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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1909)
The Omaha Sunday Bee. PART THREE HALF-TONE PAGES 1 TO 4. A PAPER rOR THE HOME OMAHA BEE 6 EST IN THE WEST VOL. XXXIX-XO. 7. OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 1. ino!. RTvm.v. rnnv viw. rrvrs LEADERS OF WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION Great National Organization That Will Bring Some of the World's Most Noted Women to Omaha in Connection With the Work of Reform Along Social Lines. WHILE Omaha baa suc cessfully accomplished many undertakings that have attracted the attention of the na tion, It still remains for it to enter tain a large convention of women and to demonstrate to them that it stands for the things to which the woman hood of the world is giving so largely of its efforts, as well as for commer cialism and material progress. With .the advent of October October 22 to 5 27 there will be held in this city the thirty-sixth annual convention of the National Women's Christian Temper ance union, a truly noble body. The TransmlsBlsslppl exposition and the exposition of the following summer brought many distinguished women to Omaha and from time to time, as guests in the home or in some special capacity many others have been en tertained here, but the convention next October will be the first real congress of women of distinction. many of them of international repu tation as speakers, educators, philanthropists and reformers. A reform organization has rarely enjoyed popularity, but when a body of women rose up and directed their efforts against an in stitution antipodal in its remoteness from all of which wives and mothers and sisters are supposed to know, they were met with pitiless opposition. The liquor traffic turned upon them its full or ganized strength: men not yet familiar with the Idea of women out side the narrow sphere of the home. or. at most, associated only In aid societies, were scandalized; the more conservative members of their own sex or those who had been shielded from the actual conse quences of intemperance drew back their skirts figuratively and literally in that pitiless exclusion that only women can manifest, while from the press and the rostrum they were ridiculed, misinter preted and misrepresented. But all of that was forty years and more ago. And what a change the years have brought! Strenth ened in numbers a thousandfold the Women's Christian Temperance union has flourished under opposition, the misrepresentation of its opponents only serving to recruit thousands who recognized its splendid purpose and to disgust the fair-minded until its cause was finally granted a hearing and It Is today recognized as one of the greatest organizations of the world. The noblest and the most cultured womanhood of the world has been pleased to ally itself with it, while kings and emperors have honored its leaders and pro claimed It good. Activities of the Women While the abolition of the liquor traffic is the chief aim of the Women's Christian Temperance union, It is not its only aim and the lines along which its activities are directed are many and varied, making it one of the great educaUonal movements. The splendid foresight of that gentle and remarkable woman, Frances Wtllard, with whom the movement was so closely identified for many years, placed it upon an educational basis, realizing that so established its principles were sur,t win out. Realizing the determination of women when once aroused and righteousness of their cause, Miss Willard also realized the advantages of a peaceful contest, and she and her co-workers planned well the campaign of education which ,bas accomplished so much by combatting ignorance and vice with 'intelligence and Christianity. "For God and home and native land"' 'is the motto of .the union, and it has recruited its workers from women of every station In life. xx rf zj MRS. E. W. COVELL. f, MRS. E. L. JOHNSON. MRS. CLARA BURBANK. " MRS. L. J. BORSHEIM. MRS. FRANCES B. HEALD. " i Iff ' ' s S- '' i , ? . . i . y MRS. LILtlAN M. N. STEVENS. MISS AS'NA ADAMS GORDON. tlon, Mrs. Stevens has traveled much abroad as well as at home, and in foreign lands as well as her own she has been the guest of the he various branches of work are carried on under six general foremost citizens, in the homes ot the nobility and educators of departments. Under the department of organization there are worldwide renown. lecture courses and evangelical work for the colored people, Indians One of the most interesting women of the national organization and foreigners. Under preventive work are the study of health, and one who has had much to do with the preliminary arrangements v heredity and medical temperance. Under the educational depart- for the Omaha convention Is Miss Anna Adams Gordon of Evanston, ment are scientific temperance instruction in the public schools, physical education, distribution of Sunday school temperance litera ture, presentation of temperance before assemblies, co-operation with missions and with labor organizations, the conduct of Women's say if I should only pin on of Anna's directories to my back I might go the country over in the capacity of an express package. Well, from that day to this she has been doing these things, only they have multiplied until sometimes her duties number anywhere from forty to sixty distinct lines of occupation. I should not feel equal to giv ing a list so long and varied." Her Life Work And that is how Anna Gordon came Into the Women's Christian Temperance union and how she grew into the life of Frances Wil lard. Of a fine old Boston family, educated at Lasell seminary and reared amid the most cultured surroundings, Miss Gordon was well fitted to step Into the exacting position that has become hers. For fourteen years she lived with Miss Willard and her mother at Rest Cottage inEvanston, and at Miss Willard's death that home became of the National Women's Christian Temperance union and there she makes her home. As honorary secretary of the World's Women's Christian Temper ance union Miss Gordon enjoys a rep utation that extends beyond the con fines of her own country, but It is as the friend of children that she Is best known on both sides of the Atlantic. As general secretary of the Loyal Temperance Legion Miss Gordon has made a large place for herself In the hearts of the young people the world over. Without apparent effort this gifted woman holds vast audiences of children, sometimes they number into the thousands. Her music, especially her marching songs, have been an im portant factor in popularizing the work of the Loyal Temperance Legioi in enlisting the youth of the world In the temperance cause. She has also written several songs for the women combined In the White Ribbon Hymnal. It was Miss Gordon also who made the first Women's Christian Temperance union flag, and of this Miss Willard wrote: "We were up In Connecticut with a friend of olden time, when I said to Anna one day, 'It Is a shame we have no standard to carry at the head of the regiment In our peaceful war.' 'I will see that there Is one at the next national convention,' said Anna, and, calling In the advice of our friend and the service of a skillful lady who could design on satin the dear old first flag that is now given into the custody each yenr of the state having most members, was manufactured, with the trailing arbutus and the motto, 'For God and Home and Native Land!' Idoubt if we have ever had a prettier flag in all the rich variety that has developed since " Some Noted Workers Among the other guests of distinction who will speak before the Omaha meeting will be Mrs. Edith Smith Davis and Mrs. Martha M. Allen, superintendents respectively of scientific temperance Instruc tion and medical temperance In the national organization. These two women were commissioned recently to represent the United States government at the Anti-Alcohol congress held lu London, England, July 18-24. Mrs. Davis also holds the Important office of director of the bureau of scipntlfic temperance investigation. From east and west, from north and south, other women of dis tinction will come, and besides these there will be men on the pro gram, all recognized authorities In their respective lines. Among the local women and the women of the state who will help to make the convention a success and who must bear the bur den of preliminary arrangement during the summer are Mrs. Frances B. Heald of Osceola, president of the Nebraska Women's Christian Temperance union; Mrs. L. A. Borshelm and Mrs. Clara Burbank, presidents of the two local unions; Mrs. Edward Johnson, president of the Omaha Woman's club, which will co-operate In the entertain ment; Mrs. George Covell, president of the Douglas County union, and a score and more of others. With a steadfastness ot a life dedicated to a cause, Mrs. Heald has given herself and her means for the advancement of temper ance. Situated so that she can be spared from her home, she . spends much time traveling and strengthening the work in the state. When the campaign for raising funds for the entertainment of the convention was decided upon Mrs. Heald came to Omaha and took charge of headquarters In the Young Men's Christian association building, planning the details of the soliciting and directing and en couraging the solicitors In their frequently discouraging task. Last winter Mrs. Heald was in charge of th headquarters of the Nebraska Women's Christian Temperance union, maintained at Lincoln during the session of the legislature. Mrs. Edward Johnson is secretary of the local executive commit tee, of which Rev. F. L. Loveland Is chairman, and as president of the Woman's club will bear much of the responsibility of the social affairs incidental to the convention, the club having assumed that part of the entertainment. Mrs. Borshelm is chairman of the entertainment committee, find ing places of entertainment for the delegates and guests. Mrs. Bur bank and Mrs. Covell will provide tor the further comfort of the visiting women and in this will be assisted by the remainder of the III., vice president at large. Literally and completely she has dedi cated her life to the work of the Women's Christian Temperance union. Identified with the organization almost since its inception, she has devoted herself to its interests with a love and a loyalty Christian Temperance union institutes, work for the prevention of paralleled only by that of Frances E. Willard herself. Slight, al narcotlcs and for the promotion of school savings banks, child labor most fragile-looking, this little woman who has served so efficiently laws, compulsory education laws, juvenile courts, kindergartens, all along the line is compelling by her very gentleness. It seems domestic science and manual training. Under the evangelistic de- fitting that she should be at the head of the work for children, yet i. k .rnHii nf moptlnes and temnerance work in alms- to her have been entrusted some of the most tryinz and exactinz bouses, jails and prisons, detention homes and reformatories, work commissions incidental to one of the greatest reform organizations ners for U8e durlnS her lifetime. It is adjacent to the headquarters executive committee, which is large among railroad employes, lumbermen, miners, soldiers and sailors, of the world. mothers' meetings. Sabbath observance, rescue work and tne re- Through her long and Intimate association with Miss Willard crulting of members. Under the social department are social meet- Miss Gordon is peculiarly fitted to carry out so many of the plans of Ings, fair and open air meetings and flower missions. Under the her distinguished friend. Because of this intimate association with legal department are the study of parliamentary practice, Christian the woman who was known the world around and loved and revered citizenship, franchise and peace and arbitration. The Loyal Temper by all many regard Miss Gordon with something akin to curiosity ance Legion is the department for the children. It secures member- and many erroneous and amusing stories have been told of how she hip and trains the young people to take up the work as the 'elders came into Miss Willard's life and into the Women's Christian Tem- must pass it on. perance union, and how she came to be during her lifetime mistress All of these departments are supported In the local union, the 0f the Willard home at Evanston. .in. kainir .TTinhafliioH a r t rv i r w to the local need. With the Suffering: Babies at Sea NEW Over 300.000 women are now associated in tpe National Women's Christian Temperance union of America, which is one of the largest branches of the world's organization, and about 600 delegates, besides the speakers and visitors, will represent the unions In the Omaha convention next October. To avoid an un wieldy body, .representation In the national meeting has been re duced to one delegate for each 600 members, but the attendance of visitors is always equal to and usually larger than the voting body, which makes the meeting one of the largest gatherings of women heli in this country. The convention proper is preceded by a con 'ferente of superintendents and officers that direct the several de partments of work and present them and their business to the con vention. Among these superintendents are women 'of the highest attainment, who have been recognized as authorities in their re--spectlve lines at home and abroad, and many of them have been entrusted with special commission by the government, state and national. Head of the Great Order A woman of splendid breadth and mental equipment of rare order is the president of the national organization, Mrs. Lillian M. N. Stevens of Portland, Me., who will preside at most of the sessions and whose annual address reflects the broad scope of her work and her ability. The late Congressninn Dingley said of her: "I con sider Mrs. Stevens without a peer as a parliamentarian." While re talnlng much of the conservatism of method of her wholesome New England training, she blends with that conservatism the wider out look, the broader horizon, the greater daring of the cosmopolitan. She Is ever a fearless leader, a Jealous guardian of her growing fo8, meeting unflinchingly the attacks made upon the union. Be cause of her exceptional ability, her close touch with the work, her tact and her knowledge of conditions Mrs. Stevens was selected to take the presidency of the National Woman's Christian Temperance union when Miss Frances Wtllard laid it down a few years ago. Al though she had devoted much time to this work, the office of presi dent demanded even more. It meant much to sacrifice social Inter ests and the interests of her home In one of Portland's most attrac tive suburbs, which has been a favorite gathering place of man and women of culture, but she cheerfully made It, her task being mad lighter by the cheerful and ever ready co-operation of her husband, who has ever been an ardent advocate ot the temperance cause. A married daughter, Mrs. Stevens only child, living close by, assumes clfcrge of the home during such periods as it Is necessary for her distinguished mother to travel. An officer In the World's osnpanlza- Frances Willard herself has told the story better than anyone else, could. "On my going to conduct a woman's meeting for Mr. Moody in Boston in 1877," she said, "there was no one to play the cabinet organ that was beside my desk on the platform. An earnest appeal was made and after a painful pause and waiting a 6light figure in black, with a little music roll In her band, came shyly along the aisle of Berkeley Street church and Anna Gordon gently whis pered, 'As no one volunteers, 1 will do the best 1 can.' That very day she had taken her first lesson on the organ, intending to become a mistress of the instrument. But something greater had come into her life a fortnight earlier. Her brother Arthur, 18 years of age, nearer to her by age and temperament than any of her other broth ers or sisters, had suddenly died. This was Anna's first sorrow and broke up the deep springs of her sweet nature. This was her first ,vlslt to Boston since her brother had gone and she had Just attended Mr. Moody's noon meeting, at which his text had been, 'Whatsoever He salth unto me, do It,' and had promised in her inmost heart that, by God's grace, she would try to do helpful things as opportunity afforded, and, behold, the very first opportunity was to come forward before 1,200 or 1,500 waiting women and start the tune!' I wish I could picture her as she looked then in her sweet youth, with eyes that were the mirror of absolute truthfulness no 'less than of the utmost kindness and good will; with soft, fair hair over her fore head, a pretty brown complexion and a smile full of humor and good will. She was hardly of medium height and of slight figure, with remarkably alert bearing and that noiseless way of getting about EW YORK, July 31. Between 8 nd 9 o'clock every weekday morning certain of the downtown ers are crowded with children by the thousand literally not running about in childish and frolicsome glee, but standing quietly expectant in little groups. A few standersby watch the sort ing and embarking of the little ones onto a large barge, and later out in the harbor the queerly-laden craft is pointed out as the "Floating Hospital you've heard of so often." In the late afternoon the megaphone man of a Seeing New York Yacht Informs his throng of sightseers that they "are now passing the famou Floating Hospital." Go to the East Twenty-fourth street pier If you would see what Is really done. You will find the crowd waiting subdued little boys under 6, bubdued little girls under 6, older little girls who have come to "mind" the younger ones in the absence of the mother all pitifully "cleaned up" in their beet, which is none too good, and babies everywhere. The head of each little group tightly clutches the iriihouany-colored ticket, which has been Kigncd by a doctor signify ing the p-esence of a sick baby and which entitles the mother to take her. sick little one and the rest of her children under 6 years of age for a day's outing in the sea air. The precious tickets are tightly clutched, but it is the baby that ia the best ticket. Necessarily many disappointed ones must be nd doing things without one's knowing she had done them. For fthrAA niAntha 1 IaiI thnan vr cat maottnffa halnv nKIUo . ,-. v, .. aft Vw. K . n ,1 . . . 1. . I . . ! - - . o ' - .a, uliiiq vungcu m u a v is u u v i. . i. i emu 1 1 in v, as even me Darge s perfectly fresh gospel talk of twenty minutes each day at noon, and capacity 01 1,600 will not accommodate the 1 often went out into the suburbs to speak to our temperance women demand, and the officials have difficulty in in the evening. This was as much ae I could manage, for we had a preventing the transformation of the hospi long Inquiry meeting at the close of the noonday service, yet 1 kept tal into a playground for well boys and girls, up in good condition from first to last and this I attribute to the fact Superintendents Montgomery and that when I asked Anna Gordon if she could come and play for me Whltely busily examine the tickets, on the every day she said she would try, and soon I turned ovejr my letters, lookout leet the avowed 10-year-old reappear messages, etc., into her faithful care. In the prompt and accurate ln fle minutes aged 6; the attendant physl executlon of commissions, tactful meeting of people and skilled style clan examines the children to see that no of correspondence I have not known her equal. As soon as the contagious disease is admitted, and the ma Boston meetings were over she had a lecture trip planned for me tron- 11,68 Patterson, with her five assistant through New England. I remember she brought her plan to me in nurses, shows them the way to the large up a little book ruled In red and black Ink, showing the town, the hos- Per decks. The very sick ones are assigned tess, the time and place of meeting, the time and place of trains; in- to the two ards on the boat which contain deed, every item I would need to know, so that I used playfully to elht beda each. If any child with a con tagious disease has managed to pass the doc tor and symptoms are later discovered the betraying whooping cough being the most common the suspected one is taken to the isolation ward up on the hurricane deck. The water, the air and the boat spell pure bliss to the small East Side travelers. "I Just love ocean trips," said one curly haired lass. "I'd love to take an ocean trip every day." If you have gone on board you will see the same routine at the East Third street and Market street piers. By now there will probably be more than 1,000 passengers on board and the brave little tug manfully be gins to steam away toward Staten island, for the Helen C. Jullliard has no motor power of its own. The benches on the decks are filled with mothers and babies, and the make-believe little mothers who have come to "mind." There is a strange absence of such noise and confusion as you would ex pect under such conditions, the little Rach els and Rebeccas and Gertrudes and Tonys and Jakeys soon begin, almost backwardly, to make acquaintance and to munch at heavy slices of bread and butter and heavier looking cakes and cookies. If you are fortunate some enterprising young spirits will organize a "show," and a chorup of more or less musical voices, more or lens on the key, will send the strains of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "Amer ica" over the water, bringing Interested spectatort to the rail and to the pilot house windows of passing craft. They may sing songs about sunshine and merry play, too, learned by some in school, and songs of tragic and melancholy import picked up no one knows where, but the national airs are the favorites. Soon a megaphone voice is heard shout ing, "Tub baths for the babies!" and then the real fun begins. The mothers ln relays take thtir babies downstairs Into the big room where there are eight elevated tubs and plenty of attendants under the super vision of a nurse. The tubs are filled with tempered salt water and each baby gets his scrubbing. Some of them like It. but most seem to have a natural aversion to water of any kind and not to appreciate the superior ity of the salt variety. The white-capped, rubber-booted attendants ily about "Here, mother, is your wash cioth and towel!" "Mother, don't spank that baby!" "Here Is your talcum powder, mother!" The nurse appears to be everywhere at once; the ba bies do their best to add to the yivaclty of the scene squealing, whimpering, howling In American, Irish, German, Russian, Ital ian, English, Hungarian, Polish, Austrian, Rumanian, Swedish, French, Swiss, Norwe gian baby dialects. But into the water they go, mothers flourish towels and soon the ba bies, clean and cheerful, are dressed and an other Instalment keeps the scene lively. The older little girls take shower baths, also of sea water, and though it takes all day to go the full round, each has her turn under the shower. There are many com partments in excellent condition and the lit tle girls are assisted In dressing, each hav ing her hair neatly brushed for her and tied up with ribbons. Five-year-old Sophy In sisted on doing her own hair It was evi dently her most highly-prized accomplish ment and was greatly gratified when it was allowed to pass on inspection. With shining faces, red with much rubbing, and with tight-pasted, wet hair, the ex-bathers pabs out and the bathers-to-be pass In. There is another megaphone announce ment that causes almost more excitement than the one tor baths. This comes at 11:30 and tells the passengers that dinner Is ready. Down below it waits, but is not kept waiting long. Long tables, covered with clean white oilcloth, clean dishes of neat de sign, and clean, wholesome food present an appetizing appearance. All the mothers and the children who are not on a diet have a good, hot dinner prepared ln the barge's kitchen. The provisions are of the best, the suprlntendent himself selecting and buying all the meat. In addition milk Is distributed from a booth on the deck at 11 and 3 o'clock and all the bottle-fed babies (Continued oa Page Four.)