Page:The War on the Webfoot Saloon.djvu/2

 from whence little gusts of viciousness puffed into the streets, pushing before them cargoed demi-reps.

There were reactions, of course. The liquor fraternity was roundly denounced from the pulpits, in language Apocalyptic. Newspapers stood forth, almost without exception, for regulation and restraint (the very nearly universal intemperance of editors notwithstanding). Abstinence pledges were circulated, and signed, and soon forgot. These efforts, and others urged by the female lecturers who were touring about in increasing numbers delivering inflammatory addresses, failed to accomplish any lasting results. But early in I 874 matters took a new turn.

The idea was born early that year in Ohio and transported West, after the feminine fashion, by word of mouth and with such commendable rapidity that by the middle of February the ladies of Portland were astir, bursting with vague plans and inchoate ambitions and already heating up their energies at the fire of righteous zeal. These early days were filled with much aimless goings-about, with badly-attended meetings held at haphazard intervals, but by the first of March the movement was taking definable form. On the sixth of that month, in her weekly sheet, The New Northwest, Abigail Scott Duniway published an editorial titled "PRAYING DOWN SALOONS" which opened coyly, "This exciting topic, just now the theme of the newspapers, it behooves us to have an editorial word on it."

In point of fact, the Portland dailies had taken no more than passing notice of the temperance agitation. But no matter. Mrs. Duniway was safely air-borne and soaring off on a flight of speculation:

"To begin with, then, we are rejoiced to see something started which will bring the women to the knowledge they can deviate from long-established customs without bringing down the heavens upon their heads. Thousands and tens of thousands of them will blockade sidewalks, interfere with municipal ordinances, sing and pray in the most public places to be seen of men, and by this means be awakened to a realizing sense of their political duties."

Once launched, the Great Crusade scudded away before a