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55-457: The Loyal Temperance Legion (L.T.L.) was the children's branch of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (W.C.T.U.). Its slogan was "Tremble, King Alcohol, We Shall Grow Up". It published an English-language newspaper for children called The Young Crusader , which was edited for some time by W.C.T.U. president Anna Adams Gordon , a strong believer in the need to interest children in temperance at

110-399: A WCTU convention at Pakipaki specifically by and for Māori. Many Māori women signed WCTU-initiated national franchise petitions. Specifically, the 1892 WCTU petition was signed by Louisa Matahau of Hauraki and Herewaka Poata from Gisborne , and the 1893 petition was also signed by Matilda Ngapua from Napier and four other Māori women using European names instead. The WCTU played

165-525: A close association with the Knights of Labor , sharing goals for class harmony, sober and disciplined workers, and a day of rest. Concern for workers' conditions and the effect on family life led many members to also critique the exploitation of capital, as well as demand a living wage . Although the WCTU had chapters throughout North America with hundreds of thousands of members, the "Christian" in its title

220-607: A consequence of its stated purposes, the WCTU was also very interested in a number of social reform issues, including labor, prostitution , public health , sanitation , and international peace . As the movement grew in numbers and strength, members of the WCTU also focused on suffrage . The WCTU was instrumental in organizing woman's suffrage leaders and in helping more women become involved in American politics. Local chapters, known as "unions", were largely autonomous, though linked to state and national headquarters. Willard pushed for

275-616: A native New Englander that moved to Minnesota in the 1800s and served as president of the Minnesota WCTU chapter from 1897–1909 delivered her 1900 "President's Address", where she expounded on the methods the Minnesota chapter of the WCTU would utilize to accomplish its variety of goals within the state. Scovell adopted what was at the time a "progressive" approach to the issue of immigrants, particularly German and Scandinavian in Minnesota, indulging in alcohol and stated: We must have

330-594: A regiment of American workers, who will learn the German language, love the German people, work among the German children and young people until we get them to love clear brains better than beer. There must be others who for the love of country and dear humanity will learn the Scandinavian language and be real neighbors to the many people of this nationality who have come to make homes in America. Again others must learn

385-465: A significant role in New Zealand, because it was the only public organisation in the country that could provide women political and leadership experience and training, and as a result, well over half of suffragists at the time were members of the organisation. One of the most notable New Zealand suffragists was Kate Sheppard, who was the leader of the WCTU's franchise department, and advised women in

440-596: A very early age. This article about an organization in the United States is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Woman%27s Christian Temperance Union The WCTU was originally organized on December 23, 1873, in Hillsboro, Ohio , and starting on December 26 Matilda Gilruth Carpenter led a successful campaign to close saloons in Washington Court House, Ohio . WCTU

495-639: A world vice-president. As early as 6 August 1884, under the leadership of Eliza Ann Palmer Brown in Invercargill , a WCTU branch had started in New Zealand. Arriving in January 1885, a prominent American missionary, Mary Leavitt , traveled to Auckland, New Zealand to spread the message of the WCTU. For the next eight years, Leavitt traveled around New Zealand establishing WCTU branches and advocating for women to, "protect their homes and families from liquor, by claiming their rightful voice" and work to end

550-476: Is "That I may give my best service to home and country, I promise, God helping me, Not to buy, drink, sell, or give alcoholic liquors while I live. From other drugs and tobacco I'll abstain, And never take God's name in vain." The Youth Temperance Council is the final type of group meant for youths and is aimed at teenagers. Its pledge is "I promise, by the help of God, never to use alcoholic beverages, other narcotics, or tobacco, and to encourage everyone else to do

605-558: Is termed radicalisation . The word radical derives from the Latin radix ("root") and Late Latin rādīcālis ("of or pertaining to the root, radical"). Historically, political use of the term referred exclusively to a form of progressive electoral reformism , known as Radicalism , that had developed in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries. However, the denotation has changed since its 18th century coinage to comprehend

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660-629: The Napoleonic Wars , Radicals emerged under similar reformist ideals as their British counterparts, though they later branched out to form the Radical-Socialist movement with a focus on proletarian solidarity. With the rise of Marxism , the notion of radical politics shifted away from reformism and became more associated with revolutionary politics. In United States politics , the term is used pejoratively among conservatives and moderates to denote political extremism , with

715-471: The "Home Protection" ballot, arguing that women, being the morally superior sex, needed the vote in order to act as "citizen-mothers" and protect their homes and cure society's ills. At a time when suffragists were viewed as radicals and alienated most American women, the WCTU offered a more traditionally feminine and "appropriate" organization for women to join. Home Protection interests also extended to Labor rights , and an openness to Socialism . WCTU had

770-409: The "W.C.T.U. campaigned for local, state, and national prohibition, woman suffrage, protective purity legislation, scientific temperance instruction in the schools, better working conditions for labor, anti-polygamy laws, Americanization, and a variety of other reforms" despite having the image of a gospel temperance organization. The presidential addresses of the WCTU provide excellent insight as to how

825-598: The 19th-century Cyclopaedia of Political Science describing it as "characterized less by its principles than by the manner of their application". During the 20th century, radical politicians took power in many countries across the world. Such radical leaders included Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin in Russia, Mao Zedong in China, Adolf Hitler in Germany, as well as more mainstream radicals such as Ronald Reagan in

880-641: The Dominion especially in the wake of the sacrifices of WW1, but did not see this realized until 1925. The WCTU formed in India was formed in the 1880s. It publishes Temperance Record and White Ribbon , remaining very active today. Political radicalism Radical politics denotes the intent to transform or replace the fundamental principles of a society or political system , often through social change , structural change , revolution or radical reform . The process of adopting radical views

935-580: The French and Italian and various dialects, even, that the truths of personal purity and total abstinence be taught to these who dwell among us. We must feel it a duty to teach these people the English language to put them in sympathy with our purposes and our institutions. For Scovell and the women of the Minnesota WCTU, speaking English and participating in established American institutions were essential to truly become "American" just as abstaining from alcohol

990-617: The National Woman's Christian Temperance Union in 1874. Women from St. Paul, Minneapolis, Red Wing, and Owatonna organized their first local W.C.T.U. clubs between 1875 and 1877. The Minnesota WCTU began in the fall of 1877. From this point the Minnesota WCTU began to expand throughout the state in both size and interests. The Minnesota WCTU worked hard to extol the values of the WCTU which included converting new immigrants to American culture or "Americanization." Bessie Laythe Scovell,

1045-548: The United States and Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom. The common feature to all radical political forms is a view that some fundamental change is required of the status quo . For an array of anti-capitalist forms, this manifests in anti-establishment reactions to modern neoliberal regimes. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy describes the radical concept of ideology to be that: This view reflects "a consensus among radicals of all stripes on

1100-470: The United States, the WCTU was divided along ideological lines. The first president of the organization, Annie Wittenmyer, believed in the singleness of purpose of the organization—that is, that it should not put efforts into woman suffrage, prohibition, etc. This wing of the WCTU was more concerned with how morality played a role during the temperance movement. With that in mind, it sought to save those whom they believed to be of lower moral character. For them,

1155-782: The WCTU called for "the entire prohibition of the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage." Frances Willard , a noted feminist, was elected the WCTU's second president in 1879 and Willard grew the organization to be the largest organization of women in the world by 1890. She remained president until her death in 1898. Its members were inspired by the Greek writer Xenophon , who defined temperance as "moderation in all things healthful; total abstinence from all things harmful." In other words, should something be good, it should not be indulged in to excess; should something be bad for you, it should be avoided altogether — thus their attempts to rid society of what they saw (and still see) as

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1210-549: The WCTU formed in September 1890. Early supporters included Reverend Mr. A.D. Morton, the Methodist minister of Gower Street Church, and local women such as Emma Peters, Lady Jeanette Thorburn , Jessie Ohman , Maria C. Williams, Elizabeth Neyle , Margaret Chancey, Ceclia Fraser , Rev. Mrs. Morton , Mrs. E.H. Bulley , Tryphenia Duley , Sarah (Rowsell) Wright and Fanny Stowe . The WCTU agitated for women's suffrage in

1265-413: The WCTU said that golf should not be allowed on Sundays. The WCTU was also involved with efforts to alleviate poverty by discouraging the purchase of alcohol products. Through journal articles, the WCTU tried to prove that abstinence would help people move up in life. A fictional story in one of their journal articles illustrates this fact: Ned has applied for a job, but he is not chosen. He finds that

1320-714: The WCTU to work closely with members of Parliament in order to get their ideas in political discourse. This eventually led to women winning the right to vote in 1893 . Some prominent New Zealand suffragists and WCTU members include Kate Sheppard , Learmonth Dalrymple , Meri Te Tai Mangakāhia , Elizabeth Caradus , Kate Milligan Edger , Christina Henderson , Annie Schnackenberg , Anne Ward , and Lily Atkinson . The WCTU formed in Canada in 1874, in Owen Sound, Ontario . and spread across Canada. The Newfoundland branch played an important part in campaigning for women's suffrage on

1375-405: The WCTU was an explicitly religious organization and worked with religious groups in social reform, it protested wine use in religious ceremonies. During an Episcopal convention, it asked the church to stop using wine in its ceremonies and to use unfermented grape juice instead. A WCTU direct resolution explained its reasoning: wine contained "the narcotic poison, alcohol, which cannot truly represent

1430-472: The WCTU, although this is often in passing. Predominant black activist Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was very active in the union, pushing for WTCU adoption of the anti-lynching cause. However, in the end Willard favoured the desires of white Southern women and this campaign fell to the side-lines. In 1889 Harper formally requested that "in dealing with colored people... Christian courtesy be shown." The WTCU did receive criticism from black activists, most notably

1485-532: The White Ribbon Ceremony, but their children must be under six years of age. The mother pledges "I promise to teach my child the principles of total abstinence and purity", and the child gets a white ribbon tied to its wrist. The Loyal Temperance Legion (LTL), is another temperance group aimed at children. It is for children aged six to twelve who are willing to pay dues annually to the LTL. Its motto

1540-550: The World's WCTU leave it open to cynical criticism in the 21st century, but there is little doubt that at the end of the 19th century, "they did believe earnestly in the efficacy of women's temperance as a means for uplifting their sex and transforming the hierarchical relations of gender apparent across a wide range of cultures." Amongst the presidents of the Cape Colony WCTU was Georgiana Solomon , who eventually became

1595-562: The alcohol problem was one of moral nature and was not caused by the institutions that facilitated access to alcohol. The second president of the WCTU, Frances Willard, demonstrated a sharp distinction from Wittenmyer. Willard had a much broader interpretation of the social problems at hand. She believed in "a living wage; in an eight-hour day ; in courts of conciliation and arbitration; in justice as opposed to greed in gain; in Peace on Earth and Good-Will to Men." This division illustrated two of

1650-461: The blood of Christ." The WCTU also favored banning tobacco. In 1919, the WCTU expressed to Congress its desire for the total abolition of tobacco within five years. Under Willard, the WCTU supported the White Life for Two program. Under this program, men would reach women's higher moral standing (and thus become woman's equal) by engaging in lust-free, alcohol-free, tobacco-free marriages. At

1705-423: The child live a life free from alcohol and other drugs. At its founding in 1874, the stated purpose of the WCTU was to create a "sober and pure world" by abstinence, purity, and evangelical Christianity. Annie Wittenmyer was its first president. Wittenmyer was conservative in her goals for the movement focusing only on the question of alcohol consumption and avoiding involvement in politics. The constitution of

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1760-524: The customers." In Minnesota there was stiff resistance to this public display and "in Anoka, Minnesota, 'heroic women endured the insults of the saloon-keeper and his wife who poured cold water upon the women from an upper window while they prayed on the sidewalk below. Sometimes beer was thrown on the sidewalk so that they could not kneel there but they prayed.'" As a result, Minnesotan women were motivated and "formed local societies, which soon united to become

1815-535: The dangers of alcohol. The WCTU perceived alcohol as a cause and consequence of larger social problems rather than as a personal weakness or failing. The WCTU also advocated against tobacco. The American WCTU formed a "Department for the Overthrow of the Tobacco Habit" as early as 1885 and frequently published anti-tobacco articles in the 1880s. Agitation against tobacco continued through to the 1950s. As

1870-484: The entire political spectrum , though retaining the connotation of "change at the root". The Oxford English Dictionary traces usage of 'radical' in a political context to 1783. The Encyclopædia Britannica records the first political usage of 'radical' as ascribed to Charles James Fox , a British Whig Party parliamentarian who in 1797 proposed a 'radical reform' of the electoral system to provide universal manhood suffrage , thereby idiomatically establishing

1925-431: The grounds that women were vital in the struggle for prohibition. In 1885 Letitia Youmans founded an organization which was to become the leading women's society in the national temperance movement. Youmans is often credited with spreading the organization across the country. One notable member was Edith Archibald of Nova Scotia. Notable Canadian feminist Nellie McClung was also involved. The Newfoundland chapter of

1980-716: The ideologies present in the organization at the time, conservatism and progressivism. To some extent, the Eastern Wing of the WCTU supported Wittenmyer and the Western Wing had a tendency to support the more progressive Willard view. Membership within the WCTU grew greatly every decade until the 1940s. By the 1920s, it was in more than forty countries and had more than 766,000 members paying dues at its peak in 1927. Classification of WCTU Committee Reports by Period and Interests Percentages total more than 100 percent due to several interests in some committee reports. In

2035-479: The inclusion of women of religions other than Christianity. But, it was always primarily, and still is, a Christian women's organization. The WCTU's work extended across a range of efforts to bring about personal and social moral reform. In the 1880s, it worked on creating legislation to protect working girls from the exploitation of men, including raising Age of Consent laws. It also focused on keeping Sundays as Sabbath days and restrict frivolous activities. In 1901

2090-656: The one in 1893 scheduled to coincide with the Chicago World's Fair ; the London Convention in 1895; the 1897 one in Toronto; and the Glasgow one in 1910. The first six round-the-world missionaries were Mary C. Leavitt , Jessie Ackermann , Alice Palmer , Mary Allen West , Elizabeth Wheeler Andrew , and Katharine Bushnell . The ambition, reach and organizational effort involved in the work undertaken by

2145-469: The organization seamlessly blended issues of grass-roots organizing, temperance, education, immigration and cultural assimilation. One prominent state chapter was the Minnesota Women's Christian Temperance Union. The Minnesota chapter's origin is rooted in nation's anti-saloon crusades of 1873 and 1874 where women all throughout the United States "joined together outside saloons to pray and harass

2200-547: The organization's second decade (1884-1894), many departments were launched which focused on special needs. These included: The WCTU remains an internationally active organization. In American culture, although "temperance norms have lost a great deal of their power" and there are far fewer dry communities today than before ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment, there is still at least one WCTU chapter in almost every U.S. state and in 36 other countries around

2255-436: The over-consumption of alcohol through gaining the vote. Working alongside Leavitt was Anne Ward , a New Zealand social worker and temperance activist, who served as the first national president of the WCTU in New Zealand. Māori women were also active members of the WCTU in New Zealand. In 1911, during the presidency of Fanny Cole , Hera Stirling Munro , Jean McNeish of Cambridge and Rebecca Smith of Hokianga organised

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2310-442: The potential employer has judged him to be like his Uncle Jack. Jack is a kindly man but he spends his money on drink and cigarettes. Ned has also been seen drinking and smoking. The employer thinks that Ned Fisher lacks the necessary traits of industriousness which he associates with abstinence and self-control. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union grew rapidly. The WCTU adopted Willard's "Do Everything" philosophy, which meant that

2365-585: The same, fulfilling the command, 'keep thyself pure'." The World's WCTU (WWCTU) is one of the most prominent examples of internationalism, evidenced by the circulation of the Union Signal around the globe; the International Conventions that were held with the purpose of focusing "world attention on the temperance and women's questions, and the appointment of "round-the-world missionaries." Examples of international Conventions include

2420-432: The same." Current issues for the WCTU include alcohol, which the organization considers to be North America 's number one drug problem, as well as illegal drugs , and abortion . The WCTU has warned against the dangers of tobacco since 1875. They continue to this day in their fight against those substances they see as harmful to society . The last edition of the WCTU's quarterly journal, titled The Union Signal ,

2475-534: The term ' Radicals ' as a label denoting supporters of the reformation of British Parliament. Throughout the 19th century, the concept of radical politics broadened into a variety of political notions and doctrines. Party politics in England began to favour moderate positions, marginalising other movements into more politically aggressive factions. As open advocacy of republicanism was illegal in France following

2530-532: The time, the organization also fought to ban alcohol use on military bases, in Native American reservations, and within Washington's institutions. Ultimately, Willard succeeded in increasing the political clout of the organization because, unlike Annie Wittenmyer, she strongly believed that the success of the organization would only be achieved through the increased politicization of its platform. In

2585-465: The well-known reformer Ida B. Wells, who condemned Willard for her statements regarding black drunkenness. In general, black women faced similar pressures within the WCTU that they did in wider society, but this did not stop them from contributing to the movement. In 1893, the WCTU switched focus toward prohibition, which was ultimately successful when the 18th amendment to the US Constitution

2640-481: The world. Requirements for joining the WCTU include paying membership dues and signing a pledge to abstain from alcohol . The pledge of the Southern Californian WCTU, for example, is "I hereby solemnly promise, God helping me, to abstain from all distilled, fermented, and malt liquors, including beer, wine, and hard cider, and to employ all proper means to discourage the use of and traffic in

2695-540: Was founded in 1883 and became the international arm of the organization, which has now affiliates in Australia, Canada, Netherlands, Finland, India, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States, among others. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union conducts a White Ribbon Recruit (WRR) ceremony, in which babies are dedicated to the cause of temperance through a white ribbon being tied to their wrists, with their adult sponsors pledging to help

2750-448: Was largely limited to those with an evangelical Protestant conviction and the importance of their role has been noted. The goal of evangelizing the world, according to this model, meant that very few Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists or Hindus were attracted to it, "even though the last three had a pronounced cultural and religious preference for abstinence". As the WCTU grew internationally, it developed various approaches that helped with

2805-409: Was necessary to be virtuous. By linking language to culture and institutions, Scovell and the WCTU recognized that a multicultural approach would be necessary to communicate values to new immigrants, but did not conclude that multiculturalism was a value in itself. The WCTU viewed the foreign European cultures as a corrupter and despoiler of virtue, hence the excessive drinking. That is ultimately why it

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2860-625: Was officially declared at a national convention in Cleveland, Ohio , November 18–20, 1874. It operated at an international level and in the context of religion and reform, including missionary work and women's suffrage . Two years after its founding, the American WCTU sponsored an international conference at which the International Women's Christian Temperance Union was formed. The World's Woman's Christian Temperance Union

2915-482: Was paramount the immigrants learned English and assimilated. The WCTU, while a predominantly white organisation, did boast a significant black and indigenous membership. In 1901 Eliza Pierce, a Native American woman, started her own New York chapter of the union, which was featured in The Sunday Herald in 1902. Moreover, there are many references to African American members in the literature surrounding

2970-577: Was passed. After prohibition was instituted, WCTU membership declined. Over the years, different prohibition and suffrage activists had suspected that brewer associations gave money to anti-suffrage activities. In 1919, there was a Senate investigation that confirmed their suspicions. Some members of the United States Brewers Association were openly against the woman's suffrage movement. One member stated, "We have defeated woman's suffrage at three different times." Although

3025-752: Was published in 2015, the main focus of which was current research and information on drugs. Other national organizations also continue to publish. The WCTU also attempts to encourage young people to avoid substance abuse through participation in three age-divided suborganizations: White Ribbon Recruits for pre-schoolers, the Loyal Temperance Legion (LTL) for elementary school children, and the Youth Temperance Council (YTC) for teenagers. The White Ribbon Recruits are mothers who will publicly declare their dedication to keeping their babies drug-free. To do this, they participate in

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