of the thoughtful, generous action of those who have re- membered by bequest, the National W. C. T. U.; and also those friends and others who have sent gifts as a tribute or memorial to relatives or comrades who have loved the W. C. T. U. but whose earthly activities have ceased. We have been profoundly im- pressed by the spirit in which these sacred offerings have been made. Among them is a gift of $500 in memory of a sister who was devoted to W. C. T. U. work, another from the husband of a white ribbon comrade who had left a bequest to the National Union, and he directed her executor to pay also to the National Union that part of her estate which she had willed to him; another comrade
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who gives liberally to the new literature building at national bead- quarters in loving memory of ber noble temperance husband, and a local union has made a generous gift as a memorial to its long- time faithful president. This brief statement is only a glimpse of what will be revealed by the Treasurer's report and we shall per- petuate the names of the givers and those remembered, through a permanent special fund or funds.
IN MEMORIAM
Mes. Helen M. Baekee
Mbs. Anna M. Hamjmee
Mes. Addie Noetham Fields
Mes. Caeeie C. Faxon
Rev. Emma E. Page
Mes. Rebecca Ridee
Mes. J. Ellen Fostee
Mb. Chaeles N. Ceittenton
Me. Leandee LaChance
Mes. Meevenia Lent Cogswell
Rev. Feedeeick R. Beace, D. D.
Mes. Haebiet A. Moeeland
Mes. Mabgaeet Platt Seymoue
Mes. Reynelda Andebson
Mes. Chaeles F. Allen
IVIes. Angie F. Newsman
Mes. James McCboskEy
Mes. H. Anna Beunnee
"Call them not dead when they, indeed, have gone
Into the company of the ever-living. Say — 'They at last have won
Rest and release, converse supreme and wise, Music and song and light of immortal faces:
Today, perhaps, wandering in starry places, and listening still To chanted hymns that sound from the heavenly hill.' "
We reverently record here the names of those who have been officially and otherwise closely associated with the National Wom- an's Christian Temperance Union, who, since last we met in na- tional convention, have entered "into the company of the ever-liv- ing;" and now walk beside the "pure river of water of life, clear as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." We also tenderly recall the hundreds of others of ours who have passed on, and yet who are ever with us in our loving memories of their helpfulness, devotion and consecration.
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Mrs. Helen M. Barker was for twelve years the honored Treas- urer of the National W. C. T. U. Previous to this she was Presi- dent of the Dakota W. C. T. U. and she heroically helped to bring prohibition to the Dakotas. Miss Willard well described Mrs. Barker when she spoke of her as wise in the Cabinet, invincible on the field, witty and eloquent of tongue, true and tender at heart. For twenty-five or more years she unflaggingly held up the W. C. T. U. banner and w^e think of her today a living, loving comrade not so very far away.
Mrs. Anna M. Hammer devotedly and steadfastly served W. C. T. U. interests from the beginning of the organization. For several years she was National W. C. T. U. Superintendent of work among the children. She also was the beloved State President of Penn- sylvania and later National W. C. T, U. Evangelist. We shall ever gratefully remember this great-hearted and loyal friend of the W. C. T. U.
Mrs. Addie Northam Fields began her vvork for the W. C. T. U. first among the children in the Band of Hope, later in the Loyal Temperance Legion. In this work she notably assisted not only in our country but in other lands and her interest in this depart- ment continued even after she went to Mexico where she led the W. C. T. U. work for five years. Mrs. Fields was for many years one of our World's W. C. T. U, white ribbon missionaries and was ever ready to enter any open door of usefulness to the W. C. T. U. She was capable, unselfish, thoughtful, successful. Her works do follow her.
Mrs. C. C. Faxon was best known to the W. C. T. U. as its rep- resentative for about two years in the Philippines. Her services there were of great value along educational lines. She gave us the true idea of the state of affairs and their relation to those ques- tions in which the W. C. T. U. has special interest. Mrs. Faxon possessed the true missionary spirit and the Christian world is greatly indebted to her.
We miss from our convention, one whom we had expected would greet us here; one who looked forward to our coming; one who, for many years, had actively engaged in the work of the Baltimore Woman's Christian Temperance Union — Mrs. Rebecca Rider, mother of Mrs. Haslup, President of the Maryland W. C. T. U. The preci- ous, blessed memories of Mrs. Rider's useful and beautiful life will ever linger in the hearts of the many present who knew her and loved her.
The work of Rev. Emma Page is widely known, especially in the western part of our country. Miss Page was indefatigable in her labor of love, her love for the W. C. T. U. Nationally she is
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"best known as a lecturer in the department of Mercy. She was al- ways a valiant friend of those who could not speak for themselves and her life was unselfishly dedicated to the temperance cause.
Mrs, J. Ellen Foster was well known throughout the country as an able and eloquent temperance advocate. Mrs. Foster was also a prominent member of the Red Cross Society, the Y. W. C. A. and the Home and Foreign Missionary Societies of the Methodist Church. For a number of years she ceased to be a member of the W. C. T. U., but rejoined several years ago on her visit to Jerusalem. Her last public work was the investigation of conditions in federal prisons and in this connection she especially sought to better the conditions of women prisoners.
Charles N. Crittenton is honored by the W. C. T, U. women as the founder of rescue homes for girls; homes which bear the name of his little daughter, Florence, who, in early life, was called to heaven. Seventy-three of these homes have beeen established by Mr. Crittenton in this and other countries. In the early days he assisted the W. C. T. U. in their reformatory work. He was, indeed, a Christian philanthropist and his memory will be cherished by those who recognized his beneficent work for the needy, the tempted and the unfortunate; and by the many who through his ministrations have been rescued and saved.
Mr. LaChance greatly assisted the W. C. T. U. of Arizona by his gifts and encouraging words and through the sacrifices he made to enable Mrs, LaChance to give her time and effort, as President of the Arizona W. C. T. U.
We remember with sympathetic love Rev. Edith Hill Booker, whose little son was taken from her arms by the Heavenly Angel — Mrs. Margaret B. Piatt, whose precious daughter, Mrs. Seymour, has been called to the Home on high — Mrs. Katharine L. Stevenson, to whom the message of her loved sister's Home-going came while Mrs. Stevenson was in far-away China — Rev. Mary Moreland, whose beloved mother has "led thee way" — Mrs. May L. Woods, whose brave sister heard the heavenly summons while in the midst of prohibition work in Missouri — Mrs. Vie H. Campbell, whose brother has passed on to the better land, and Mrs. Mary B, Wilson, whose noble father said to her as the Heavenly gates were opening, "whether it is life or whether it is death, it is victory,"
Mrs, Reynelda Anderson w^as among the first to become a life member of the National W, C. T, U,— Mrs. C, F, Allen was the first president of the Maine W. C. T. U. and for several years her name, like that of Mrs. Anderson, has honored our life membership list. Mr. James McCroskey, a National life member, was a true and helpful brother and friend, and we shall ever gratefully cherish the
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memory of Mrs. Angle F. Newman, whose life was devoted to those- righteous causes which need assistance.
We remember also, at this sacred memorial hour, the many others w^hose loved ones, during the year, have passed through the "valley of the shadow^ of death." The shadow which is transformed into the halo of glory of immortal life, and there is
"No sadness of farewell," — but from the skies.
Like music faint and far. One gathering shout of triumph swells and dies,
Beyond the morning star."
VICTORY
We stand between the years, the past and the future. We have thanksgiving in our hearts for the comradeship, the opportunities, the achievements and the triumphs of the past. We have courage for the future, and for the year with all its wonderful possibilities just now before us. Let us go forward with patient, dauntless ef-^ fort, -with "faith which is but hope grown wise," and with love in harmony with the unconquerable love of God. We have our place on- board the great ship of the world. Sometimes we are tossed on the stormy, billowy sea; and in the black, midnight darkness great fears beset us! Again the spacious firmament glows wdth sunshine and with gleaming stars, and we catch radiant visions of guidance and of inspiration, of promise and fulfillment! Through storm or through sunshine, the tide of God's omnipotence is ever more bear- ing the mighty ship onward. Over the entrance of the desired haven we are divinelj^ destined to enter, are emblazoned in living: light, the heavenly, yet human words, Love, Peace, Victory!
RECOMMENDATIONS
We will, according to our plans and principles, do everything within our power to advance total abstinence sentiment and prac- tice, and to secure state-wide prohibition for every state, with ef- fective United States protection — to carry out the provisions of the prohibitory law.
We should use our influence for better temperance legislation in the District of Columbia.
We should w^ork for the enactment of the Curtis-Miller bill; and also for the enactment of the Smith bill relating to prize fights. The text for each bill is given in the body of the address.
We must use our utmost endeavors toward securing legislation to prevent the circulation of liquor advertisements through the United States mails. It is manifestly wrong to have such adver- tisements sent into localities w^hich have outlawed liquor selling..
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These advertisements are sent to boys in homes otherwise pro- tected from the liquor traffic and they follow them into their board- ing school and college residences. These liquor advertisements are sent to women as well as to boys and men and no one seems to be exempt from the intrusive insolence of the liquor trade.
The extent of mail liquor orders may be estimated somewhat by the following clipping from the St. Louis Star:
"Now that so many counties over the country have gone dry, people who wish whiskey are ordering direct from the distilling companies. As a matter of fact, this saves considerable money, as the middleman's profit has been eliminated. J. Rieger and Co., 1537 Genesee street, Kansas City, Mo., whose advertising appears in this issue, write us that they now have more than 100,000 cus- tomers who order by mail with satisfaction."
We shauld exert our influence toward the elimination of liquor advertisements from the newspapers, especially such papers as we permit to come into our homes. It certainly is inconsistent for pa- pers in the prohibition states to print liquor advertisements; Maine has a law prohibiting such advertising. We are glad an increasing number of newspapers, not only in prohibition states, but also in other states, are refusing liquor advertisements.
The Catholic Total Abstinence Union of America, at its conven- tion held in Boston last August, among its list of strong temper- ance resolutions, adopted the following, which is most commendable.
*We recognize the power of the Catholic Press. We feel the force of the truth frequently stated, that the Catholic newspaper as an educational feature is a necessary incident to the Catholic home. We condemn, however, a number of Catholic newspapers that permit their columns to be used for the advertisement of the liquor business. We assert without fear of contradiction that the use of the columns of a Catholic newspaper for such purposes is totally foreign to its mission and tends to lessen its force. Be it therefore
"Resolved, That we call upon the Catholic papers of America to cease advertising a traffic that has done so much harm to the members of our faith."
Lottery advertisements are prohibited from passing through the United States mails. It is not too much for us to endeavor to se- cure the same law for liquor advertisements.
With the enlargement of our literature, such as we shall make, we should issue many more posters or placards, consisting of sci- entific facts and the pronouncements of prominent people concerning the harmful effects of alcoholic drinks. These placards should be used in the schoolrooms. Sunday schools, and in public places as far
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as posible. Alabama and Mississippi require siicli posters in alt the public schools of their states. Temperance posters and placards- already are used to quite an extent in Sweden, France, Australia, and England, and also in our country, but much more should be- done through this impressive method of reaching the people with temperance truths. We must be more active in the circulation of temperance literature. The plans for the increase in our W. C. T. U. literature will greatly facilitate this important division of our w^ork. We must try to reach the public as well as the home and the Sunday school libraries with temperance publications. Let us re- member that the liquor fraternity are furnishing free to public libraries anti-total abstinence and anti-prohibition pamphlets and books. Among the temperance publications which should be in. every library are Alcohol and the Human Body, by Sir Victor Hors- ley. Alcohol a Dangerous and TJnnecessary Medicine, by Mrs. M. M. Allen. The Union Signal, The Crusader Monthly and The Temper- ance Educational Quarterly. For temperance leaflets, books, etc.,. address National W. C. T. U., Evanston, 111.
We should oppose the system of internal revenue from the liquor business. The federal government should not depend upon the rev- enue from the cruel, demoralizing liquor traffic to assist in the ex- penses of the country, and we consider it is especially unjustifiable to collect liquor taxes from those in the prohibition states who are thus getting ready to carry on an illegal business.
Notwithstanding the anti-polygamy order handed down by the Mormon church, I still recommend we should continue our efforts to secure an amendment to the Federal Constitution forever pro- hibiting polygamy.
Humanity loving people should co-operate with and encourage faithful law and order officials and all others who are honestly try- ing to lessen vice and crime.
One section of our declaration of belief is — a living wage, and we believe the wage earner should always give a Just amount for value received. We greatly deplore the fact that during the holi- day season, especially in some of the large department stores, which are frequented by the happy purchasers of Christmas gifts, the young women employes work far beyond their mental or physical strength; notwithstanding the employment of much extra help dur- ing the holiday time, the hours of standing and waiting on cus- tomers are painfully long and to thousands of girls, the Christmas season is a time to be dreaded rather than a time of cheer and hope. Let us, their sisters, do all we can to bring about better conditions, not only at Christmas time, but at all times, to prove
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that we always uphold justice and kindness as opposed to greed of gain.
Local unions and members should be cautious about employing helpers, or perhaps methods, unless such are endorsed by the state or national W. C. T. U. We are sorry to say that not everyone who claims to be a W. C. T. U. woman really is one. To illustrate: Now and then, but not often, we are glad to say, an imposter ap- pears with some plan "which will help the local union financially." Without investigation the plan is adopted, only to be followed hy disappointment and chagrin.
Not all men who use the prefix of Reverend have the right ta do so, as is notably instanced by Rev. Leonard W. Snyder, the "Boy-preacher," who goes around preaching against prohibition. Mr. Snyder has a criminal record for corrupting boys and all com- munities should beware of his presence and infiuence.
When local W. C. T. U. members go away to another locality, the home union should not only provide a removal or transfer card, but should write a letter to the president or secretary of the union in the place to which the member is going. This applies also to- those who remove to another country. During the past year w^e have received several such notices and letters from countries over the sea, concerning some of their union members moving to this country. We cannot too highly value local members for they con- stitute the world-wide W. C. T. U.
In Ireland there has been started during the year a temperance movement called "The Catch-My-Pal Union." Thousands already have joined this society, the prominent feature of which is that every man who signs the pledge at any of its meetings is to bring with him the next time a former companion in drunkenness and to help him to be a better man.
I urgently recommend that every W'hite ribboner shall, betw^een now and January 1, 1911, endeavor to take with her to her local union meeting, or some W. C. T. U. meeting, a woman who has not heretofore belonged; some woman of her own church, of her own social circle of friends, who has not realized that she might b& helped, or better still might help another by joining the w^hite rib- bon army. If this plan could be carried out, humanity would be increasingly blessed and the temperance cause notably advanced.
I give no specific recommendations regarding temperance books, leaflets, etc., but make one urgent call that temperance literature be circulated more widely than ever, and that all carefully read everything which is sent out from our new Literature Building, Na- tional W. C. T. U. Headquarters, Evanston, Illinois,
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