Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 17, 1909)
Fhe Omaha unday Bee. PAJftT THREE A PAPER FOR THE HOrft OMAHA BEE TOUR MONET'S WORTH HALF-TONE PACES 1TO VOL. XXXIX NO. is OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 17, 1909. SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS. EARNEST WOMEN WHO WILL BE IN OMAHA THIS WEEK Leaders of the National and State Work of the Women's Christian x Temperance Union Who Will Be. at the Great National Convention at the Omaha Auditorium e.. r n lis i i i i r -v v m.- As-jr i i i a ji i x n-i I 1 f 1 1 lift f Ui yg-g uiv i v ' L .'. ". VI v - ; ' 1 if : - . lib -: :.'VV, W f (A 1) T REC0RDIN6 SECRETARY Aj : ' l )- ItORRMPOmWfir SECRETARY ) V7 J r U'nwaiWWfESENSIfiN ::'g I KRitUZABETH E HUTCHINSON TnWLI 31IVEN5 AA'1 V ANNA A. GORDON y prts KENTUCKY j 17 r; nHin - . I I treasurer I V l PRUJ yici pres. at lar&e 7 w' i " 1 anston, to use during her lifetime. There Miss Gordon progress and for good that have helped to spread Ne- f i I -0" J J s I receives hundreds of pilgrims yearly, and there, too, she braska's fair name abroad. The work of the union has $ y . i psx S. J- r (TiL fiZ PRESNTBRA3KA (y o KB of the Important agencies that has aided to bring the National Women's Christian Temperance union from an unpopular reform movement with a scattering member ship of "strong-minded" women to the largest organization of women In America today, Is the corps of workers who have served as its executive officers and who have directed the work for forty states that hold membership in the national body. v With scarcely an exception they are speakers and parliamen T tarincs of ability and possessed of those other qualities that make leaders and Inspire others to trust them with large responsibilities. Lillian M. N. Stevens of Portland, Me., iathe national president, and associated with her in the executive committee of this organization sre: Miss .Anna Gordon of Evanston, 111., vice president at large; Mrs France3 Pride Parks, also of Evanston, corresponding secre t. ry; Mrs. Elizabeth P. Anderson of Valley City, N. D., recording secretary; Mrs. Sarah H. Hoge of Lincoln, Va., assistant recording secretary, and Mrs. Elizabeth P. Hutchinson of Evanston, 111., tress- All iire women whose accomplishments in their own states have fitted tem for the national work and each has her Important part in the councils of the big association. Mk-Sv Anna Gordon of Evltnston, 111., vice presldent-at-large of the Ntonal Women's Christian Temperance union, needs no intro duction In Nebraska. During Frances Willard's lifetime she visited the state with her, and has visited here since. Last spring she ac companied Mrs. Stevens, and with her, arranged the preliminary details Incidental to locating the convention. At the head of the world's organization for the children in the temperance course, she counts her friends by the thousands and she has been honored In many countries besides her own. Cultured, gifted and able she typifies all that is most admirable in a woman. Her life she has consecrated to the temperance cause and her devotion to It is' unsur passed by even that of Frances Wlllard, who was her friend and who gave Into her keeping hei own home, "Rest Cottage," at Ev anston, to use during her lifetime. There Miss Gordon receives hundreds of pilgrims yearly, and there, too, she has a large part in carrying on the work of the national organization, whOBe headquarters are under the same roof. , Foremost among these state presidents is the national president herself, Mrs. Lillian M. N. Stevens ot Portland, Me. For nearly forty years, ever since Maine has had a Woman's Christian Temperance union In fact, Mrs. Stev ens has been Its president, and under her able leadership that union has become a pattern, and has had an7 Impor tant part In securing and maintaining the prohibition law . in its own state. During the years since Mrs. Stevens succeeded Miss Frances Wlllard as executive head of the national organization her efforts and her Interest in hef own state work have never flagged. Her intimate knowl edge of conditions, laws and prospects in the various states regarding the liquor traffic is remarkable and has been of inestimable value in the councils of the associa tion. To those in touch. with temperance work in Ne braska It would be super fluous to tell who Mrs. Frances Beverldge Heald Is or what part she has had la It. During the last summer thousands of others who had previously no in terest have been won over as cordial supporters through the tactful, earnest solicitation of this gifted woman. It was when the constitu tional amendment was up in 1890 that Mrs. Heald first came to be known over the state. At that time she and her husband traveled the length ahd breadth of Nebraska at singing evangelists in the interest of temperance, and there were few who had not heard "The Bevertdges." But the disappointment of that cam paign only served to strengthen her devotion to the cause ahd redoubled her efforts through the Woman's Christian Temperance Unon. When, a few years ago, the president of the state union resigned to move to Canada, Mrs. Heald was chosen to take up the work she had so ably directed for so many years, and un der her tactful direction it has grown In strength and numbers to be one of the recognized strong state unions in this country. A score or more of organizers havex been put Into the field, the educational work In all Its branches has been empha sized, the union has given its active support to many movements for ; ' y: --";jNv 'V; - ;V v MRS. progress and for good that have, helped to spread Ne braska's fair name abroad. The work of the union has been distinctly active. One of those gifted women who can be aggressive without being obtrusive, Mrs. Heald has assumed personal direction of every campaign the organization has undertaken, and where the"ultlmate ob ject has failed, without exception, she and her co-workers have retired with the respect and the admiration of those who opposed them and with the satisfaction of knowing that they have acquired fresh .strength through public opinion. When the National Women's Christian Temperance union accepted Nebraska's invitation to hold Its conven tion at Omaha this month Mrs. Heald at once set to work planning the financial side of the obligation, and on the first of July came to Omaha from her home at Osceola and personally took charge of the headquarters opened in the Young Men's Christian association building. There she has remained ever since, excepting during the month of August, when it was necesary for her to return to her home. Upon her has fallen the brunt of the preparation for the con vention's entertainment, though she haaad much assistance from the corps of local workers. Mrs. Sllena Holman, president of the Tennessee union, wljl come to the .Omaha convention with fresh laurels, as her state is the most re cent among the states of the south to adopt prohibition. The women of Tennessee had an important and a recognized part in the campaign that resulted so victoriously, and Mrs. Holman was In the thick of. their activity, directing and encour aging. Genial and attractive, she Is also a gifted speaker, combining wit, wisdom and logio In a way that wins people to her way of thinking. When the National Women's Christian Temperance union went to Denver last year for its annual con vention the hoBtess body was the Colorado Women's Christian Tem perance union, with Mrs. Adrlanna Hungerford at its head. Mrs. Hun gerford is a woman of more than ordinarily attractive personality, and ability that is unusual, and un der her direction the great conven tion had a most hospitable setting, and its work went on under most auspicious conditions. Like so many women of her state, Mrs. Hun gerford is a speaker of ability and is much In demand. amNffswRK? 77- SylJ RRWP0NDIN& SECRETARY ) V X yr7p PRES. KENTUCKY V yirgina xri E. PRESTON ANDERSON, Recording Secretary. An orator awd a general la Mrs. Frances Beauchamp, president of the Kentucky union, who is recognized as one of the ablest of th state leaders. For a number of years she served in the office of recording secretary ot the national oiganizatlon, but when a leader seemed needed at her home sne gave up that work to devote her self and her efforts to her own state. It la said ' of her in the National that she does not know the meaning of the word "discour agement" and that once having undertaken anything she does not give up! until she accomplishes It. Mrs. Howard Hoge, who leads the white ribbons ot Virginia, Is another strong and gentle woman who knows how to win friends and plan campaigns. Although her social position in her home city makes many demands upon her, she has not allowed it to lnterfera with her work for temperance; in fact, she has turned it to good account in advancing the interests of her chosen work. She is equally at home in a drawing room, upon the rostrum, or directing the affairs of a big convention, and her consuls are highly valued in the national body. Miss Frances Ensign, president of the Ohio state union, began her public work as secretary of the Ohio State Young Women's Chris tian Temperance union. After serving in this office for several years she came into prominence in the national work as an orga nizer. Later she became secretary of the Ohio union, and then its president, which office she still holds. She gave up a good salary as a successful teacher when she decided to devote herself to tem perance work, and under her able direction Ohio has made great gains in membership and in securing local option. Her home Is at Columbus, but her gift as a speaker and her tact and pleasing per sonality have gained her a popularity that keeps her away from home much of the time. And then there are many others, the majority of whom will attend the Omaha convention next week, and each of whom has had an important part in what has been accomplished in their respec tive states. A ANTERBURV, England, Oct. 6. No. not Cone word about the cathedral, bui wny do not more vUltors from the United States turn a few steps aside from the tourist route and look in when In this city upon one of the most interesting spots the ancient town has to show, at once old and most modern, the home of the Canterbury weavers? Old, because Its foundations go back to. the fourth Norman ruler ot England: old, too. because It housed nearly four cen turies ago an industry then new in England and des tined to reach an important place in the life of the nation; and new and distinctly modern in that -it marks a notable achievement by and for women in this feminist century. Romance and business, the (picturesque and the prosaic and material blend in the snclent fabric on the King's bridge over the River Btour Two. women have revived here the weaving in dustry which was brought to Potestant England by the refugees from Roman Catholic persecution on the continent In the slxtenth century, and from a workshop in one room where they began their labors they have developed their occupation until they keep busy now some thirty looms and require a whole build ing to house the business. Thoy employ at the looms only women and girls. Everything is hand work. A few years ago Miss Cllve Bayley established in London a weaving school with the idea of furnishing an occupation and some measure of livelihood for gentlewomen in reduced circumstances. It was, . of te. course, somewhat chimerical, for there could be no considerable output and therefor no real market. . TSi-tlgh two women who studied there, however, has be.a brought about the Institution ot the Canterbury weavers. Miss C. F. Phlllpotta and Miss K. Holmes' Laving learned the weaving craft, which is also an art, set about the task of making real use of their acquirement. They had the best of Incentives to successenthusiasm. Looms Are Busily at Work Again in the Old King's Mill They familiarized themselves so far as possible with the history ot the Walloons and the Flemings, who in the mid-sixteenth century fled from Lisle. Turcolng, Waterloo and Nuelle to the Kentish coast of England, and with that ot the Huguenots who fol lowed them after the revocation of the edict ot Nantes, and all ot whom had set to work in their new homes industriously and thriftily as weavers. Queen Elizlbeth protected them as the champion of Protes tantism. Canterbury encouraged them because they brought business to the city. Incidentally the bri gands of the high roads robbed them at timely leisure when they forwarded their products to London by foot and horse post. They were forbidden to make such fabrics as the here the Misses Pblllpotts and Holmes discovered a condition which threw a welcome illumination upon their happy choice of Canterbury as a working spot. The girls and women of the place, many of them descendants of the ancient weavers, took naturally to the new calling notwithstanding that even the tradi tions of the ancient practice had practically died out under the conditions of the latter day struggle for life. In a short time the second-story room ceased to be a branch school and the weaving Industry was started anew on its feet, as it were, in the cathedral city. The directors, constantly studying the condi tions that could conduce to the success and develop ment of the enterprise, sought a means of making use of the Kentish wool, the product of the vicinage, London weavers made, a restriction which only height- i hich previously had not been used In weaving, being ened the individuality of their already admirable craftsmanship. Their products were in high demand tor a long time, but eventually with the development of machine weaving the craft languished, ceased and scarcely survived as a tradition even. At the end of the eighteenth century only ten weavers lived in Can terbury; after them none, said Miss Phlllpotts and Miss Holmes: "If there is a place where hand , weaving can be re-established, now that hand-woven materials are highly valued once more. It surely Is Canterbury." Hither they came and set about preparing the way by opening In a second-floor room a branch ot Miss Clive Bayley'a school. The new weavers, like the old ones, brought work to the city and found a welcome. The older weavers did their own weaving, to be sure, but they needed help in wool combing, sorting, etc., and thus offered employment to the townspeople. The new ones had to Instruct the townspeople in search ot employment la the art and craft of weaving Itself. Just too light to compete with the famous English wools. They found the way. Plain dress materials, serges, woolens and flannels at first were woven, also a finely finished linen. They have now begun to make tweeds. - Appreciation re vealed itself in purchases. People awakened to the charm and value of the hand-woven materials and were willing to pay the price, for in price these pro ducts cannot compete with those of the power looms. The weavers had to move to larger quarters. They also gave themselves a part of the time to the production of articles of a higher artistic merit, -and successfully reproduced, after their own method, old Italian weaves and motives and designs of the Bayeux tapestries. They made chair coverings, rugs and carpets of attractive patterns and agreeable color tones. The same good fortune which led the originators of the enterprise to Canterbury helped them in the se lection of their new quarters on King's Bridge, where they now are. They moved there becausa they found were in the first home of the old Canterbury weavers. They found themselves in the ancient King's mill, the mill which was the king's away back in early Norman times. It was King Stephen's mill, Stephen of Blols, and the foundations on which the building rests today are Stephen's foundations, rugged, masterly stonework that at this spot now confines the waters of the modest Stour as in the days following the Conquest. An eerie trip may be made today lying flat In a rowboat in ramifications of the river circumscribed by these foundations under the streets and under more modern neighboring buildings. The mill in the elder days spanned the stream. The building which the weavers now occupy and that the earlier weavers occupied a part of the old mill is on one side only of the river, another and more modern building constructed upon the same foundations standing on the other side. In the early days .only the people who ate white bread could have their floor ground at the king's mill. So valuable was the mill that Henry of Anjou, when he had murdered Beckett In the neighboring cathedral and compunction and remorse drove him to contrition, wishing to mske some amends to the archbishop's family, regarded the mill as of sufficient value to give it as a royal present to Beckett's slater Rowena. It passed to the ownership of the church and the Augus tines made good snd profitable use of it. The crown later acquired it again with other church lands in the realm and finally It passed to other ownership. Miss Phlllpotts and Miss Holmes found that In Queen Elizabeth's time the very rooms In which they had set up their looms were occupied by the weavers who had come over from the continent. The Flem ings had found the building with a flat roof. They immediately proceeded to construct gables, both to serve in the hauling up and storing of their materials were accustomed to. Their modern followers in rip ping out later interior alterations in the old building came across the very apparatus, neglected In one of the gables over the river, by which the early weavers hoisted the boats' cargoes to their lofts. On the advice of antiquaries and local historians they searched the floor and celling spaces of the build ing and found old bobbins and shuttles which show surprisingly little difference in form from the corre sponding articles used with the hand looms ot today, together with coins and arms of the period hidden in the walls. An oaken china closet that had been boarded up by some later occupants was revealed In one wall. ; In the wall of one room is a King John beam. The antiquaries have passed upon it and pronounced It in dubitably by its marks a log hewn in the reign of the Great Charter. To gratify one of these assiduous searchers of antiquities the weavers withdrew a nail from a fine antique latch on one ot the doors of this room. "Ah, as I' expected," he exclaimed, beaming, "blunt at both euds; one of the earliest forms ot Eng lish nails!" The same room has in its embrasured windows, with their iron sashes and small .panes of glass, few of the original colored panes, of great softness and attraction of color quality. These, however. In spite of care, go to wreck one by one, as they've been doing slowly through the years. Here, also, Js a fine speci men of the old powder closet occupied solely by, the barber, and into which the fine lady or gentleman could thrust her or his head to be powdered without danger of having the powder blown about the bed room. The delight of the weavers at finding themselves In this building and at being able to purchase It may readily be divined. Had inspiration been necessary this pile and its revelations would surely have mo th building available. They learned later that they and to be In keeping with the'archltectural Ideas they (Continued on Page Threa.)
