USA > Ohio > Memories of the crusade a thrilling account of the great uprising of the women of Ohio in 1873, against the liquor crime > Part 25
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Thus has it proven through all the struggle with the liquor power, that men who cared more for the success of their party than for the welfare of the people and the country, have been found mixing in with great apparent zeal and interest, but in fact to hold those in check who might be so radical, or insist upon such radical action, as would alienate the liquor men from their party and send them over to the other.
It has been my misfortune, ( is it a misfortune ?) to incur the disapprobation of this class of poli- ticians, and many of the good sisters were made to think that it was very wrong to do or say any- thing that might injure the party to which their husbands belonged. But the Crusade form of work was passing away, and we had not entirely closed out the saloons, and some were even now in places beginning in stealthy fashion to sell again. Evidently we had not used all the means in our
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power, and had fallen short. Now some of the Crusaders began to appeal to their husbands to vote the curse out. But we were told to go and pray, there were other more important questions before the people. The Southern question was not settled, the negro and the union citizens in the South must be protected. This, to many, was a very effective argument, for their sympathies were readily enlisted for the oppressed, and the sisters were not expected to know that our State or any other individual State had nothing to do with that question-of course not, when more than half the voters did not.
As soon as a political canvass came on, we were told we must not bring our temperance up now, -must let our meetings go over till after elec- tion ; after the questions growing out of the war, after the tariff question, etc., then our demands should be considered. Ah, if the grand, old Re- publican party had, in strong, unmistakable dec_ laration, indorsed prohibition directly upon that Crusade uprising of the women, they might possibly have lost their first election, they would certainly have parted company with a large fol- lowing of the liquor men who hold their place in the party simply to control it. But they would ultimately have triumphed; for all good citizens would have rallied to its standard and the Re- publican party would have gone down in history as the Great Party of Moral Ideas, and with a record such as no other ever had, nor can it now have. Its blind leaders cheated it out of
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its last opportunity. But this is not all ; Ohio would long since have been under prohibitory law, with many another State following after.
Years have passed, and the leaders are still intriguing, and still trying to steer their political craft, which has become awfully leaky, between Scylla and Charibdis, and still many good men and women are hoping that "sometime " they will land us safely in some blessed harbor of Prohibition.
" What of the other party ?" Nothing at all. They-in the North, I wish explicitly to be understood-never professed to be anything but a liquor party, never made any pledges, and consequently never broke any. They are purely and avowedly the liquor party and they never led us to expect anything else of them. And yet it is in history that about as many laws prohibiting or restraining the traffic have been passed by Democratic as Republican legisla- tures. The patent fact is that these parties are simply striving to retain, or obtain, control of the government, regardless of the means by which that control is obtained or of the true interests of the people. It is conceded that there are good and true men in both these parties, but that is of no consequence, since they can have no control of the party. And now, since I am on the subject, I will add that the "tax law " that the Republican party boasts of having given to the people as a temperance measure, is not what the temperance people
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demanded-is not what we want. It was a measure which the large dealers gladly assented to for the hope of "taking the question out of politics," and it is an infraction of the spirit of the Constitution of our State. If this party can pass laws to restrict and regulate, why can it not pass a law to prohibit ? If it is only able to do one and not the other, then it cannot meet the demands of the people and the times.
But I have wandered off a long ways from the Convention, and must hasten back. Our work had been. a wonderful training school for the women, teaching them self-reliance, and develop- ing ability to pray and speak in public assemblies, to lead meetings and bands, organize leagues, and preside over and conduct Conventions and business meetings with parliamentary precision, as well as womanly grace. Quite a number were, by this time, giving considerable time to traveling, lecturing and organizing. It was not a little surprising, therefore, to some of us, that the Business Committee should decide that it was necessary that the State Executive Com- mittee "employ agents for the next two months to call and attend County Conventions, superin- tend the more complete and thorough organiza- tions of townships, villages and local leagues."
"That the State Executive Committee be instructed to take such measures as will secure the necessary funds for carrying out the above plan." [The women had hitherto done their work, chiefly trusting to the Lord and the
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liberality of the people, without stipulation.] Further matter of pondering was that these four agents were all gentlemen and of one political party, and some of them were of my aforesaid interviewers.
Our State Union was organized with-Presi- dent, Mrs. H. C. McCabe, of Delaware; Secre- tary, Mrs. F. W. Leiter, Mansfield ; Treasurer, Mrs. E. J. Thompson, Hillsboro.
A Vice-President for each District was elected as follows : Ist, Mrs. Rev. W. I. Fee, Cincin- nati; 2d, Mrs. E. D. Moore, Cincinnati; 3d, Mrs. Belle Parshall, Lebanon ; 4th, Mrs. Rev. Wm. Herr, Dayton; 5th, Mrs. Dr. G. G. Hackaedon, Lima; 6th, Mrs. Jennie Brown, East Toledo ; 7th, Mrs. C. A. Beery, Chilli- cothe; 8th, Mother Stewart, Springfield ; 9th, Mrs. Anna Sabin, Richwood; 10th, Mrs. H. Brown, Findlay; 11th, Mrs. R. B. Wilson, Gallipolis ; 12th, Mrs. B. M. McMillen, Circle- ville; 13th, Mrs. Rev. J. F. Ohl, Zanesville ; 14th, Mrs. L. M. Albright, Upper Sandusky ; 15th, Mrs. Angella C. Davis, Athens; 16th, Mrs. Rose Wood, Martin's Ferry ; 17th, Mrs. Mary B. Reese, Alliance; 18th, Mrs. Briggs, Wadsworth; 19th, Mrs. J. C. Bateham, Paines- ville ; 20th, Mrs. J. C. Delamater, Cleveland.
It was not a little gratifying, in looking over the newspaper reports of the Convention, to come across the following, which I had for- gotten :
Mrs. Huddelson, of Cincinnati, moved that in
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view of the Christian heroism and self-denial of Mother Stewart, as manifested in her earnest and constant labors for the great cause of Temperance during the past eight months,
Resolved, That the Convention tender her its appreciation of her devotion to the cause of her Master and her race, and that it help her with its prayers. Which was adopted.
As an indication of our growth, the following from the Springfield Republic will be interesting to the reader:
A cloud as large, fully, as a man's hand, appeared above the Convention horizon just before the time for adjournment. Rev. J. W. Spring, of this city, introduced a resolution to abolish the use of fer- mented wine at church communions. A lively discussion ensued. An amendment was offered recommending that unfermented wine only be used at such service.
Mr. Middleton moved a substitute to the effect that it be recommended to churches to consider the propriety of dispensing with the use of fermented wine at communion. Mrs. - , of Cleveland, hoped the Convention would not be so fanatical as to entertain such a resolution. Resolution, amend- ment and substitute were then laid on the table by a vote of 87 to 55.
It is justice to Brother Spring, who introduced the resolution, to say that he had in his minis- terial work witnessed the fatal consequences of presenting the cup of fermented wine to the reformed man struggling against his besetting sin. It will also be just to the Chairman, who forestalled action upon the resolution by giving his own decision against it, to say that in a conversation with Mrs. H., a few days later, in my presence, he said that he did not at the time understand the nature of the resolution.
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But haven't we grown ?
The occasion of our first State Convention was one of strengthening of purposes, obtaining broader views of the work and the great battle we had entered upon. It was a grand benediction, and we all buckled on our armor with renewed hope, faith and zeal, and hastened away to our several fields of labor.
A BUSY CAMPAIGN AND HARD-FOUGHT BATTLE.
During all the summer, rarely leaving the State, giving time and such talent as I had, I did my best to help defeat the license clause to the Constitution. I organized my own District at once, then off, without waiting to arrange routes and thus shorten distances between points. The calls came from the most opposite extremes of the State, and I endeavored to fill them in the order of their dates. This caused much unnecessary travel and heavy expense, for in those days I had no favors in the way of reduced fare on any railroads, nor for many years after, being too modest to make applica- tion. I always think, with pleasure, of a single exception. I was finding my way to one of the county seats in the eastern part of the State, and had taken passage on a new road leading to the town, when a gentleman entered the car, and coming near where I sat, inquired if Mother Stewart was aboard. I answered that I was Mother Stewart, whereupon he handed me a pass over his road, he being the President. It was
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not the amount-for that indeed was small-but the kindly act was infinitely more to me than it cost him. Its rarity, I may say singularity, has caused me to remember it with grateful pleasure all these years.
I am reminded here that one of the many pleasant experiences and happenings that came to me was, that a lady at our National Conven- tion in Minneapolis introduced herself, saying she heard me lecture in Carrolton twelve years before, and remembered my peculiar subject, " A Screw Loose," suggested by the yet un- settled condition of the new road-bed. When I told her of my favor on the road by the Presi- dent, but expressed my regret that I had forgotten the gentleman's name, "Yes," she said, "that was my husband."
Many other Crusaders also did valiant service in the new phase of work, that of influencing the voters to vote against license. We held conven- tions, mass meetings, street meetings, grove meetings, and nearly everywhere had large aud- iences, and some pretty exciting experiences. At Perrysburg, in the northern part of the State, I spoke in front of a store, standing on a dry goods box. While a saloon-keeper across the way, with the assistance of some lewd fellows of the baser sort, with some sort of musical instru- ment, endeavored to produce a discordant counter attraction. A mild-mannered missile, in the shape of a small mud ball, was sent over as an argu-
(26)
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ment on the other side of the question, but it fell harmless at my feet.
From Perrysburg I went to Toledo, and spoke Sabbath morning in a church. I do not remem- ber where, but do remember that it was a fear- fully hot July day. In the afternoon I addressed an audience in an orchard in East Toledo. I fell into the hands of, and was kindly entertained and cared for by that big-hearted couple of tire- less workers, both in the Church and temperance cause, D. N. Trowbridge and wife. Early on Monday morning Mr. Trowbridge took me to call on several of the temperance people, with the hope of enlisting them more fully in the con- flict that was each day waxing more intense. We visited and had a very pleasant interview with Ex-Governor Lee, who manifested much interest in the cause. We also called on a min- ister-I am rather glad to say that I cannot re- member his name-who declared very emphati- cally that he was not going to work unless " they " paid him. Brother Trowbridge, with- out a word, put his hand in his pocket and taking out the contents (of course I did not see the amount, but it was a snug little roll), handed it to him and drove away. Another call was on Dr. Tenney, a friend of my Marietta Seminary days. I met him at our recent State Prohibition Con- vention, in Toledo (May 24, 25, 1888), and he told me that he did, as I suggested, go out and. do what he could to help win our victory. The ladies have in the years that have passed done a great deal of hard work in Toledo.
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At Tiffin, I was speaking in the yard of one of the churches, when the liquor men sent a poor, intoxicated man into the audience, who made his way as near as possible to me with the pur- pose of saying something, when I called the at- tention of the people to the fact that the trade had sent us in a specimen of their handiwork in effacing the image of the Creator and substitut- ing that of a brute. The poor creature was not so drunk but he caught an idea of what I was saying and that he was the subject, and with some degree of shame he suffered himself to be led quietly away.
At Napoleon, I addressed the people from the portico of the Court House, following that grand and eloquent man, Rev. Dr. Marine, of Indiana. A trial of a liquor case was in progress in the town, and there was great excitement. While I was speaking a few eggs were thrown into the audience, but I believe only one person was hit. A drinking man present went to Esq. Haag, who was prosecuting the case, and told him that he had been a drinking man, had always, been here- tofore on the side of the liquor men, but, said he, " When it comes to this, that a lady shall be thus insulted, I am done, and henceforth I am with the other side. I have called to ask to be sworn, for I know enough to close every saloon in town."
An urgent call came from Franklin. " A hor- rible murder and suicide has been committed and we need you." The saloons were beginning to open up again and of course the consequences
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were following closely after. As soon as I found I could go, I telegraphed them. When I arrived it was nearly meeting time, but the telegram had not reached them. But a committee of ladies came together in counsel and in a few minutes they had boys out over town with bells, crying, "Mother Stewart ! Mother Stewart ! at the Bap- tist Church corner !" and by the time to com- mence we had a good gathering, I standing on a platform of boxes, while my audience stood in the yard and on the street. Here was where the sisters had done such faithful work, but, as nearly everywhere, the men had failed to hold the ground the women had taken.
There was a poor woman in town whose hus- band was a drunkard, and when under the in- fluence of liquor abusive and dangerous, often threatening her life. She was the sole support of herself and five children. She went to the town authorities and told her situation, saying she was afraid for her life, but they told her not
to be alarmed, there was no danger. She went to some of the temperance men, but they, too, told her to go home, there was no danger. One hot July day the poor thing did a heavy washing to earn bread for herself and children. When the evening came she brought in and folded her great basket of clothes, and she and the children retired. About ten o'clock the man came in, crazed with drink, took a gun and shot his wife and then himself. The children, abed in the same room, witnessed the shocking tragedy and
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gave the alarm. When the neighbors arrived both were dead and a river of blood had flowed from the bed across the room to the hearth. A saloon-keeper made a few cents by selling the liquor, two lives were sacrificed and five children were thrown upon the charities of the world. And this is a Christian land !
The ladies of London, wonderfully practical and rich in expedients to advance the cause, took advantage of the monthly stock sales for this purpose. These occasions always called together a large crowd of people, not only from all over the county, but frequently from long dis- tances. The ladies sent for me to come to them on one of these occasions. With the help of our lamented Brother Finley and others, the ladies arranged for me to speak from the Court House portico, it being on the corner of two of the most prominent business streets. It was a strange, weird scene. The portico is reached by a flight of several stone steps, which made conven- ient seating for the ladies. On this the Crusa- ders found seats. Men stood wherever they could find standing room inside the Court House yard or outside on the street. Over all, the clouds hung low, ashen and sombre. The stock men were out in the main street, but in sight and sound, riding their horses up and down, crying their qualities and prices ; others in a lively com- petition of bidding, added to the sound of voices. Mixed in were parties driving yokes of oxen, or leading patient meek-eyed cows into the throng.
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On the portico stood a gray-haired woman, with what powers of oratory she possessed striving to show men the dangers threatening our fair Com- monwealth if we failed to defeat the license scheme of the liquor men ; and urging them, as they loved their homes and country, to vote for the best interests of the same ..
So, going and working up to the day before election, I addressed an out-door meeting in the afternoon from the Court House steps in Urbana, took the train home, went direct from the cars to the City Hall and addressed a fine audience of my colored, voting fellow-citizens-or yours, I am not a voter, I am only a woman. I reached home at eleven o'clock at night. If I had gone the next day and offered to add my vote to my labors on the side of the best interests of humanity, I would have been fined and imprisoned and who knows what not-because I am a woman.
But thus it was, we fought and won the battle, and defeated the liquor clause in the constitution by something over seven thousand votes, though nearly every secular paper in the State was against us and in the interest of the liquor men. We, at the same time, did our best to defeat the Constitution, so that if we were beaten on the license issue we might escape through the failure of the adoption of the Constitution, and it too was defeated. The people of Ohio said emphatic- ally, WE WILL NOT HAVE THIS SUM OF ALL VILLAINIES FASTENED UPON US.
CHAPTER XX.
Enumeration of the Benefits of the Crusade.
N SEPTEMBER a call was made by the President, Mrs. McCabe, for a meeting of the State Executive Committee, to try to devise some answer to the oft-repeated inquiry, "What next shall we do?" The Crusade form of work had ceased, and in many places the women were at a loss to know what to do, or how to keep up the interest and carry forward the work. What a bewilderment of joy it would have been to those dear, tried and puzzled Crusaders to have had poured into their laps-their laps couldn't begin to hold them -the instructions, the helps, the hints, the leaflets, Union Signal (a whole magazine of itself), and books "too numerous to mention," that the sisters of to-day are feasting on and fairly rioting in, on the endless branches of work that have been taken up in the past years. But we were then still feeling our way, and, with prayer and tears, look- ing to the Lord to lead us on.
We met at Delaware and had a very pleasant session, discussing and recommending various
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methods of prosecuting our work. One that was recommended by the sub-committee and indorsed by the whole, was to prepare for watching the legislature. Our McConnelsville Ordinance had been threatened the year before ; and it was now evident that a desperate move would be made on the legislature by the liquor men to break down what little refuge of law we had. This plan, evolved after not a little reflection, was to instruct the county unions to select, say, three of their best members for such a mission, including at least one gentleman, holding them as "minute men," ready to go upon summons of a commit- tee at the Capital and give a week to watching and working with the members-thus through- out the session, or at least when the liquor question should be brought forward, keeping vigilant oversight of our law-makers. But, as I have said, while this suggestion was unanimously adopted, it was not acted upon. I never learned why. Possibly it was considered too aggressive, may be looked too much like " mixing in politics." But we have long since come to see the necessity of watching our Solons. In our own State wc have a little lady standing through the long session alone, watching with intense vigilance the action of the Legislature on her Scientific Instruction Bill. (Since this writing she has succeeded, though the law is not all she asked. ) The prohibitory feature of the ordinance was repealed that win- ter, and the Adair law was so crippled by the amendment making it necessary to give ten days ·Mrs. F. W. Leiter.
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notice before prosecution, as to virtually render it of no effect.
I was filling a series of engagements in Penn- Sylvania, when the call for the meeting reached me, the last point being Meadville. After my evening lecture, I went from the church to the depot and waited till twelve o'clock, then took the train and reached Delaware about one o'clock next day; did not get my breakfast till after one. The loss of sleep, fatigue and fasting brought on a sickening headache. But I continued to work with the committee, and we were about closing up, when a gentleman came in from a political con- vention that was in session in the city. He, in very polite fashion, explained that he had been commissioned as a committee of one by the con- vention to come and invite the ladies to visit that body. The delegates desired so much to hear the Crusaders ; they did not know of our meeting when they arranged for theirs; they were very sorry. He was himself a Crusader and felt a deep interest in the temperance work, etc. It must have been that I was again overtaken with a spasm of the immortal Topsy's ailment, for I Suggested to my neighbor to move that we accept the invitation, and she did. The motion was seconded and after several counts, during which I could see that the chairman was not a little dis- turbed in mind, it was carried, and the presiding officer, not a little reluctantly, led us in proces- sion to the City Hall.
The speaker was in the midst of an exposition of
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the evil deeds of the other party; whether it was timed for the occasion I could not say. When he was through, our chairman was invited to introduce some of her lady speakers. She presented two, who spoke for a few minutes. I think she had her doubts about putting Mother Stewart forward in a political meeting. But there seemed to be a demand for me, and she sent the Secretary of the meeting to take me to the platform. As I have said, I was very weary and my head was aching fearfully. I did not know when I stepped forward what I should say, but started out with the remark that finding ourselves mixed up in a political meeting, it would be necessary for us Crusaders to define our position, lest we might be misunderstood. Sister Reese just then came to my rescue by saying, "Step onto that plank in the platform, Mother Stewart," referring to the rather narrow and very weak plank this party had inserted in its platform that year in regard to temperance. Looking down at my feet with a blush of mortification, I responded that I could not stand on it, my feet were too large. This was more wickedness, and was not relished very well. But there were a good many gentlemen there who saw and expressed their appreciation of the point. I told them that while we gave all honor, to men,in whatever party, who enrolled themselves with us, the Crusaders were all prohibitionists -whether they knew it or not, that was the fact. I had never heard a Crusader offer up a prayer, whether in the loathsome den where eternal woe
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was dealt out at a few pennies a glass, or on the hard, frozen ground,[but the cry was always, "Oh Lord, wipe out the curse." There were enough present to endorse the sentiments I uttered and as I passed out they said some very kind words. But I have never been invited to address a politi- cal meeting of that complexion since, and, as far as I know that was the last open attempt to "capture the Crusaders." I was, I have not much doubt, however, laying up wrath for myself against the " day of wrath," that was revealed only a few weeks later.
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