The Daily Ardmoreite

W. C. T. U. and President.

Excerpts from a letter written by Mrs. Margaret Dye Ellis, national superintendent of the legislative department of the W. C. T. U. Mrs. Ellis has represented the legislative interests before congress for eight years. While we were rejoiced at many of the wise suggestions in the president's message we were deeply grieved that in all the multiplicity of subjects considered there was given no word regarding the liquor traffic. Neither in his recommendations relative to statehood for Indian Territory does he mention prohibition as being one of the inalienable rights of the Indian according to the many treaties and covenants of the United States government with the Indians of that territory. It is well to pension and to provide for life-savers along our coasts to regulate adulterated articles of food, drink, drugs, but what of the 100,000 citizens of this country who are legally ruined and virtually killed every twelve months. What of the scores of women who are murdered every year by drunken husbands? What of the helpless, innocent children, victims of the liquor traffic? It is well to have juvenile courts. It is well to prohibit child labor and punish those who for the sake of gain crush and dwarf the lives of innocent children: but what of brutal fathers? Yes, and of mothers who because of their love for strong drink starve, beat and kill their own offsprings? If our legislators would seek the root of all this horror, they would find it in the steady stream of strong drink, legalized and protected by this Christian nation. Surely one day the executive head of this great nation will heed and will speak. God speed the day.