THE WORLD'S CONGRESS
OF
REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN
A HISTORICAL RESUME FOR POPULAR CIRCULATION OF
THE WORLD'S CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE
WOMEN, CONVENED IN CHICAGO ON MAY
15, AND ADJOURNED ON MAY 22,
1893, UNDER THE AUSPICES OF
THE WOMAN'S BRANCH OF
THE WORLD'S CONGRESS AUXILIARY
MRS. POTTER PALMER, PRESIDENT.
MRS. CHARLES-HEXRQTIN, VICE-PRESIDENT.
EDITED BY MAY WRIGHT SEWALL,
CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE OF ORGANIZATION.
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK :
RAND, McNALLY & COMPANY.
1894.
MICROFORMED BY
PRESERVATION
SERVICES
DATE.. SEP 1.3 10*9
1 1 OH
COPYRIGHT, 1894, BY RAND, MCNALLY & Co.
/ 10 b
TO
THE MEN AND WOMEN
AMONG HER CONTEMPORARIES WHO, HAVING EARS TO HEAR." CAN UNDERSTAND ITS MESSAGE,
AND HAVING OPEN MINDS AND GENEROUS HEARTS,
CAN REGARD WITH FAVOR THE ULTIMATE ABSOLUTELY EQUAL COPARTNERSHIP
WHICH IT UNMISTAKABLY FORESHADOWS,
THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED,
BY
THE EDITOR.
•-
HON. CHARLES C. BONNEY, President World's Congresses of 1893.
ANNOUNCEMENT.
THE series of World's Congresses which convened in Chicago during the World's Columbian Exposition under the auspices of the World's Congress Auxiliary, of which the Hon. Charles C. Bonney is president, were opened by a Congress of the Representative Women of all Lands. This Congress was, without doubt, the largest and most repre- sentative gathering of women ever convened in this or any other country. It assembled at n o'clock A. M. on Monday, May 1 5th, immediately after the general opening of the World's- Congress series, and adjourned Sunday evening, May 2ist. There were seventy-six sessions and over six hundred partici- pants. The greatest interest was manifested by participants from all parts of the world, and the aggregate attendance for the week was over one hundred and fifty thousand.'
While the officers of the World's Congress Auxiliary pro- vided for the liberal participation of women in the other great departments of thought, like Education, Science, Music, Re- ligion, Moral and Social Reform, Government, etc., they also wisely decided to give a full week to a Woman's Congress for the purpose of presenting to the people of the world the wonderful progress of women in all civilized lands in the great departments of intellectual activity.
This great Congress, which represents the Department of Woman's Progress in the general programme of the World's Congress Auxiliary, was under the direct supervision of the Woman's Branch of the Auxiliary, of which Mrs. Potter Palmer is president and Mrs. Charles Henrotin vice-presi- dent. The work of organization was committed, under the supervision of those officers, to a general committee composed of the following ladies:
Mrs. May Wright Sewall, chairman; Mrs. Rachel Foster A very, secretary; Miss Frances E. Willard, Dr. Sarah Hackett
VI ANNOUNCEMENT.
Stevenson, Dr. Julia Holmes Smith, Mrs. John C. Coonley, Mrs. Elizabeth Boynton Harbert, Mrs. William Thayer Brown.
The proceedings of this Congress of Representative Women present in a remarkably compact yet comprehensive form all the varied interests in which the women of the world are con- cerned. The two volumes in which those proceedings are pub- lished, under the editorial supervision of Mrs. May Wright Sewall, chairman of the Committee of Organization, constitute a complete and comprehensive yet condensed and readable library on all the great themes in \vhich the enlightened women of our time are concerned. No other book or collection of books on these important subjects can take the place of this history of woman's progress. To every woman who holds any place of leadership among her sex these volumes may be truly said to be indispensable. Without them she can not be in touch with the vital influences of the great movement of the nineteenth century which is known as Woman's Progress.
CLARENCE E. YOUNG, General Secretary,
World's Congresses of 1893.
CONTENTS.
VOLUME I.
Page.
DEDICATION, - iii
ANNOUNCEMENT, - v
LIST OF ILLUSTRATION-, xv
PREFACE, - xix
CHAPTER I.— THE INTRODUCTION.
Opening Address of Hon. Charles C. Bonney, President World's
Congress Auxiliary, - 8 Address of Welcome — Bertha M. Honore Palmer, President Board of Lady Managers, and President Woman's Branch World's Congress Auxiliary, n Greeting to the Representative Women of the World — Ellen M. Henrotin, Vice-President Woman's Branch World's Congress Aux- iliary, - 12 Address — May Wright Sewall, Chairman of the Committee of Organiza- tion for the World's Congress of Representative Women, 13 Response — The Countess of Aberdeen, Scotland, - 19 Florence Fenwick Miller, England, 20 Jane Cobden Umvin, England, 23 Hanna Bieber-Boehm, Germany, - 23 Isabelle Bogelot, France, - 23 Margaret Windeyer, New South Wales. - 24 Augusta Foerster, Germany, - - 25 Baroness Thorborg-Rappe, Sweden, 26 Callirrhoe Parren, Greece, - 26 Josefa Humpal-Zeman, Bohemia, - 28 Kaethe Schirmacher, Germany, - 29 Kirstine Frederiksen, Denmark, - 30 Mrs. John Harvie, Canada, - - 31 Hulda Lundin, Sweden, - 31 Dr. Augusta Stowe Gullen, Canada, - 32 Mrs. Foster, Canada, 32 Mary McDonnell, Canada, - 32 Elizabeth M. Tilley, Canada, 33 Laura Ormiston Chant, England, • 33 Margaret V. Parker, Scotland, 34 Nico Beck-Meyer, Denmark, - - 35 Meri Toppelius,. Finland, - 35
( vii ) 1
Vlll CONTENTS.
Page.
The Economy of Woman's Forces through Organization— May Wright Sewall, - - 37
CHAPTER II.— PREPARATIONS.
Object of the World's Congress Auxiliary, - - 45
Officers of the World's Congress Auxiliary, 46
Inception of the World's Congress of Representative Women, - - 46 Committee of Organization for the World's Congress of Representative
Women, 48
Correspondence Relative to Organization of the Congress, - 49
Official Call for the Congress Issued by the Woman's Branch of the
World's Congress Auxiliary, 60
Programme of the World's Congress of Representative Women, - - 67
CHAPTER III.— EDUCATION.
Introductory Paragraphs by the Editor, - - 88 The Kindergarten as an Educational Agency and the Relation of the
Kindergarten to Manual Training — Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper, - 90
Discussion — Mrs. Caroline M. Severance, - - 99
Rev. Mila Frances Tupper, 99
The Kindergarten and the Primary School — Miss N. Cropsey, - 103
' The Ethical Influence of Woman in Education — Mrs. Kate Tupper
Galpin, 107
Discussion — Mrs. W. D. Cabell, - - 114
Mrs. Anna Byford Leonard, 116
Frances Stewart Mosher, - 117
The Popular Inculcation of Economy — Sara Louise Vickers Oberholtzer , 1 19
Educational Training in Its Bearing Upon the Promotion of Social
Purity — Dr. Jennie de la M. Lozier, - 127
The Highest Education — Mrs. Charles Kendall Adams, - 131
The Catholic Woman as an Educator — Mary A. B. Maher, - 134
CHAPTER IV.— LITERATURE AND THE DRAMATIC ART.
Introductory Comment by the Editor, - 138
Woman's Place in the Republic of Letters — Annie Nathan Meyer, - 140 Woman in the Republic of Letters — Alice Wellington Rollins, - 144
Organization as a Means of Literary Culture — Charlotte Emerson
Brown, - 147
Address — Josephine Bates, - 151
The Polish Woman in Literature — Prepared by T. E. C., M. D., - 154 Extracts from the Address of Mrs. Volmar of Utah in the Conference
Congress on Literature, - 156
CONTKNTS. ix
Page.
Insurance Against Piracy of Brains — Kate Brcnvnlee Sherwood, - 158
Woman and the Drama — Introductory Note, - - 161
Woman and the Stage — Helena Modjeska, - 164
Woman in the Emotional Drama — Clara Morris, - 175
The Stage and Its Women — Georgia Gay van, 179
Woman's Work Upon the Stage — Julia Marlowe, - 188
Telegram from Mme. Janauschek, - 164
CHAPTER V.— SCIENCE AND RELIGION.
Prefatory Remarks by the Editor, - - 193
Woman in Science — Dr. Mary Putnam Jacobi, 195
Discussion — Dr. Julia Holmes Smith, - 207
Mrs. Leander Stone, - 207
Dr. Mary A. Dixon Jones, - - 207
The Medical Woman's Movement in the United Kingdom of Great Brit- ain and Ireland to January, 1893 — Dr! Elizabeth Garrett Ander- son, - - - 209 The Medical Education of Women in Great Britain and Ireland — Dr.
Sophia Jex-Blake, - - 214
Discussion — Mrs. Ellis R. Shipp, M. D., - - 221
Woman in the Pulpit — Rev. Florence E. Kollock, - 221
Woman's Call to the Ministry — Rev. Caroline J. Bartlett, - - 229
Discussion — Rev. Eugenia T. St. John, 233
Rev. Mary L. Moreland, - - 234
Woman as a Minister of Religion — Rev. Mary A. Safford, - 236
Discussion — Mrs. Amelia S. Quinton, - - - 240
CHAPTER VI.— CHARITY, PHILANTHROPY, AND RELIGION.
Prefatory Comment by the Editor, - 242
The Modern Deaconess Movement — Jane Bancroft Robinson, Ph. D. , 244 Organization among Women Considered with Respect to Philanthropy
— Mary E. Richmond, - - 254
Discussion — Clara C. Hoffman, 258
The Organized Work of Catholic Women — Lily Alice Toomy, - 260
Woman's Place in Hebrew Thought — Minnie D. Louis, - 267
''Woman as a Religious Teacher — Ursula N. Gestef eld, - 275
Discussion— Alice May Scudder, 279
Sarah B. Cooper, - 281
Lois A. White, - 283
Zina D. H. Young, - - 284
Elizabeth B. Gran nis, 285
Fanny M. Harley, - - 285
X CONTENTS.
Page.
The Light in the East— Eliva Anne Thayer, 286
Subject Continued— Ella Dietz Clymer, - 289 Organization Among Women as an Instrument in Promoting Religion
— Mary Lowe Dickinson, - 292
Address on Same Subject — Rev. Ida C. Hultin, - 297 The Elevation of Womanhood Wrought through the Veneration of
the Blessed Virgin — Emma F. Cary, - 298
The Sisters of the People — Mrs. Hugh Price Hughes, - 303
CHAPTER VII.— MORAL AND SOCIAL REFORM.
Prefatory Comment by the Editor, - 313
The Moral Initiative as Related to Woman — Julia Ward Howe. - 314
Discussion — Rev. Antoinette Brown Blackwell, - 321
Mrs. John F. Unger, - 322
Miss Josephine C. Locke, - - 324
The Civil and Social Evolution of Woman — Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 327
Discussion — Margaret Parker, 329
M. Louise'Thomas, - - 331
Dr. Emily Howard Stowe, 332
Woman as a Social Leader — Josefa Humpal-Zeman, - - 333
The Ethics of Dress — Alice Timmons Toomy, 339
Discussion — Margaret Windeyer, 345
Rev. Antoinette Brown Blackwell, - 346
Laura Ormiston Chant, - - 347
Elizabeth Krecker, 350
Octavia Williams Bates, - -351
Woman's Dress from the Standpoint of Sociology — Prof. Ellen Hayes, 354
Discussion — Dr. Lelia A. Davis, 362
Prof. Helen L. Webster, 365
Dress Reform and Its Necessity — Viscountess F. W. Harberton, - 367
Organization as an Instrument in Promoting Moral Reform — Maud
Ballington Booth, - 371 The Double Moral Standard, or the Moral Responsibility of Woman
in Heredity — Helen H. Gardener, - 374 The Moral Reform Union — Helen Taylor, • 387 Temperance Education — Mary H. Hunt, - 388 The Power of Womanliness in Dealing with Stern Problems — Flor- ence Collins Porter, 391 Origin and Early History of the British Women's Temperance Asso- ciation— Lady Henry Somerset, - - 395 The Origin, History, and Development of the World's Woman's
Christian Temperance Union — Elizabeth Wheeler Andrew, 400
CONTENTS. XI
CHAPTER VIII. — THE CIVIL AND POLITICAL STATUS OF
WOMEN.
Page.
Prefatory Comment by the Editor, . . ^3 The Origin and Objects of the Women's Franchise League of Great
Britain and Ireland — Mrs. Jacob Bright, - 415
Work of the Franchise League — Florence Fenwick Miller, - - 420
Woman as an Actual Force in Politics — The Countess of Aberdeen, 424
Address on Same Subject — Lillie Devereux Blake, - - 430
Woman's Political Future — Frances E. W. Harper, - - 433
Discussion — Margaret Windeyer, . - 437
Woman as a Political Leader — Mrs. J. Ellen Foster, 439
Discussion — Rev. Eugenia T. St. John, - 445
Mary Frost Ormsby, - 446
VOLUME II. CHAPTER IX.— CIVIL LAW AXD GOVERNMENT.
Women in Municipal Government — Ida A. Harper, 451
( >ne Phase of Woman's Work for the Municipality — Lillian Davis
Duncanson, - - 457
Woman's Participation in Municipal Government — Laura M. Johns, 459 Discussion — Dr. Sarah C. Hall, - - 462
Organization Among Women as an Instrument in Promoting the
Interests of Political Liberty — Susan B. Anthony, - 463
Address on Same Subject — Lillie Devereux Blake, - 466
Woman's Position and Influence in the Civil Law — Martha Strickland, 467 The Ethics of Suffrage — Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 482
Woman as an Annex — Helen H. Gardener, 48$
The Value of the Eastern Star as a Factor in Giving Women a Better Understanding of Business Affairs, and Especially those Relat- ing to Legislative Matters — Mary A. Flint, - 500 The Relation of Woman to Our Present Political Problems — Abbie
A. C. Peaslie, - 505
Women's National Indian Association — Mrs. William E. Burke, - 510 The Women's Liberal Federation of Scotland — The Countess of
Aberdeen, - 515
Finsk Qvinnoforening, the Finnish Women's Association — Baroness
Gripenberg, - 521
The Association for Married Women's Property Rights — Baroness
Thorborg-Rappe, - 527
Xll CONTENTS.
CHAPTER X.— INDUSTRIES AND OCCUPATIONS.
Page.
Prefatory Comment by the Editor, - 537
Woman the New Factor in Economics — Augusta Cooper Bristol, 539
Discussion — Lina Morgenstern, - - 550
Elizabet Kaselowsky, - 554
A New Avenue of Employment and Investment for Business Women
— Juana A. Neal, - 559
The Bohemian Woman as a Factor in Industry and Economy —
Karla Machova, - 561 The Contribution of Women to the Applied Arts — Florence Eliza- beth Cory, - 565 Discussion — Emily Sartain, - 567 The Influence of Women in Ceramic Art — M. B. Ailing, - 571 Discussion — Luetta E. Braumuller, - 573 Pottery in the Household — M. Louise McLaughlin, - 575 The Trades and Professions Underlying the Home — Alice M. Hart, 578 Discussion — Helena T. Goessmann, - 589 The Effect of Modern Changes in Industrial and Social Life on
Woman's Marriage Prospects — Kaethe Schirmacher, - 592
Discussion — Alice Timmons Toomy, - - 598
Anna H. Shaw; - 599
Emily Marshall Wadsworth, - 603
Organization Among Women as an Instrument in Promoting the
Interests of Industry — Kate Bond, 605
Address on Same Subject — Harriette Keyser, - - 617
The Women's Protective and Provident League of Glasgow — E. E.
Anderson, - 622
Cooperative Housekeeping — Mary Coleman Stuckert, - 625
Domestic Service and the Family Claim — Jane Addams, 626
CHAPTER XL— THE SOLIDARITY OF HUMAN INTERESTS.
Prefatory Comment by the Editor, - 632
The Solidarity of Human Interests — Isabelle Bogelot, - 634
Address on Same Subject — Callirrhoe Parren, 639
Women in Spain for the Last Four Hundred Years — Catalina d'Alcala, 644 Woman's Position in the South American States — Matilde G. de
Miro Quesada, 650
The Women of Brazil — Martha Sesselberg, - 657
Women in South America — Isabel King, - 658
The Progress of Women in England — Helen Blackburn, - 672
A Century of Progress for Women in Canada — Mary McDonnell, 682
Address on Same Subject — A. M. Blakely, - 687
Discussion — Mrs. John Harvie, - - 689
Emily Cummings, 689
CONTENTS. xiii
Page.
The Progress of Women in New South Wales — C. C. Montefiore, - 690
Our Debt to Zurich — Helen D. Webster, 692
Discussion — Kirstine Frederiksen, - 695 The Intellectual Progress of the Colored Women of the United States
Since the Emancipation Proclamation — Fannie Barrier Williams, 696
Discussion — Mrs. A. J. Cooper, - - 711 Fannie Jackson Coppin, 715 The Organized Efforts of the Colored Women of the South to Im- prove their Condition — Sarah J. Early, - - 718
Discussion — Hallie Q. Brown, . 724
Woman's War for Peace — Nico Beck-Meyer, - - 729
Address on Same Subject — Rev. Amanda Deyo, - 733
Discussion — Lizzie Kirkpatrick, - - 736
Woman as an Explorer — May French-Sheldon, - 736
The Organized Development of Polish Women — Helena Modjeska, 738
Woman in Italy — Fanny Zampini Salazar, - 747
Discussion — Sofia Bompiani, - 760
Women in Agriculture in Siam — Lady Linchee Suriya, - 765
The Position of Women in Iceland — Sigrid E. Magniisson, - - 770
The Position of Women in Syria — Hanna K. Korany, - 773
CHAPTER XII.— EDUCATION AND LITERATURE.
Editorial Comment, - 778
The International Kindergarten Union — Sarah A. Stewart, - - 779 The History, Aims, and Methods of the Association of Collegiate
Alumnae — Marion Talbot, 784 Results of Club Life Among Women upon the Home — Lucilia W.
Learned, - 796 Western Women Authors and Journalists — Emmeline B. Wells, 800 Education of the Swedish Woman — Laura Kieler, - - 802 The New England Woman's Press Association — Belle Grant Arm- strong, 806 The Writer's Club — John Strange Winter (Henrietta E . V. Stannard), Sio
CHAPTER XIII.— RELIGION.
Editorial Comment, - 816
Catholic Women's Part in Philanthropy — Mary Josephine Onahan, 818
Post Office Missions — Mrs. Jenkin Lloyd Jones, - 821 The Relation of Young Women to Church Missions — Rev. Lorenza
Haynes, - 826
Christ on the Avenue — Marion E. Isaacs, - 828 Woman's Missionary Society of the Methodist Church, Canada —
Mrs. E. S. Strachan, - - 833 The Organization and Work of the Christian Woman's Board of Mis- sions— Mrs. O. A. Burgess, 836
XIV CONTENTS.
Page. Woman's Work in the Society of Christian Endeavor — Alice May
Scudder, 840 The Order of King's Daughters and Sons of Canada — Elizabeth M.
Tilley, 843 The Young Woman's Christian Association in Sweden — Sigrid
Storckenfeldt, - 846 The Young Women's Christian Association, Its Aims and Methods —
Mrs. William Boyd, 847
Sermon in the Hall of Washington — Rev. Anna H. Shaw, - 857
CHAPTER XIV.— INDUSTRIAL, SOCIAL, AND MORAL REFORM.
Introductory Comment by the Editor, 870
Organization of Working Women — Mary E. Kenney, - 871
A Bird's-eye View of the National Woman's Christian Temperance
Union — Clara C. Hoffman, 874
Physical Education for Women — Frances W. Leiter, - - 877
The National Christian League for the Promotion of Social Purity —
Elizabeth B. Grannis, 880 The Columbian Association of Housekeepers and Bureau of Informa- tion, with Plans for the Work Outlined in the National Colum- bian Household Economic Association — Laura S. Wilkinson, - 887 A Statement of Facts — Grace Greenwood (Mrs. Sara J. Lippincott), 891 The Needlework Guild of America — Mrs. John Wood Stewart, 895 The Anti- Vivisection Society — Mrs. Fairchild-Allen, 903 Die Jugendschutz — Hanna Bieber-Boehm, - - 905 The Royal British Nurses' Association — Mrs. Bedford Fenwick, 908
CHAPTER XV.— ORDERS, CIVIL AND POLITICAL REFORM.
Editorial Comment, - 912
The Legal and Political Status of Woman in Utah — Emily S.
Richards, - . 913
Response to an Address of Welcome — Mrs. Adlai E. Stevenson, - 915 The Past, Present, and Future of the Woman's Relief Corps— Kate
Brownlee Sherwood, 917 The Eastern Star, Its Origin, Progress, and Development — Mary C.
Snedden, - 920
Organization and its Relation to the International and National
Councils of Women — Rachel Foster Avery, - 924
APPENDIX, 929
INDEX, ... - 945
ILLUSTRATIONS.
VOLUME I.
Page. The New Art Institute, where the World's Congresses
were held, Frontispiece
Hon. Charles C. Bonney, President World's Congresses of 1893, - iv Bertha M. Honore Palmer, President Board of Lady Managers World's Columbian Exposition, and President Woman's Branch World's Congresses of 1893, --------- Xxv
Ellen M. Henrotin, Vice-President Woman's Branch World's Con- gresses of 1893, 12
Mr. Clarence E. Young, General Secretary World's Congresses of 1893, 29 May Wright Sewall, Chairman Committee on Organization for the
World's Congress of Representative Women, - 44
Rachel Foster A very, Secretary Committee on Organization for the
World's Congress of Representative Women, - 61
Dr. Sarah Hackett Stevenson, Member Committee on Organization, 76 Dr. Julia Holmes Smith, Member Committee on Organization, - 76
Elizabeth Boynton Harbert, Member Committee on Organization, - 76 Mrs. William Thayer Brown, Member Committee on Organization, 76
Mrs. John C. Coonley, Member Committee on Organization, - - 76 Mrs. Adlai E. Stevenson, 93
Lady Henry Somerset, 108
Julia Ward Howe, -- - 125
Mrs. William D. Cabell, - - 140
Dr. Jennie de la M. Lozier, - - - 140
Miss X. Cropsey, ---- _- 140
Frances Stewart Mosher, 140
Sara Louisa Vickers Oberholtzer, 140
Caroline M. Severance, 173
Kate Tupper Galpin, -.-..-_--- 173
Anna Byford Leonard, - 173
Mary A. B. Maher, ----------173
Sarah B. Cooper, ---------- 17.3
Helena Modjeska, .._. jgg
Georgia Cayvan, 188
Julia Marlowe, 188
(XV)
XVI ILLUSTRATIONS.
Page.
Josephine Bates, 205
Annie Nathan Meyer, ... 205
Charlotte Emerson Brown, 205
Rev. Mary L. Moreland, - - 220
Rev. Eugenia T. St. John, - - - - - - - - 220
Dr. Mary Putnam Jacobi, ---.--..,_ 220
Rev. Florence E. Kollock, 220
Rev. Caroline J. Bartlett, 220
Minnie D.Louis, ------____ 237
Alice May Scudder, 237
Rev. Ida C. Hultin, 237
Mary Lowe Dickinson, 237
Zina D. H. Young, 237
Elizabeth B. Grannis, - - - 237
Ella Dietz Clymer, 237
Mary E. Richmond, -------- _ 252
Jane Bancroft Robinson, 252
Rev. Mary J. Safford, 252
Helen H. Gardener, 285
Maud Ballington Booth, - - 285
Kate Bond, 285
Rev. Antoinette Brown Blackwell, 285
Josefa Humpal-Zeman, - - - 285
Margaret Windeyer, __. g00
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 300
Lillie Devereux Blake, .__ 300
J. Ellen Foster, 300
Baroness Thorborg-Rappe, - - 300
Baroness Alexandra Gripenberg, - 300
The Countess of Aberdeen, - - 349
Laura Ormiston Chant, - 364
Frances E. Willard, 413
Susan B. Anthony, ------ 428
VOLUME II.
Hon. Harlow N. Higinbotham, President World's Columbian Exposi- tion, ---. 449
Hon. Benjamin Butterworth, Secretary of the World's Congress
Auxiliary, - 460
Hon. Lyman J. Gage, Treasurer World's Congress Auxiliary and ex- President World's Columbian Exposition, 493
Hon. Elbridge G. Keith, Director World's Columbian Exposition and
Chairman Finance Committee. 508
ILLUSTRATIONS. XV11
Page.
Group of Officials and Members of Press Bureau, - 541
Hon. Charles C. Bonney, President World's Congresses, 541
Clarence E. Young, General Secretary World's Congresses, - - 541
Eugene J. Hazard, Assistant Secretary World's Congresses, - - 541
David S. Geer, Official Reporter, ... 541
W. H. Burke, Chicago Times, 541
Basil C. Brooke, Press Stenographer, - - 541
Mr. Holman, Chicago Record, 541
Nina Estabrook, Chicago Record, 541
H. E. Chamberlin, The Post, 541
Thomas Baird, Chicago Inter Ocean, 541
W. O. Brown, Chicago Tribune, - - - 541
Harriette A. Keyser, 556
Augusta Cooper Bristol, - - 556
M. Louise McLaughlin, 556
Alice M. Hart, 556
Lady Linchee Suriya, .-_------ 589
Isabelle Bogelot, '589
Callirrhoe Parren, 589
Rev. Amanda Deyo, 604
Hanna K. Korany, ---------- 604
Sigrid E. Magniisson, ---------- 604
Fannie Barrier Williams, --------- 637
Prof. Helen L. Webster, 637
Sarah J. Early, - 637
Kirstine Frederiksen, -637
Fanny Zampini Salazar, --------- 637
Sarah A. Stewart, 652
Grace Greenwood (Mrs. Sara J. Lippincott), 652
Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher, 652
HuldaLundin, - 652
Mrs. John Harvie, 685
Lillian M. N. Stevens, 685
Gene vie ve Stebbins, 685
Octavia Williams Bates, 700
Mary McDonnell, 700
Sigrid Storckenfeldt, 7°°
Mary Josephine Onahan, 749
Mrs. Jenkin Lloyd Jones, --------- 749
Rev. Lorenza A. Haynes, - 749
Mrs. J. T. Gracey, 749
Rev. Anna Howard Shaw, - 749
Amelia Stone Quinton, - 764
Carrie Lane Chapman, 764
Juanita Breckenridge, - . - - - 7^4
xviii ILLUSTRATIONS.
Page.
Meri Toppelius, 764
Dr. Mary H. Stilwell, 861
Laura S. Wilkinson, 861
Mrs. Lorraine J. Pitkin, 861
Emily S. Richards, 861
Mary C. Snedden, 861
Florence Elizabeth Cory, ... 876
Florence Fenwick Miller, 876
Emmeline B. Wells, 876
PREFACE.
IN presenting to the public the following report of the World's Congress of Representative Women, which ccjn- vened at Chicago Monday, May 15, 1893, in the Memorial Art Palace, under the auspices of the Woman's Branch of the World's Congress Auxiliary, the officers of the Woman's Branch have judged it expedient to preface this report with a few words of explanation as to the inception of the Congress.
An invitation was extended by Mrs. Potter Palmer, president, and Mrs. Henrotin, vice-president of the Woman's Branch, to the " National Council of Women of the United States," at the meeting in session in Washington during February, 1891, invit- ing the Council, in the name of the World's Congress Auxiliary to hold its annual meeting in Chicago during the Exposition of 1893. Invitations and circulars were specially prepared by the World's Congress Auxiliary, and delivered by the president and vice-president of the Woman's Branch to the members of the National Council, the General Federation of Women's Clubs, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and mem- bers of other organizations present at that meeting, inviting them also to hold their annual meetings in Chicago, under the auspices of the Woman's Branch of the Congress Auxiliary, during the Exposition year.
Mrs. May Wright Sewall, as president of the National Council of Women of the United States, and as representing the Inter- national Council of Women, in response to the invitations from the officers of the Woman's Branch, and in the absence from Chicago of those officers, wrote to the Hon. Charles C. Bonney, president of the World's Congress Auxiliary, requesting that the quinquennial meeting of the International Council of Women be also held in Chicago as one of the series of World's Congresses.
(xix)
XX PREFACE.
At the request of the officers of the Woman's Branch, Presi- dent Bonney, in replying to Mrs. Sewall, outlined the plan for the Congress of Representative Women, to convene under the direction of, and to be presided over by, the officers of the Woman's Branch; and at the request of those officers, Mrs. May Wright Sewall was invited to become chairman of the Local Committee of Organization.
From the inception of the Congresses the officers of the Woman's Branch had in mind a Congress of Women, in which the presentation of the professions and trades now open to woman would have been given great prominence; but having received written applications and verbal requests from the officers of many associations to hold annual meetings in Chicago during 1893, they realized that the holding of so many separate meetings would be impossible, and would greatly interfere with the general scheme of the Congresses. They therefore abandoned the project of convening a Special Congress of Business Women, and exerted their influence to secure the representation in the World's Congress of Representative Women of all women in active business.
The formation of dual committees of men and women to assist in the organization of each of the twenty departments of the series of Congresses which were to be held during the Columbian Exposition, secured for woman an equal representa- tion with man along every line of human thought and progress; and it was not to supply any lack in the original scope of the Congresses that that of Representative Women was added to the list. Great care was taken in issuing the preliminary circulars of this Congress, and in arranging programmes, that it should be distinctly understood that in this Congress the contribution of woman alone to the general progress of society, the reform of social evils, and the bettering of the industrial conditions should be presented, while the other Congresses should treat all subjects in their entirety.
Mrs. Potter Palmer, president of the Woman's Branch of the World's Congress Auxiliary, and as president of the Board of Lady Managers of the World's Columbian Exposition, had already secured for the committees of foreign women the official recognition of the various European governments, and
PREFACE. XXI
the Woman's Branch of the World's Congress Auxiliary was thus put in relationship, through the Secretary of State, with the women forming these governmental committees. The president of the Woman's Branch in her journeys to Europe lost no opportunity of urging the officers of foreign societies to send delegates to Chicago to participate in each Congress of the series.
A large number of circulars both in French and German were mailed by the Woman's Branch of the World's Congress Auxiliary to the celebrated women of the world, giving the scope of the proposed Congresses, and urging women every- where to visit the Columbian Exposition and participate in the Congresses. The delegates who in response to this invitation attended the World's Congress of Representative Women and the Congresses that followed during the Exposition season were, in most cases, accredited representatives of the different European governments; and the reports which they will make on their return will be published and widely read.
Mrs. May Wright Sewall's trip to Europe in the interest of the Congress of Representative Women also bore abundant fruit, and to her untiring efforts were due the presence at the Congress of some of the most brilliant foreign representatives.
Early in the formation of this Congress, that its relation to the World's Congress Auxiliary might be clearly understood, the president and vice-president of the Woman's Branch issued the following circular:
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT IN RELATION TO THE CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN TO BE HELD DURING THE WEEK COMMENCING MAY 15, 1893.
The undersigned take great pleasure in announcing that the Congress of Representative Women of all lands will be opened in the Permanent Memorial Art Palace, on the Lake Front Park, city of Chicago, on Monday, May 15, 1893, and that the Congress promises to realize the highest expec- tations of those who have been engaged in its organization.
That there may be a perfectly clear understanding of the nature and
purpose of the Woman's Congress, the undersigned will say that while it
was called by, and convened under the auspices of the World's Congress
Auxiliary of the World's Columbian Exposition, and is particularly under
2
XX11 PREFACE.
the direction of the general officers of the Woman's Branch of the Auxiliary, it is not intended to supersede the proper work of women in any other department of the World's Congress work. In Temperance; in Moral and Social Reform; in Education; in Science; in Music, and the other depart- ments of progress, woman will still have her appropriate part to perform. This Congress of Representative Women is intended to afford a proper and convenient opportunity for presenting the progress of women, in all lands and in all departments of human progress, more fully than there would be opportunity to do in the other departments of the World's Congress work. In this Congress all organizations of women of whatever name or object, and all distinguished women, whether they belong to any particular organiza- tion or not, will meet on absolutely equal terms for the advancement of the common interests of women everywhere. This explicit statement is made for the purpose of setting at rest any question which may have arisen in regard to the relations of the various organizations to the World's Congress Auxiliary.
The work inaugurated by the Committee of Organization, of which Mrs. May Wright Sewall is chairman, has been prosecuted with indefatigable zeal in all parts of the world, and has elicited responses of the most cordial and satisfactory nature from the representative women of all countries. Almost without exception, the organizations of women in various countries have readily enlisted in the support of the Congress and the furtherance of its plans. The National and International Councils of Women, the Federation of Women's Clubs, and other organizations of women, readily acceded to the proposal of the World's Congress Auxiliary that a World's Congress of the representative women of all countries be convened to take the place of the usual annual meetings of such organizations, and have ever since labored with untiring zeal to promote the success of the Congress.
We therefore earnestly invite the leaders of women in all countries, and the associations of women in all lands, to vie with each other to the utmost of their power in endeavoring to make the success of the Woman's Con- gress the crowning event of woman's progress to the year 1893.
BERTHA M. H. PALMER, President, ELLEN M. HENROTIN, Vice-President, Woman 's Branch World's Congress Auxiliary.
The societies and associations of women throughout the United States responded most generously, even enthusiastically, to the call for the Congress. The list of foreign societies whose reports appear in the Report Congresses is a long and brilliant one, and all present united in bearing testimony to the eager interest which women are taking all over the world in social, economic, and political questions.
The American associations were nearly all represented in the Congress, and by their zeal and enthusiasm rendered it the
PREFACE. xxiii
most brilliant as well as the largest gathering .of women ever convened.
The officers of the Woman's Branch tender their sincere thanks to Mrs. May Wright Sewall, chairman of the Committee of Organization, and Mrs. Rachel Foster A very, the secretary, for the untiring energy and unselfish devotion with which they labored to secure the success of this unique Congress, and to the members of the Local Committee, who faithfully attended committee meetings, and who exerted their influence to secure the cooperation of every association in the United States. How great and far-reaching was that influence may be judged from the personnel of the members composing the committee — Miss Frances E. Willard, president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union; Dr. Sarah Hackett Stevenson, president of the Chicago Women's Club; Dr. Julia Holmes Smith, vice-chairman of the Woman's Committee on a Congress of Homeopathic Physicians and Surgeons; Mrs. Elizabeth Boynton Harbert, of the Evanston Women's Club; Mrs. William T. Brown, vice-president of the Chicago Women's Club, and Mrs. John C. Coonley.
It would not be practicable to mention by name every or- ganization of women participating in the Congress, but the officers of the Woman's Branch desire to convey to each and every one their sincere thanks for the interest evinced and the practical support which they gave in the General Con- gress as well as in the Report Congresses, by holding their annual meetings under the auspices of the World's Congress Auxiliary.
The thanks of the officers of the Woman's Branch are cor- dially extended to the various clubs and organizations who so generously entertained this Congress.
The Chicago Women's Club, which opened their record as hosts by giving a brilliant reception to the World's Congress of Representative Women, entertained almost every Congress which convened during the season.
This Congress was also entertained by the West End Woman's Club, the Board of Lady Managers of the World's Columbian Exposition, and the National Council of Women, besides many private receptions.
XXIV PREFACE.
The Congress will undoubtedly be productive of great good in arousing the enthusiasm of women for association, for already many new associations, some of which are destined to be a great power, have been formed, having taken their impetus from the Congress of Representative Women.
The subjection of woman is nearing its end, for she has now secured governmental, industrial, and social recognition. She will, like man, remain under the dominion of physical law, inherited tendencies, and social conditions until they both acquire that fuller knowledge which will enable them to conquer these great forces.
The majority of men and women alike struggle from morn- ing until night to keep a roof over their heads and bread in their mouths, and the entire energies of woman should from this day forth be united with those of man, to better existing economic and social conditions, so that joy and beauty may become as much a part of life as sorrow and labor.
BERTHA M. H. PALMER, President Woman's Branch W. C. A.
ELLEN M. HENROTIN,
Vice-President Woman's Branch W. C. A.
BERTHA M. HONORE PALMER,
President Board of Lady Managers, World's Columbian Exposition; President Woman's Branch World's Congresses of 1893.
WORLD'S CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE
WOMEN.
CHAPTER I.— THE INTRODUCTION.
SUMMARY AND COMMENT BY THE EDITOR — SELECTED PARAGRAPHS FROM THE FORMAL ADDRESSES AND IMPROMPTU SPEECHES DELIVERED AT THE MORN- ING AND EVENING SESSIONS OF THE GENERAL CONGRESS, MAY 15, 1893, BY CHARLES C. BONNEY, BERTHA HONORE PALMER, ELLEN M. HEN- ROTIN, MAY WRIGHT SEWALL, THE COUNTESS OF ABERDEEN, FLORENCE FENWICK MILLER, JANE COBDEN UNWIN, HANNA BIEBER-BOEHM, ISA- BELLE BOGELOT, MARGARET WINDEYER, AUGUSTA FOERSTER, BARONESS THORBORG-RAPPE, CALLIRRHOE PARREN, JOSEFA HUMPAL-ZEMAN, KAETHE SCHIRMACHER, KlRSTINE FREDERIKSEN, MRS. JOHN HARVIE, HULDA LUN- DIN, DR. AUGUSTA STOWE GULLEN, MRS. FOSTER, MARY MCDONNELL, ELIZABETH M. TILLEY, LAURA ORMISTON CHANT, MARGARET V. PARKER, Nico BECK-MEYER AND MERI TOPPELIUS — EDITORIAL COMMENT — EX- TRACTS FROM ADDRESS DELIVERED AT THE CLOSING SESSION OF THE GENERAL CONGRESS BY MAY WRIGHT SEWALL.
THE two volumes now given to the public contain an abridged record of the proceedings of a group of meetings probably among the most remarkable ever convened. This is not said in forgetfulness of the councils of Nice and Trent, of the pregnant interview between King John and his Barons, and of the first Continental Congress ; but in the belief that with these, and with similar creed- making, epoch-making assemblies, the World's Congress of Representative Women must be counted.
The addresses and discussions partially reproduced in these volumes have no mean degree of intrinsic value and interest ; but only when they are read in the light that it is hoped will be thrown upon them by this introduction can
(i)
2 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
their entire significance and suggestiveness be understood. In this light, whether one considers its origin or its motive, its dramatis persons, or the character and the range of the topics discussed in it, it will appear that the World's Con- gress of Representative Women was not only an event in the social history of our country, but a mile-stone in the evolution of our race.
The preparations for the Congress, characterized by a remarkable unanimity of purpose among those engaged therein, were met by a corresponding unanimity of sym- pathy among those invited to participate in the programme, and in other ways to promote its success. Notwithstanding the prevailing sympathy, invitations were now and again answered with the questions, "Why hold a congress of representative women any more than a congress of rep- resentative men?" " Since women are to be permitted, nay, invited and solicited, to have a place on the committees of arrangements, the advisory councils, and the programmes of most if not all of the hundred other congresses to be held in behalf of as many different classes, subjects, and interests, why hold a separate, exclusive congress of women at all?"
The uniform reply to such queries was, in substance, that in all the other congresses women would appear, not in the role of women, so to speak, but in that of teacher, physician, preacher, author, stenographer, insurance agent, banker, archaeologist, philanthropist, etc:, to discuss, in com- pany with men belonging to the same professions, engaged in the same businesses, and interested in the same themes, the questions pertaining to their respective professions and avocations.
It was admitted that by their presence and participation in these various congresses women would illustrate inci- dentally the changing attitude of the world toward them- selves, as women ; but it was urged that such incidental illustration would present most inadequately the revolu- tion wrought in recent years in the world's conception of
THE INTRODUCTION. 3
woman's natural capabilities and her consequent just posi- tion, while it would fail utterly to record or commemorate the struggle through which some women (aided by some men) have won for all women the place conceded to them in modern life. The motive of the entire scheme of the Congress Auxiliary was to ascertain and exhibit the present status of the human race in respect to all important activi- ties : to all great movements ; to all fundamental interests.
Xo interest can be more fundamental than that at once expressed and awakened by the questions: What is the relation of one-half of the race to the other half? to the whole ? What is its part in the development of the whole and in the work of the world? As no question can be more fundamental than these, so none has been more per- sistently asked : and it must be added, that none has received more answers or more contradictory ones.
The importance attached to women's entertaining a proper conception of their powers, position, and scope can be inferred from the number of dissertations of all kinds — sermons, essays, tracts, lectures, and letters — that clergy- men, teachers, scientists, and moralists have devoted to it ; a number which, in comparison with that devoted to men's conception of their position and scope, seems dispropor- tionate.
That women have been dissatisfied with the conceptions of their place in the divine economy enjoined upon them by men, that they have been discontented in the position arbitrarily assigned to them, is evident from the changes in this conception and position conceded already, and from the efforts being made to secure further changes. Xay, it is evident that women are dissatisfied with any conception of themselves, with any position which implies their natural, necessary, and, therefore, perpetual subordination to men.
It is easy to say that the changes already made in the inter- pretation of woman, and in the laws, the customs and ideals concerning her, are but the modifications incidental to the general development and improvement of the human race.
4 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
Doubtless, as enlightenment and the sentiment of humanity have increased, the sense of delicacy has grown more acute, and consequently the most humiliating element in the posi- tion of women has been less brutally emphasized ; and there are many who maintain that woman's position has experi- enced no greater alteration than that of man ; that both have been equally subject to the law of progress and are equally indebted to its results. But any student of history, any student of current literature, any close observer of to-day's life, knows that between the changes made in the last half-century in the condition, attitude, and outlook of men — which are indeed due to the general progress and improvement of the race — and the changes made in the same time in the attitude and condition of women, there is a fundamental difference. It is just this fundamental differ- ence, by far the most vital element in the changes already wrought in woman's position, which can not be ascribed to the general movement of civilization. The progress of civ- ilization as it has affected man (i. e., man as distinguished from woman), wonderful as it is, has been in perfect harmony with the very ancient conception of man as an independent individual, a conscious son of God. It was impossible that woman should not share with man the opportunities for work, pleasure, and culture incident to the growth of civ- ilization ; but in addition to these gains she has acquired a new conception of herself, as also an independent individ- ual and a conscious daughter of God, which is not har- monious with the former prevailing conception of her as man's addendum, his helpmeet, his subordinate.
Hence it was that a congress in which women should meet to present their position and work in every field of labor which they have entered ; a memorial congress in which women might read their own interpretation of their natures, their own version of their rights, responsibilities, duties, and destiny, seemed an indispensable feature of the Congress Auxiliary scheme.
The universal willingness among progressive women to
THE INTRODUCTION. 5
assist in stating woman's view of herself may be inferred from the fact that, although a few women hesitated and delayed, no woman invited to a place on the Advisory Council or on the programme finally declined, excepting because of illness, distance, expense, or prior engagements which made acceptance impossible. In response to such invitations, the women of twenty-seven distinct, separate countries were represented on the Advisory Council by five hundred and twenty-eight names. Of these, two hun- dred and nine served as official representatives of one hun- dred and twenty-six organized bodies of women.
According to their nationality, these one hundred and twenty-six formal organizations of women may be classified thus:
The United States of America... 56 Ireland i
Belgium i Italy i
Canada 6 New South Wales i
Denmark 2 Norway 2
England 30 Scotland 3
Finland 2 South America . i
France 7 Sweden 3
Germany 9 Switzerland i
According to their respective purposes or objects, the same organizations may be grouped as follows :
Education n Moral and social reform . 15
Literature and art 5 Civil and political reform 34
Science 4 Industry 6
Religion 30 Orders 2
Charity and philanthropy 17 Miscellaneous 2
No complete record of the lay membership of all these organizations has been obtained, but it must run into the millions.
During an entire week from four to twenty meetings were held daily, exclusive of the Conference congresses and of the numerous meetings that were improvised, in response to irresistible public appeal, to fill the afternoon recess. That is, there were held in this one week eighty-one meet-
6 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
ings, at each of which a carefully prearranged programme was rendered, besides the meetings held under the auspices of the eight committees on conferences and the indefinite number of informal meetings above referred to.
From Tuesday to Friday, inclusive, there were never less than seven nor more than eighteen meetings in simultane- ous progress. In these meetings three hundred and thirty * women contributed addresses or joined in discussions. Adding this number to the four hundred and twenty-six who served only on the Advisory Council and to the eighty- one * women who served only on the different conference committees, we have a total of eight hundred and thirty- seven different women whose united efforts secured the success of this Congress.
From the above statements one must infer that for some reason the most thoughtful, the most finely developed and most highly cultured women considered it important to seize this unique opportunity to present their estimate of woman's place and possibilities.
The secretary of the World's Congress Auxiliary has- stated that the total attendance upon the meetings above enumerated exceeded one hundred and fifty thousand per- sons. This seems an excessive estimate ; however, the max- imum capacity of the Art Palace is ten thousand ; and its maximum capacity was taxed by throngs that, filling every room or hall where a meeting was announced, overflowed all these and surged through anterooms and passages, patiently or otherwise waiting the withdrawal of some listener for a chance to obtain standing-place in the always crowded aisles.
The policemen in attendance (of whom there were fifteen) testified that often hundreds of people were sent away long before the hour of opening a meeting arrived. From the
*Many women spoke in two or more Congresses or served on two or more Conference Committees; and one hundred and two members of the Advisory Council served the Congress also in other ways; but these figures include no duplicates, each woman being counted but once.
THE INTRODUCTION. 7
preceding statements may be inferred the eager desire of the public to hear women's views of woman. The desire in woman to tell her own story, to paint her own portrait, to read her own future, a desire so deep that it seemed a duty, so dominating that it amounted to a necessity — made the World's Congress of Representative Women possible. The corresponding eagerness of the world at large to listen to the story, to look at the picture and the vision — this made the Congress successful.
In all the other (more than a hundred) congresses fewer women participated than in this one ; in all the others com- bined (excluding possibly the Educational congresses and the Parliament of Religions) there were fewer listeners. What is the import of these facts ?
It were idle to try to reproduce in print the impression made by the Congress upon the minds of those who were fortunate enough to attend it. One might show photographs of the throngs vainly endeavoring to elbow their way through the packed mass of eager would-be auditors filling the space in front of the Art Palace, crowding the steps and trying to effect an entrance at the police-guarded doors ; of the ante- rooms filled to suffocation with those who, happy in gaining admittance, but miserable in finding every session-room overflowing with earlier arrivals, spent entire sessions in pushing their way from one door to another only to find all doors blocked ; of the halls where the flags of all the coun- tries of the world float above platforms crowded with distinguished women of a score of nationalities, upon whom are focused the eyes and thoughts of audiences character- ized by serious enthusiasm. From all these photographs, however, the color and movement are inevitably lacking. One might show diagrams of the rooms wherein standing- space was at a premium, and rapt listeners were quite obliv- ious to the stifling atmosphere, realizing only that it was palpitant with eloquence; but these diagrams would hold small suggestion of the feeling of the occasion. One may read the words that were spoken, but only to realize that 44 it
8 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
is the spirit which giveth life," and that the spirit which was kindled by the circumstances, the scene, the event, has in large measure with these passed away. However, the word, though cooled by time, is the best symbol of the spirit, and that readers of these volumes may be prepared to peruse them sympathetically, and therefore intelligently, it is desirable to give them in this introduction the point of view and the key-note of the Congress.
At no one session of the Congress were these made more intelligible than at the sessions on Monday, May i5th, in the official opening addresses and in the speeches of the foreign delegates. While it has not seemed desirable to give complete abstracts of these addresses in the body of the report of this Congress, it seems necessary for the pur- poses above indicated to insert brief extracts from them at this point. It is hoped that through these extracts readers will get a reflection of the spirit of the Congress that will prepare them to weigh its importance and compute its results.
MR. CHARLES C. BONNEY, PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD'S CONGRESS AUXILIARY.
REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN OF ALL LANDS : The inaugural ceremonies of the World's Congresses of 1893 having been closed, it is now my agreeable duty to announce the open- ing of the first Congress of the series — the World's Con- gress of Representative Women. To you has been allotted the high honor of leading the way in the great series of presentations to be made in this Memorial Art Palace during the six months of the Exposition season. This Congress will be in the especial charge of the Woman's Branch of the World's Congress Auxiliary ; and thus the magnificent achievements of woman in the upward and onward march of civilization will be presented first in the review of human progress which has been arranged for the
THE INTRODUCTION. 9
intellectual and moral exposition which will make ever memorable this year of grace 1893.
This is peculiarly appropriate in view of the fact that the nineteenth century will be known in history as the century of woman's progress, as much if not more than by any other name. It is in this age that woman has become distinguished along the higher lines of human progress, carrying with her wherever she has gone a higher civilization, greater refine- ment and culture, and, as might have been expected, a beneficent influence on every interest with which she has come in contact. What woman's progress signifies is, not the degradation of man, but the elevation of woman. In the deeper philosophic sense, the distinguishing develop- ments of the nineteenth century along the line of what is known as woman's progress, represent the substitution of the law of love for the law of force. Just in proportion as nations and peoples substitute the law of love for the law of force, and seek to do to each other good instead of evil, just in that proportion will come the higher and better civiliza- tion of the race.
Woman holds in her hand no agency of for.ce by which she can compel a compliance with her desires, and accom- plish the objects which she has in view. She must attain her ends solely by the exercise of the spiritual graces and refinements, the moral beauties and powers, of which she has always been the supreme mistress.
It was for reasons such as are indicated in these remarks that a distinct organization was created, called the Woman's Branch of the World's Congress Auxiliary, to represent the interests of women in the World's Congresses of 1893. It was deemed important that this should be done for a double purpose — to give woman's work in this connection such dis- tinctness and comparative independence that it should be seen and judged by itself, and to secure to woman that power and independence of action which would be impos- sible in case mixed committees of men and women had been appointed. The higher work of women in the world
10 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
is so new and so important that it is due both to her and her achievements that the distinctions indicated should be pre- served. Working side by side with the corresponding com- mittees of men, the committees of women for the organiza- tion of each of the congresses, acting under their own general officers, have pursued their work with such fidelity, such subordination to the general plans and purposes of the work, and such conformity to the rules and regulations for the various congresses, that no words of mine can well exceed the praise which is their due.
By what has proved a most fortunate circumstance, one which seems indeed almost like a special dispensation of providence in favor of the Woman's Congress, it has the great honor of leading the way as the first of the series.
When representatives of the National and International Councils of Women first called upon me to propose a con- gress of their organizations, there was no week subsequent to that of May isth which could be assigned for such a pur- pose. Asking those representatives to embrace all organi- zations of women, and all representative women whether affiliated with any organization or not, I agreed to hold that week for a short time to give them an opportunity to confer with their associates in regard to its acceptance, and promised, if accepted, to appoint the proper committee of organization for a World's Congress of Representative Women. A few days later I was notified that this week had been accepted, and that the arrangements for the con- gress would be prosecuted with the utmost energy and zeal.
The Committee of Organization was thereupon appointed, consisting of Mrs. May Wright Sewall (chairman), Mrs. Rachel FosterAvery (secretary), Dr. Sarah Hackett Steven- son, Miss Frances E. Willard, Dr. Julia Holmes Smith, Mrs. Elizabeth Boynton Harbert, Mrs. William Thayer Brown, Mrs. John C. Coonley. This committee, acting under the general supervision of the president and vice-president of the Woman's Branch of the World's Congress Auxiliary,
THE INTRODUCTION. 11
entered at once upon its labors. With incomparable ability, energy, and zeal they published their plans and purposes throughout the civilized world, in the form of the custom- ary preliminary address issued by the various committees of organization, and soon aroused an intense interest in the proposed congress. It is but simple justice to say that the burden of the great labor was borne by the distinguished chairman and secretary of the organizing committee. This magnificent assembly, convened in response to the call of the World's Congress Auxiliary, through its Woman's Branch and Woman's Committee of Organization, is the highest possible praise of the work that has been accom- plished, and the highest possible promise of a successful, harmonious, and world-influencing congress.
BERTHA M. HONORE PALMER, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF LADY MANAGERS AND PRESIDENT OF THE WOMAN'S BRANCH OF THE WORLD'S CONGRESS AUXILIARY.
As president of the Woman's Branch of the Congress Auxiliary, I have the privilege and pleasure of welcoming to Chicago the brilliant women of well-known achievement who will inaugurate the series of congresses to be held in this building during the coming months. Their apprecia- tion of the significance of this occasion and the value of this opportunity has caused representatives from every part of the world to be here. Each has been moved by the desire to assist in properly focusing the last and best thought devel- oped in the various departments of the world's work. Wis- dom will be drawn from women of all nations ; all bring their votive offerings to help to build and make beautiful the great temple of truth. The influence for good emanating from these halls can not be overestimated, for the words here spoken will be widely read and felt. They will express not only the actual conditions and potent forces which are working for good to-day, but also the influences that lie
12 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
just back of them, which will make possible a better and happier to-morrow.
ELLEN M. HENROTIN, VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE WOMAN'S BRANCH OF THE WORLD'S CONGRESS AUXILIARY (ACTING PRESIDENT).
Of the inestimable value of the participation of women in the Columbian Exposition and in the Auxiliary Con- gresses it is vain even to conjecture.
We feel to-day, in reviewing the past, as if great things had been accomplished, but this is the opportunity to cent- ralize thought the results of which are destined to bring about a peaceful revolution in the social, legal, and moral status of women.
What advantage is it if a few make brilliant records, and fail to raise man and \voman to the heights of the serenity of knowledge?
The rights of the individual are sacred, but only as one of a great social unity ; and it is just on this line that women must bestir themselves to be good citizens of the city, the state, and the nation ; to enter into the paths of commerce and finance ; to supervise and educate the young ; to create new trades and professions for women. In truth, what stands in the way, not of women, but of the world, to-day is woman's ignorance of practical affairs — her lack of partici- pation in public affairs, the fatal conservatism in the leisure classes, equally marked among working-women.
Our reason and our judgment approve the modern con- ception of education, of democracy, of religion — but we shrink from the actual inauguration of new principles of life, and weakly cling to the past.
If these congresses can arouse women to the magnificent possibilities, not alone of womanhood, but of humanity, surely the world will look back to the summer of 1893 as blessed.
ELLEN M. HEXROTIX, Vice-president Woman's Branch World's Congresses of 1893.
THE INTRODUCTION. 13
MAY WRIGHT SEWALL, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN OF THE UNITED STATES AND CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE OF ORGANIZATION FOR THE WORLD'S CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
From the outset of this great work every member of the committee charged with the organization of the World's Congress of Representative Women has felt her strength to be the strength of ten, not through any self-confidence, but through confidence in those allied with us ; for back of our committee has stood the Woman's Branch of the World's Congress Auxiliary ; its president, Mrs. Potter Palmer, and its vice-president, Mrs. Charles Henrotin, bear names to conjure with ; back of the Woman's Branch has stood the World's Congress Auxiliary itself, whose presi- dent, the Hon. Charles C. Bonney, from the outset avowed it to be his desire that this Congress should be the first in influence and excellence, as it should be earliest of all the long list of congresses in date ; back of the World's Con- gress Auxiliary was felt the potent influence of the National Government, which by the statute under which the Auxiliary is organized pledged substantial aid and spiritual sponsor- ship to all congresses which should be convened in the name and under the protection of the Congress Auxiliary ; back of the National Government, surrounding, directing, and controlling it, was felt the still more potent influence of that world spirit (der Zeit Geist) to whom alone it is given to declare when the fullness of time shall have come for any event, for the prosecution or for the success of any cause. Though the confidence of the committee is justified by its indorsers, the committee knows that its work will be judged only by its success. Hence, before the World's Congress shall have passed into history, it avails itself of this opportunity to make a brief statement of the motives and methods of its work. What is excluded from any motive is not unimportant in deciding its character ; nor is it, indeed, less important than what is included in it.
14 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
May I then say that the committee has from the begin- ning of its work consciously and persistently excluded from its purpose the promulgation of any one cause, the exploita- tion of any single society, the exaltation or promotion of any one woman ? Excluding all these fractional considerations, it has as persistently endeavored to promote that whole cause which is as yet lacking in the feminine correspondent of the masculine name, " fraternity " ; to uplift that whole society to which we might and to which we do all belong, which we name humanity ; to exalt that perfect woman, who, uniting in her own person the characteristics of Eve, Venus, and the Virgin, is the ideal that can be conceived only by the high-hearted man, the lofty-minded woman ; that ideal -which, taking a different name in every country, is Hera in Greece, Minerva in Rome, and in America the Goddess of Liberty. The exaltation of this universal womanhood it is which the Committee of Arrangements seeks.
By what method ? Although the method has been out- lined by the president of the Congress Auxiliary and by the acting president of the Woman's Branch, it may not be out of place to make a plea for the high-sounding name of our Congress. Abroad, it is charged against Americans that they are fond of high-sounding names ; and we must confess that by naming the school a college, and by calling the col- lege a university, the ideal of education in our country has been debased. Heaven forbid that the size of the world shall be reduced in the public imagination, or that the dig- nity of this Congress shall be abated in the public mind, by its high-sounding title, " The World's Congress of Repre- sentative Women."
Almost all of the countries of Europe, India, China and Japan, Turkey, Syria, and other oriental states, divers border states of Africa, Iceland, Australia, and our next neighbors, Mexico, Canada, Central and South America, are, in this Congress, united to all the states within our own borders. May we not say that this is a world's congress ? Are its members representative ? That is a question, answer to which must depend upon point of view and definition.
THE INTRODUCTION. 15
" Organization is the tendency of the present age." How many times have we heard this in the last decade as organiza- tions have been springing tip all over the world. Notwith- standing that it has become a hackneyed statement, the hackneyed statement clothes a vital truth. Recognizing that organization is the tendency of the age, it was to organ- izations of women that our committee made its first appeal. It was our first necessity to find a roster of these organiza- tions. Adding to bona-fide national organizations the begin- nings of such formed in the capitals of countries wherein national organizations in the full sense of the term are not yet effected, we made a list of one hundred and twenty- six. Each of these organizations was regarded by our com- mittee as a constituency, and was invited to name its repre- sentative on the Advisory Council and on the list of speakers. It was optional with each one of these one hun- dred and twenty-six independent constituencies to decide whether the same person should serve in both capacities or not. Therefore, it will be understood by every woman, present and absent, belonging to a national organization anywhere, that if she has not been consulted in the prepa- rations for this Congress, or if she has not been invited to speak in its sessions, she must appeal to her constituency for an explanation and not to the committee ; since each constituency made its own nominations, which in every instance have been respected.
Though it was our desire to recognize isolated individu- als equally with the representatives of organizations, it is with a higher pride, with a deeper gladness, that we wel- come to our platform representatives of those arts who hitherto have achieved their fame, scored their successes, carried their career from beginning to end, under the im- pulse of individualism as distinguished from that of asso- ciated endeavor. I know that no other woman whose name is upon our list of speakers will feel it invidious if I men- tion those queens regnant of the realm of art, Janauschek, Modjeska, Clara Morris, and those princesses of the same
10 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
realm, Mile. Rhea, Julia Marlowe, and Georgia Cay van; for I count it one of the realized dreams that such representa- tives of art will come here and let the concentrated luster of their brilliant achievement be added to the more diffused light that shines upon the paths of the women who work in education, in philanthropy, in charity, in religion, in moral and social reform.
Again, in seeking for individuals outside as well as within the arts who should be invited to participate in this Con- gress, the selection was not made by our committee un- aided. Indeed, for the most part, our committee simply has confirmed the nominations made by a constituency of twelve hundred men and -women selected by us, to whom were issued letters asking them to nominate the women outside of organizations who should stand upon the Advis- ory Council of this Congress or should be asked to speak from its platform ; and no woman has been placed upon the Advisory Council or the programme who has not thus been vouched for by some man or woman in the picked constituency of twelve hundred.*
Glad as we are to unite in this Congress mistresses of the different arts, we feel it a gladder if a humbler duty to unite in it the races that are at work together within our own land for liberty. It is a wonderful truth that the capability for forgiveness, that divinest of attributes, is a human inherit- ance. You will find upon the list of our speakers a descend- ant of the last hereditary chief of the Cherokees, and also some descendants of that other more greatly outraged race, imported only to be reduced to servitude, who come to us but one remove from the generation of their own blood which was sold from the block. Is not this a magnificent proof of the capacity for forgiveness possessed by these two races ?
In our own country, where all races are mingling, differ- ence of race has never made so deep a chasm as religious difference makes, especially when the latter is intensified through its being a racial inheritance. Therefore it is
* See Appendix A.
THE INTRODUCTION. 17
with peculiar joy that we read upon our lists side by side with the names of representatives of the mother church, the great Catholic church, in Europe and in the United States, names of women representing all the leading sects of that great subdivision of religious faith named Protest- antism. It is with a still keener pleasure that the committee welcomes to this congress a representative of a still older faith, the Hebraism out of which Christianity evolved. The preparations for the Parliament of Religions have so empha- sized the fraternity of faiths that the propriety of emphasiz- ing the mingling of the adherents of different religions in this Woman's Congress may be questioned. But more is implied by this meeting of women of different creeds of the same general faith than would be indicated by the meet- ing of men of entirely different faiths ; for, however men may have led religious struggles by virtue of simply external forces, such struggles have always drawn their inspiration from the woman heart ; from the heart to which reverence is a native principle ; from that heart which cherishes its religion, by whatever name, as its first and final love.
The educative character of the Congress must not be for- gotten. Its best work will not be done during its sessions ; much of its best work has been done already. The commit- tee can never express the gratitude it owes to the press of foreign countries in disseminating its plans. All of the documents so generously printed at the expense of the United States Government have been reproduced in the papers of Italy, France, Germany, England, Bohemia, and in abridged form in Denmark, Norway, Russia, and Fin- land. Leading journals of all these countries have opened their columns from time to time to notice our letters and appeals in successive order since the first preliminary address, and have followed their notices of our work with eulogistic editorials, thus commending it to thousands of women who, although they can not share the privileges of these sessions, have already shared the inspiration of the preparations.
18 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
The influences that have mingled in these preparations can not be enumerated. The Honorable Mr. Bonney told us this morning that seven centuries of human progress were reaching their climax in this series of congresses. With his permission, I will say that the influences which are to be gathered up in this Congress must include that of Miriam as she gave instruction to the great leader, Moses, and that of Sappho as she sat in her proud island home, gathering about her her disciples, those women to whom with the art of poetry she imparted also the principles of religion and government.
I wish I could intimate at what sacrifice our delegates have come to us. I wish I could indicate to you the char- acter of the women whose eyes are fixed upon these halls to-day. I hold in my hand cablegrams from England, Scotland, Russia, Finland, Holland, Belgium, and France, from organizations of women in all these countries, who send their loving greetings, their words of cheer and sisterly affection.
I wish I could enumerate all of the delegates gathered here at this hour, and to the name of each append a recital of her good works. But could I enumerate all, I should close with the name of the only one to whom I shall refer. Sitting upon this platform, to be introduced to you by and by, is a woman who sailed from the Cape of Good Hope. Is it not indeed from the CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, from that promontory of eternal and boundless aspiration jutting out into the wonderfully radiant waters of infinity, that we set sail to-day? A great leader marshaling his forces for a mighty battle reminded them that from the heights of the pyramids twenty centuries looked down upon them. Can we not feel to-day that twenty centuries of aspiration lying back of us find some response in this event, and that twenty centuries of hope fulfilled lying before us, looking back shall find that this Congress dates the hour of a new march — not for divided womanhood as against a separate manhood, but a new march for a unified, harmonious, onstepping humanity?
THE INTRODUCTION. 19
THE COUNTESS OF ABERDEEN, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE RETURN OF WOMEN TO ALL LOCAL GOVERNING BODIES, OF THE WOMI \ - LIBERAL FEDERATION OF SCOTLAND, AND OF THE WOMAN'S FRANCHISE LEAGUE OF ENGLAND.
On behalf of the women of my own country, on behalf of the various associations that have asked me to act here, and especially on behalf of the largest political association of women in the world, I beg to thank the preceding speakers.
It is only, after all, a very short time back that this asso- ciated work of women has become strong ; really it is only within our day — and we have heard even to-day the whisper of the thought that perhaps our danger lies now in over- organization ; that everything must be done through com- mittees, associations, and meetings ; but I think we are already finding out that the way to create a larger useful- ness is to bring together all of these various associations into a larger union, so that they may together find out the sources and the causes of their weaknesses and failures as well as of their strength and their successes. During the last five years in Great Britain there have been such meet- ings where representatives of secular as well as of religious, political, philanthropic, and social work have gathered together to learn to know one another. I am proud to say that the first conference of that sort, although it was con- ducted in a small school, was held in our town of Aberdeen in Scotland. It was held five years ago, and we can trace to it very great results, upon the workers out in the country districts, who before that time were working in loneliness, not knowing what a sisterhood they had to look to. That conference has been followed by others, by larger ones, which are increasing from year to year, and large meetings are being held throughout England at cities like Birming- ham, Liverpool, and Bristol. During the last three years
20 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
meetings have been held \vhich have given out great inspiration to all the women workers who had the privilege of attending them. If such results come from these meet- ings in one country, who can foretell the results which will come from this wonderful Congress which you of the New World have convened together ?
I can only say on my own behalf that I feel it is an enormous responsibility to stand here as the representative of the women of my own country ; an enormous responsi- bility, filling me with apprehension lest I may not be able to catch the spirit which pervades this meeting and to convey it to those whom we, as representatives here, are acting for. I can only pray that the womanhood of the world may indeed arise to the greatness of the opportunity which is now presented.
FLORENCE FENWICK MILLER, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WOMAN'S FRANCHISE LEAGUE OF ENGLAND, THE CENT- RAL NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE, THE SOCIETY FOR THE RETURN OF WOMEN TO ALL LOCAL GOVERNING BODIES, AND THE NEW SOMERVILLE CLUB (LONDON).
It is an amusing fact that in Mother Shipton's prophecies it is said that the twentieth century should be the century of women ; assuredly, Mother Shipton made a very happy hit. When I first began to take in women's questions they were generally spoken of as "Americanisms." lean remember this word in my early girlhood as the term indicative of, I will not say, opprobrium, but of a spirit which dismissed a subject at once in old-fashioned Eng- land. Any new idea as to the education of women, or the admittance of women to the learned professions, or any improvement in woman's dress was an Americanism.
It has been said very truly that the discovery which men have made in this age of the true powers of women is as
THE INTRODUCTION.
21
ur-
great a discovery in its consequences as the discovery of the powers of electricity. Those powers always existed. It is only to-day that they are being utilized ; it is only to-day that women are being asked to step forward, that they are being allowed even to exercise to the full all those powers that have been bestowed upon them, assuredly pose of being used, but that in past ages hav completely crushed within the bosoms w
In England we have gone ahead \ advanced ideas about women from the ideas were mere ''Americanisms," and think that as far as the laws go we stand higher position than the women of any other nation.
In England women exercise every franchise except the parliamentary one. Women have sat upon the school boards over there from the beginning. The London School Board has never been without one or more lady members, I myself having been a member of it for nine years. The London County Councilors are elected in part by the votes of women. My friend and fellow-delegate, Mrs. Cobden Unwin, was elected by a large constituency to sit upon the London County Council, but the judges decided that as the law had not explicitly made a woman eligible she could not sit. In the new bodies of parish councils, that are now being established by an act which is before Parliament, women are entitled both to vote and to sit. They can also exercise all rights of property, whether they are married or single, and they can stand before the law in all matters in regard to property on an absolute equality with men. Medicine is now open to w^omen after a long and hard struggle. The law is not, and the orthodox church is not. The orthodox church I am inclined to think will be the last stronghold that will give way. I fear it will be found to be even worse than the law ; but things go ahead so fast that perhaps before I die I shall see a lady Archbishop of Canterbury. In almost every way women in England now find an avenue open to them for the exercise of their
22 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
special and peculiar talents. As an illustration of what we yet require I will just mention to you what are the specific laws for which the Woman's Franchise League is at present working. In the first place we are working for the par- liamentary vote, because we feel that that must be the bul- wark behind which we intrench every other privilege and every other right that we obtain, and because we feel that it is a slur and an insult that the most highly cultivated, the most competent, the most business-like, the best trained of women should be held incapable of giving any opinion upon the affairs of their country, while the lowest, the most ignorant, and the most illiterate of men is supposed to be equal to having such an opinion.
The next measure we advocate in the House of Commons is one for amending the divorce laws, which are very un- equal between men and women. Our next bill is one for making equal the condition of men and women before the law in case of inheritance of property where there is no will. At present if a man dies without leaving a will his. wife and his daughters are postponed by the law to the interests of his eldest son in particular, and to those of all his sons in general. If it were not our duty to do these things, if it were not our duty to cultivate our minds and to exercise our opinions, the power to do it would have been denied us. Powers and duties are correlative, stand in opposite scales, and are absolutely balanced. Let no one suppose that a power which is not used is anything else but the talent that was buried in the napkin ; let no- one shelter herself under the idea that she is unselfishly giving up what she might have claimed for herself, that she is putting aside her own claims and generously taking a lower place. It is by such subterfuges that we are led away from difficult and tiresome duties. Whatever powers a woman has it is her duty to exercise to the full, and it is because we believe that the exercising of those powers to the full will be a benefit to mankind at large that we are so much in earnest about the woman question.
THE INTRODUCTION. 23
JANE COBDEN UN\VIN OF ENGLAND, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FRANCHISE LEAGUE OF ENGLAND, THE CENTRAL NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE, AND THE SOCIETY FOR THE RETURN OF WOMEN TO ALL LOCAL GOVERNING BODIES.
As one of the delegates from England I desire to thank you most heartily for the reception you have accorded me. I recognize the warm interest which is felt in this country for the work the societies which I represent are carrying forward in England for advancing the position of woman in public and political life. I can assure you that in Eng- land we fully appreciate the progress in this direction which you are making in this country, and we look forward hopefully to the not very distant date when the women of these two countries shall have won for themselves the absolute rights of free citizens.
HANNA BIEBER-BOEHM, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE JUGEND- SCHUTZ VEREIN (GERMANY).
The women of Germany give their greeting to the women of the world here assembled, and especially to the noble women of America, who have done so much for the advancement of our woman cause, and who by their brave and persevering activity have raised the position of woman to a heretofore unknown prominence.
ISABELLE BOGELOT, TREASURER OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN, OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE, AND REPRESENTATIVE OF LA SOLIDARITE DES FEMMES.
In the name of France I first greet our hosts, the Amer- ican ladies, and then all who represent here their different
24 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
countries. To-day we wish to have only one country, that where reigns justice ; a single flag, that which will make all our hearts beat for the amelioration of the condition of women in the entire world.
I bow before the recollection of the noble ones who have left this earth before a definite victory. I am proud to find myself in the midst of women whose names will be handed down to posterity, shining with the recognition of their enfranchised sisters, for to have struggled for the rights of women is to struggle a second time for the abolition of slavery.
I conclude my sincere and modest wishes by congratulat- ing the young women who will come to take part in our work and to enjoy the happy results which have crowned persevering efforts. In walking upon the path traced by their elders, and working in their turn, the generation which follows us will see, I hope, the triumph of the cause of woman. Who knows whether the complete recogni- tion of the rights of woman will not take for its annually recurring gala-day the glorious date of the i5th of May, 1893, a day when all the nations, uniting at Chicago, opened the international congress of women.
MARGARET WINDEYER OF AUSTRALIA, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WOMANHOOD SUFFRAGE LEAGUE OF NEW SOUTH WALES.
Coming as I do from the newest country represented in this august body, words fail to express how highly I esteem it an honor and privilege to be among your number. The members of this Congress stand upon the immovable basis of a common interest, viz., the advancement of women and through them of the whole human race ; and it is no light matter to stand among you as the representative of that country of great actualities and greater possibilities, Aus- tralia. Though widely separated from the thinking women
THE INTRODUCTION. 25
of Europe and America, there are women in Australia who have the courage of their opinions; who unflinchingly strive toward the good and true ; who try to bear each other's burdens; who seek to obtain right and justice for all ; who show themselves capable of attaining higher edu- cation, and of taking an active part in the organizations which exist for the welfare of the young and for the alle- viation of human misery.
AUGUSTA FOERSTER OF GERMANY, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GENERAL GERMAN ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN, OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF THE WORK- ING CLASSES, AND OF THE FEDERATION OF ALL THE SOCIETIES OF LADY TEACHERS IN GERMANY.
I have the honor to bring you the cordial greeting from three German associations of women. We are highly inter- ested in all the work our American and foreign friends have done. In regard to the higher public education of women, you enjoy all the advantages that we are longing and fighting for.
The three associations I have the honor to represent are : General German Association of Women, whose leader is the well-known Frau Luise Otto-Peters in Leipzig ; Associa- tion for the Education of the Working Classes ; General Fed- eration of All the Societies of Lady Teachers in Germany, whose members are just now holding their annual meeting under the splendid leadership of Helene Lange. There are in this federation, which was established in 1890, thirty- eight societies, with four thousand five hundred members. Our aim is to have more lady teachers and superintendents in our public schools; to give women a greater influence in public education at large, and to qualify them for these responsible tasks by a higher education. Last, not least, we demand a higher public education for all women.
26 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
BARONESS THORBORG-RAPPE, OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SWEDEN (APPOINTED BY A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CABINET CALLED FOR THAT PURPOSE).
A Norwegian authoress, Mrs. Camilla Collett, has, in a series of essays on the " Woman Question in Europe," ex- pressed herself thus regarding its progress in Sweden :
" Sweden stands first among the northern states in the movement for the education of woman. She early out- stripped the others in a more lively and general interest in woman's rights, and the result is that to-day the country is blessed with many noble reforms in this direction. This striking fact is unquestionably due to the liberal senti- ments which Swedish men entertain for women them- selves, as well as for the cause which the women advocate. From early times the men of Sweden have been considered to represent the specifically chivalrous virtues of our northern climes, and if the daughters of the land have not yet reaped the full benefit of this inestimable trait, now assuredly the harvest-time has come."
The reports from the Swedish Ladies' Committee, which I shall have the honor of presenting you, will bear witness to this fact. It is, no doubt, a great victory that the American women have gained over the prejudices which have long kept in bondage the capacities of woman, thus having suc- ceeded in getting her accepted as the equal collaborator with man in this great international competition.
It will be your just reward that the impressions and ideas which shall be kindled in this Congress will contribute to the betterment and elevation of mankind.
CALLIRRHOE PARREN OF GREECE, REPRESENTING HER COUN- TRY BY THE PARTICULAR APPOINTMENT OF QUEEN OLGA.
I come from a distant but not unknown country, the Kingdom of Greece. I have crossed the sea and the ocean
THE INTRODUCTION. 27
that I might meet \vith you and join with you in celebrat- ing on this occasion the progress of woman, in a country in which women continue the work of my ancestors. Ameri- can ladies, from their colossal progress, may be considered the younger sisters of the women of ancient Greece. Have you not done in this age what they did twenty centuries ago ? Are not you the athletic heroines of progress who have raised up the flag of woman's intellectual independence, and have achieved by your native intelligence and by your ardent devotion to science and art the realization of the great idea of Christ — the equality of the sexes ?
Have not your great nation and your great men, the wealth of your country, the millions of dollars to your credit in your national budget proved that the developed woman is the greatest and richest factor in a common- wealth ? that women with systematic culture, \vith purpose and with heart, not only fashion honorable men and invalu- able patriots, and consolidate homes, but also make nations and countries strong ? As the first Christians looked intently toward Jerusalem as the spot whence, through Christianity, the regeneration of nations was to be effected, so all the civilized world looks intently toward America as the point whence shall issue the true civilization and the permanent progress of the people. We, far away to-day in our small Greece, with our beautiful sky, our smiling landscapes, and with the living and instructive monuments of our ances- tors— we, the small descendants of great progenitors, follow your course with enthusiasm.
Age-long servitude has rendered our minds inert, our bodies weak. The darkness of the Middle Ages has spread a thick cloud over Greece, and the tyrannical yoke which but just now we have thrown off has left ineffaceable scars. Nevertheless we advance, if only slowly. The monuments of our ancestral fame are colossal evidences of genius which remind us of our descent. They say to us that a nation does not die whose works time, the great destroyer, has not been able to render tame and weak.
28 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
I shall not try, ladies, to inform you as to my ancient country. You know its great and glorious history, from which has been nurtured all the human race. Generally the name of Athens has been accepted to mean light, progress, civilization, letters, art, science; but before all these it had another meaning, to many unknown. It meant in general the predomination of the goddesses in Olympia, and the predomination of woman in society. Our women in ancient times, according to a very old tradition, had the same civil rights as men. When it was to be decided what deity should be the protector of their city, while the men, who were more lazy than the women, voted, in small numbers, for a god, the women all voted for a goddess. Thus Athens came under the rule of Pallas Athena — of wisdom.
JOSEFA HUMPAL-ZEMAN OF BOHEMIA.
What can I say for the Bohemian women to you ? We have come thousands of miles, as have many other noble representatives. I only regret that my friend who was to represent the women of Bohemia to-night is not able to be here, because she has been delayed on the voyage and may not arrive until a week later. We have in our country, among those high hills, and in those quiet valleys, women who are to-day struggling for the same ideas, the same aims which you are struggling for ; and the very fact that I, a Bohemian, a descendant of that famous educator who dared to advocate equal education for women and men — that I stand here a Bohemian woman, Bohemian born, Bohemian educated, to assist in this Congress, proves my statement.
Ladies, I need not make any excuses for the women of my nationality. They have struggled ; they have tried to per- form their duties in their own homes. They have also gone to the wars and stood side by side with their husbands in the Thirty Years' War, where they fought bravely. They have
CLARENCE E. YOUNG, General Secretary World's Congresses of 1893.
THE INTRODUCTION. 29
become educators, artists, and students ; and more than that, they have tried three years ago to establish the first school for the higher education of women in Central Europe, and did establish at Prague a private school to prepare women for the university of that city ; and the Reichsrath has said that just as soon as the women of Bohemia get the young women prepared for the university, that it shall be open to them, and women will have equal education. The women of Bohemia are now out of their own private money sup- porting this school, where they have over eighty students studying the classical languages, mathematics, and medi- cine. More than that, the first two physicians that have been appointed by the government of Austria as state phy- sicians, as army physicians, in the county of Bosnia, are Bohemian women. I know that women in our land are interested in your good work, because I have been requested by the leading newspaper men of Bohemia to keep this Congress before the eyes of our women. I wish that I could make you understand how happy, how proud I am that I can have a part in this great movement, in this great current which is pushing with all its force forward, and which is bound to sweep away all narrow prejudices and put woman where she belongs, by the side of man, as a human being.
KAETHE SCHIRMACHER OF GERMANY.
If you will give me your attention a few minutes, I will tell you how I happen to be here, because I think it is such a fine illustration of the liberal mindedness of American women. Ever since I heard of the World's Fair at Chicago, I set my heart on being here, because I wanted to see great things, because I wanted to see great men and great women. For a long time I found it very hard to get any opportunity for gratifying my wishes. Then it came to me all at once. We have at the place I live a woman's association, the pres- ident of which was asked to take part in the World's Con-
30 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
gress. Our president, though she was very sensible to the honor of being invited, could not come ; and as I am the secretary of the association, she told me to answer the letter. I did so. At the same time I suggested some subjects for discussion, and one of the subjects, namely, " The Effect of Modern Changes in the Industrial and Social Position of Women upon Their Marriage Prospects," had the good fortune to please the chairman of the committee, so she asked me to come, and I am here. I have a great interest in the question above stated.
KIRSTINE FREDERIKSEN, RECORDING SECRETARY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN AND REPRESENT- ATIVE OF THE DENMARK DANSK KVINDESAMFUND.
My country is a small one, so small that all its inhabit- ants might get into the city of New York, but it has been very anxious to be represented at this World's Con- gress of Women, and has sent four representatives. I for my part stand here with the greetings of nine hundred Danish women, all members of our Danish association of women, which for twenty years has worked hard for the advancement of womankind in every position, in the family, in society, and in public life. As the name of that associa- tion tells you, it is national, and it represents every class in the nation. You will find among its members simple- minded country women, hard-working, self-supporting women, who are leading out into new paths for themselves and their kind ; and you will find both the high born and the lowly. You will find there those who love liberty and who enjoy the light of the highest education in Copen- hagen. You will find among these nine hundred women representatives of our leading families. When they chose to send me over here it was because I, in my daily work, labor for the women and children. We think America the very best place in the world for women and children.
THE INTRODUCTION. 81
MRS. JOHN HARVIE OF CANADA, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF CANADA.
As Canadian women we scarcely feel like foreigners, but know that we have much in common with our American sisters. We proudly boast the same noble ancestry. Our countries are geographically contiguous, and we are very near together in many respects, so near that we feel we are almost one. It seems to me that we feel the differences more on account of the political lines which separate us. On the higher plane of thought and power we can see and feel that we are one.
As women representing the great sisterhood of women of the world we stand shoulder to shoulder with the long pro- cession moving forward for the emancipation of women in this nineteenth century. We feel assured there will go out from this noble gathering unlimited influences for the en- lightenment of our sex, and the strengthening of the tie that binds us all together in a great sisterhood of women, regardless of nationality.
HULDA LUNDIN OF SWEDEN, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SWEDISH LADIES' COMMITTEE.
I am living in a corner of the world which is a small piece of that country inhabited in the olden time by the Vikings. It was a country too small for them, and so they left it and went out to foreign countries. I do not know whether I have any of the blood of those Vikings in my veins, but I do know that I have drunk of their spirit ; so I could not stay in my own little country, but have several times left it to go out in the world to see and to study. I have gone to Italy, to France, to Germany, and to many other countries of Europe. But at last I found even that continent too small for me. I had to go farther on, and so I came to the New World, to America. I am happy to be here, and I hope that I
32 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
shall feel deeper, that I shall learn more, that I shall be able to work harder for my dear old Sweden when I go back to it.
DR. AUGUSTA STOWE GULLEN OF CANADA, REPRESENTA- TIVE OF THE WOMAN'S ENFRANCHISEMENT ASSOCIA- TION OF CANADA.
May we not congratulate you and ourselves that we are together permitted to behold this day, a day so representa- tive of woman's advancement toward the goal of her liberty and freedom ?
Woman's discovery of her own potentialities is full of prophetic meaning ; meaning which can not be more fully explained than in the language of Victor Hugo, who de- clared that the twentieth century would record the death of war, and the scaffold of dogma, but that man would live. There will be but one country, and that the whole earth ; but one hope, and that the whole heaven. All hail to the twentieth century, which shall own our children, and which our children shall inherit.
MRS. FOSTER OF CANADA.
I have just one word to say, and that is that this Congress of Representative Women is starting a greater electric current than any that Edison ever started. He has done a great deal, and we are to see in the White City such exhibi- tions of electricity as the world has never seen before, but I believe that an electric current has been started by this Congress and will continue to be carried on by its influence that will arouse the women of the whole world, and that we shall see such results as we have never even dreamed of.
MARY MCDONNELL OF CANADA, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DOMINION WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION.
With sentiments of the deepest gratitude we acknowledge the debt we owe the women of this republic, not forgetting
THE INTRODUCTION. 33
the pioneers of the woman suffrage movement. When we recall the scorn and ridicule so needlessly hurled and so patiently endured, we are reminded that martyrs have made smooth the path we now tread. Our hearts go out in lov- ing sympathy to the women who drove the van cart of this movement for woman's freedom ; the pioneers who endured all the persecutions that narrow minds could inflict while clearing away false sentiment that was found blocking every avenue to human progress. Opinions, it is said, govern the world, but ideals draw souls, and in truth women from all nations have been drawn to this one common center by one common ideal.
ELIZABETH M. TILLEY OF CANADA, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DOMINION BRANCH OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORDER OF THE KING'S DAUGHTERS AND SONS.
We were introduced as foreign delegates, but I assure you that we don't feel like that at all. We are more like members of the same family, with some slight differences perhaps, but all the same we are of one kin, and in coming here we feel that we have come among our friends and relatives. As Mrs. Harvie remarked before, there is noth- ing but the custom-house that seems to divide us. We hope some day there may be a change there.
LAURA ORMISTON CHANT OF ENGLAND, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BRITISH SECTION OF THE WORLD'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION, OF THE CENTRAL NATIONAL COM- MITTEE FOR WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE, AND OF THE UNI- VERSAL PEACE SOCIETY.
I come to you this morning as a simple messenger from the mother country to say how my heart is beating to think of the great dream that you have thrown into realization
34 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
to-day. If you and I could but look forward to the future and see how five hundred years to come they will look back to us, the happy men and the happy women, the happier all the world over for the realization of this great dream, we should feel even gladder than we do ; but this morning our hearts are taken up in fraternal greeting ; we are shaking hands with all the world, with no distinctions of race, or creed, or time, or nationality. We are all one, children of one common Father, sunning ourselves in the magnificence of our common humanity. We stand before our Father, God, men and women, two halves of this great human race, confessing that on both rests the great work of lifting the world out of its sorrow into the joy of which we have sighted the shore this morning. To-day you have touched in this great Congress the divine majesty of woman. Oh, how one's heart aches to think how many there are who will not yet be able to take in the great thought, who have not yet room enough in their hearts to house this magnificent con- ception. But for you and. for me, who have had room enough, by means of sorrow, by means of great love, by means of long work and self-abnegation, by means of com- munion with the highest and loftiest teachers, to you and myself, who have housed this magnificent conception, what henceforth, dear women, is our vocation in this great life of ours? What is the duty that is forever laid upon our shoulders after this morning, after this great event ? It is that we shall go on being the creators of this noble order of womanhood, God's world over, in whatever country and under whatever name, and speaking whatever outward language.
MARGARET V. PARKER OF SCOTLAND.
I am glad to find myself here to-day, because I had the honor of moving the first resolution out of which the first international council of women proceeded. We were giving
THE INTRODUCTION. 35
a reception to your noble women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Saint Susan B. Anthony, in Liverpool, when I submitted this resolution.
Nico BECK-MEYER OF DENMARK, REPRESENTATIVE OF DE SAMLEDE KVINDEFORENINGEN.
The Danish women of the Associated Women's Union of Denmark, to-day send their greetings to their sisters, the American women, with their deepest wishes for success and blessing on the work of this Congress. Calm as the land of our homelike Denmark is, that peaceful country of meadows and of lakes, so is the character of our nation calm ; but where its interest once becomes aroused it is interested in earnest ; therefore I say if there were any possibility of it, every progressive woman of Denmark would be in this building.
It is strange how little influence distance has. Distance is nothing. Difference among nations is nothing. Time is nothing. It is all eternity. And if we have an open eye we shall see that when work is commenced in one country the same kind of work is, on account of the power of the spirit, commenced in other countries at the same time.
MERI TOPPELIUS OF FINLAND, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FlNSK QVINNOFORENING.
The first International Council of Women, at Washington, in 1888, was of great importance to all the women's associa- tions in the world, and the result of that Council will for- ever be a blessing to the women everywhere. Now this, the third one, is the second in America, and will, as it is an auxiliary to the World's Exposition, be of still greater importance. In the last decade strength of coop- eration has been more and more considered among the
36 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
women's associations in the world. Therefore the women in all civilized lands are feeling both proud and gratified by an invitation to an international woman's congress. My own beloved native land, Finland, does not have any polit- ical prominence, but in an international battle on the field of intelligence it has always been in the front rank. The women of Finland have faithfully and enthusiastically worked for the progress of mankind in knowledge and truth. The women in Finland believe in cooperation, and therefore they work in associations for women's rights ; the oldest one of these is the Finsk Qvinnoforening, the Finland- ish women's association, founded in 1888. The president of the association, Alexandra Gripenberg, represented it at the International Council at Washington, and brought us many new thoughts and impressions from the New World. As I have the honor to represent the same association at this World's Congress, I desire to bear to the president of the International Council of Women, and to the represent- ative women of the world present to-day, the cordial regard and greeting of Finland.
EDITORIAL COMMENT.
It is believed that the preceding extracts show the sig- nificance of the Congress to those participating in it more clearly than any formal statement could. Unfortunately many of the foreign delegates whose knowledge of English was imperfect, were deterred by the diffidence thus caused from speaking at the opening sessions. Still more unfort- unately the representatives of Italy, Iceland, and Siam did not arrive until after the close of the Congress, and those of Spain and Syria were too late for the opening sessions. The utterances on subsequent occasions of the delegates from these countries prove, howrever, that had they been present, their contributions would have been but variations of the prevailing note.
THE INTRODUCTION. 37
" To him who hath ears to hear " their voices all unite in the following simple proclamation :
Woman has attained her majority ; she recognizes herself as an individual, and is entering with conscious responsi- bility into her inheritance of this world as joint heir with man ; joint heir of its labors, joint heir also of its rewards. In her possession of liberty woman founds her claim of •equality; and she sees that acknowledged equality with man is the only possible basis of permanent and satis- factory cooperation with him. The method of attaining such cooperation is indicated in the following address, the last delivered in the Congress:
THE ECONOMY OF WOMAN'S FORCES THROUGH ORGANIZA- TION—ADDRESS BY MAY WRIGHT SEWALL OF INDIANA. CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE OF ORGANIZATION.
The subject which I am to present is "The Economy of Woman's Forces through Organization." It is the most important question that confronts either the men or the women of our time. We have reached nearly the end of a marvelous week, a week from which many events in the history of progress will be dated ; but when the history of this week shall be accurately and completely written, the one feature of it that will stand out most conspicuously will be its vast extravagance. What prodi- gal expenditure of time, money, and strength has been poured into this Congress, simply because to convene it we were obliged to bring together isolated individuals from the ends of the earth who have stood for ideas, about which should have gathered great national organizations ; to reach whom we have been forced to address each one separately. It is true that it is the glory of this Congress to have convened one hundred and twenty-six national organizations of women, or organizations approxi-
38 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
mately national. But what are one hundred and twenty- six national organizations, each of which holds itself distinct from every other of the one hundred and twenty-five? What are they compared to what they might be if linked together in organized form ? Take for example the fifty- seven national organizations of women in the United States,, representatives from which have been gathered in this- Congress. If all of the fifty-seven had been made one body, however loose the bonds that bound them together, what an easy thing it would have been to send along the line all of the watchwords necessary to advise every member of the preparations for this great Congress. But with the exception of the fourteen national organizations that are linked together in the National Council of Women of the United States, each stands by itself alone ; and for the most part each stands by itself in proud isolation, apparently unconscious of the fact that its isolation is its weakness. Therefore to gather them together, to each society had to be sent the letters and the documents ; to each one had to be sent letter upon letter to convince those at its head that coming into this Congress did not mean yielding up its individuality. It is painful to consider the record of this correspondence, to estimate the time and strength that have been put into over ten thousand letters and forty-five thousand documents ; each of the former addressed and mailed by itself; each committed to an individual with the hope that that particular individual would possess a heart and a head capable of comprehending the magnificent generosity of the idea underlying the plan. It is a story of tremendous waste. Do I tell it now to mourn over and deplore it? Nay, but simply to call you to face the fact. Now that it is over, and now that all of the representatives of each of the organizations which finally gave their adhesion to the Congress find their own character untouched, except- ing only as they have been quickened and magnified ; find their own individuality unimpaired ; their own identity not permanently lost, but found in a larger identity than
THE INTRODUCTION. 39
any they had ever dreamed of before, we may perhaps dispassionately discuss the idea.
Not an organization has held a department congress under the roof of this Art Palace without experiencing the economy of organizing along these large lines ; because every department congress has had provided for it an audi- ience outside of itself. We know that whenever an organi- zation holds its semi-annual, its annual, its biennial, or its triennial meeting, as the case may be, it gathers to itself as participants and auditors only those people who already believe in it, who already are a part of it, who already have given their adhesion to the idea for which it stands. Is it not true that the National American Woman's Suffrage Association, holding its little department congress in Hall III, had an opportunity to place before people who never before had heard them, the arguments upon which the advocates of suffrage base their claim ?
Is it not equally true that the department congress of our Catholic sisters had a Protestant hearing that its members never would have obtained from the annual meetings of their own societies? That the temperance women found strangers coining into their meeting ? That the women who stand for the higher education, and who ordinarily convene no one in their sessions excepting members of the alumnae association and the mothers of daughters who are reaching the age when the question whether they are going to have the higher education must be settled, saw in their meetings other people who are not wont to consider problems of the higher education ?
I venture to speak of another association in which I am deeply interested, and to say that I believe for the refin- ing, elevating, and enlarging ideal which is , personified in the Federation of Clubs, it was a most felicitous circumstance to meet here in a congress where were convened for other purposes many women who are not club women. If that association had held its own con- gress, under its own name, isolated from everything else,
40 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
only club women would have come to it. Here is one economy; it is by no means the only one.
I have spoken of the great extravagance of this Congress ; but great as has been its extravagance, how much greater would have been the cost of convening each one of the organizations composing it at a separate time? Each doing all its own printing, not being mentioned at all on the documents of other organizations ; each organization writing all the letters for itself, not being named at all in the letters that were sent out from any general headquar- ters ; each engaging its own hall ; each securing its own reporters and stenographers, and making its own arrange- ments with the Associated Press and the daily press? What do you think would have been the relative cost of holding all of the meetings that have been held within this building under the auspices of the one committee, if each one had been held under the auspices of its own sepa- rate committee ? The cost would have been multiplied by the number of associations that have been convened. Therefore, while this Congress has been a vast extrava- gance, it has illustrated a vast economy.
However, up to this point I have spoken only of the baser forms of economy — the economy of money, of phys- ical strength, and of time. Valuable as is money ; more valuable as is physical strength ; more valuable than both as is time, there are things still more valuable than money, strength, and time. Spiritual force, sympathy, a sense of the relations that exist between one set of people and another set of people, an appreciation of the relation that exists between one idea and another idea, all of these things are infinitely more valuable than those I have hitherto enumerated. Yet all of these things are utterly dis- regarded when we hold ourselves in a state of isolation. It is only, as every woman who has spoken on this platform, illustrating her statement from the standpoint of the idea for which she has spoken, has said — it is only when one adds herself to another, in the recognition of a common
THE INTRODUCTION. 41
interest, of a common motive, of a common ideal, that the two find they can accomplish twice the task with half the effort. If this be true of the individuals that unite them- selves into associations, is it not equally true of the associa- tions that unite themselves together for large purposes for which no association by itself stands, but which all together can accomplish?
For what does such organization as we have witnessed this week stand ? It stands as an illustration of one of the most important subjects on the week's programme; it stands for a recognition of THE SOLIDARITY OF HUMAN INTERESTS. No paper that has been presented in the general Congress has more beautifully, more forcibly enun- ciated and advocated that doctrine than a paper presented in the Department Congress of the International Council of Women. There Frau Bieber-Boehm gave her idea of the International Council from the standpoint of moral education ; she said : " It is only when the women of every country have made the highest possible moral claim, viz.: that there shall be but one moral standard for both men and women, and that that shall be, not the standard by which we now measure men, but the standard by which we now measure women ; not until all the nations of the world shall have adopted that standard," said she, " can I work to a successful issue in my society in Berlin, which stands for the moral protection of the young." It was a true word. We may illustrate it along all the lines of effort that have been presented in this Congress, and there is no line of effort that has been presented here from which any of us can afford to hold ourselves isolated. Consider industry. To-night Miss Addams (known in connection with Hull House) told us that hitherto woman has stood in the indus- trial world as a casual, simply because she has stood in the industrial world unorganized ; each woman unrelated to every other woman, each woman regarding every other woman as her competitor, and because her competitor, her enemy. Consider education. We all know the enormous
42 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
failure that results from attempting to educate a nation on the system of private, of individual instruction. Whatever tutors, whatever governesses the families of the rich may be able to provide for the petted child in the bosom of its own family, little will it avail if all the other children in the community are left uneducated. Education must be organ- ized in order that there may be a common ideal, that there may be a touch of common ambition ; that one young woman may be an incentive to another young woman, and one young man to another young man. It is only as education is organized in systems of schools and colleges that the highest possible culture can result. If this is true of industry and education, it is equally true of moral and social reform. This has been illustrated a thousand times over by the papers and discussions in the various congresses during the last week. The lesson of it all has been — " I can keep my children pure only if you keep your children pure ; my child must be affected, even to infection, so long as he breathes the atmosphere of the children who are not measured by the same moral standard by which I try to measure him." That is what organiza- tion along moral lines means. What of organization in its relation to civil liberty? We have the history of our own country back of us, and we know very well that civil liberty would never have been obtained for any one if all had not been consciously related to one another by virtue of a common need. We know that the town meeting in which the men of the little country districts used to meet, the larger organization of the county, and the still larger organization of the State were necessary in order to secure the still greater organization of a United States, and that only through the demand for civil liberty by men already organized was civil liberty obtained. So along all lines of effort. If each of us had had to make the struggle of life alone, we know that no one ever could have advanced beyond the most debased barbarism. It is -only because even in barbarism the race has found itself
THE INTRODUCTION. 43
related to itself, and has moved together, that it has moved at all.
This being the lesson of history along whatever line one reads it to the present time, how shall we apply it to to-day's need? What shall be the practical result of this Congress ? When five years shall have rolled by, and the time for the next quinquennial session of the International Council of Women shall have arrived, is the same vast .amount of unnecessary work to be done in order to bring the women of the world together, or shall we respect the dignity of continuity ? Shall we be willing in this development of organized effort to recognize our ancestry? Shall we be willing to see the origin of this great Congress in the little meeting held in Seneca Falls ? in a more remote little meet- ing held in Boston by a number of women organized to secure liberty for the blacks of the South ? Shall we then recognize that every one of the organizations represented in this Congress was necessary to the making such a Congress possible? The International Council of 1888 was the first conscious step toward this Congress, all the steps that pre- ceded it having been necessary for that, but not consciously having been taken toward that goal. The Universal Con- gress of Women, convened in Paris in 1889, was the second conscious, intentional step on the same road. The first trien- nial session of the National Council of our own country, in 1891, was the third step toward this Congress, and this may be but a fourth step toward an assembly as much surpass- ing this in numbers, in objects, in organization, in effort, in accomplishment, as this surpasses the first puny band of women ever organized. It is only necessary that the continuity of the work shall be respected. If each one of us insists in moving along in a series of unrelated spasms, never will the \vorld of women be organized.
This morning, at a meeting of the foreign delegates with the regularly elected delegates of organizations belonging to councils in our own country, in France, and in Belgium, where national councils are already firmly organized, and
44 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
in Canada,* Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, where they are partially organized, it was determined to appoint some woman in every nation represented in this great Congress of Representative Women to stand in her country for the national and international council idea. The coun- cil idea means the grouping of organizations into an organ- ization in which individual membership shall be unknown ; wherein every organization which is national in its char- acter or in its scope shall be represented. Thus the coun- cil will be a republic of ideas. That is what a world's council of women should be — a republic of ideas.
The national council is a republic composed of national organizations, each standing- for a separate purpose. The international council is a republic composed of national councils. We who believe in this national and interna- tional council idea see as its ultimate incarnation a PERMA- NENT INTERNATIONAL PARLIAMENT OF WOMEN, with its meetings at regularly appointed intervals, where not only the questions which are supposed peculiarly to concern womankind shall be discussed, but where all the great questions that concern humanity shall be discussed from the woman's point of view. Such an INTERNATIONAL PAR- LIAMENT OF WOMEN is the logical outcome, the necessary evolution of such a meeting as we have held during the past week. The hearts of all the greatest women of all the nations represented here are fired with this conception. They will be lured on by this ideal until this ideal shall have been realized, and the next ideal to captivate the imaginations and compel the activities of the true leaders of society will be the INTERNATIONAL PARLIAMENT OF MEN AND WOMEN, WHEREIN WILL BE LEGISLATED THE QUES- TIONS THAT CONCERN THE WORLD.
* The organization in Canada has been completed since May, with the Countess of Aberdeen as its president.
•
V
I
MAY WRIGHT SEWALL,
Chairman Committee on Organization for the World's Congress of Representative Women.
CHAPTER IL— PREPARATIONS.
INCEPTION OF THE IDEA OF THE CONGRESS — API-OINTMENT OF THE COMMITTEE «iF ARRANGEMENTS — CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN PRESIDENT BOXNEY, OF THE WORLD'S CONGRESS AUXILIARY, AXD MRS. SEWAI.L, CHAIRMAN <»F THE COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS, SHOWING THE GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN — THE CHAIRMAN'S WORK ABROAD — THE PRELIMINARY ADDRESS — THE FULL PROGRAMME.
THE World's Congress of Representative Women was convened in the city of Chicago on the 1 5th day of May, 1893, under the auspices and the control of the World's Congress Auxiliary of the World's Columbian Exposition. The organization and the work of the World's Congress Auxiliary are so well known that they do not need detailed statement in this volume. The following para- graphs are taken from the official publications of the Auxiliary :
The World's Congress Auxiliary is not only the accredited representative of the World's Columbian Exposition, but also of the Government of the United States, for the following purposes :
The general object of the Auxiliary is to convene in the city of Chicago, during the Exposition season of 1893, a series of world's congresses in every department of thought. Its official announcement has been sent to foreign countries by the President of the United States, and the various governments have been invited by the Department of State to appoint delegates, in addition to those who will attend as the representatives of institutions and societies.
The chief purpose of the Auxiliary is to procure the maturest thought of the world on all the great questions of the age in a form best adapted to universal publication. Unprepared discussion or miscellaneous debate will not be desirable, but instead thereof the time at disposal after the delivery of a discourse will be given to the most eminent persons present, who will speak on the call of the presiding officer and to whom such previous notice as may be practicable will be given. The summaries of progress to be presented and the problems of the age to be stated will not be submitted to the vote of those present, but will be published for subsequent deliberate 5 («)
46 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
examination by the enlightened minds of all countries; for unrestricted discussion in the forum, the pulpit, and the public press; and, finally, for the impartial judgment of that exalted public opinion which expresses the consensus of such minds.
The work of the Auxiliary has been divided into nineteen great depart- ments, with more than one hundred divisions in which congresses are to be held. Each division has its own local committee of arrangement, and each committee has its own advisory council, composed of eminent representatives, selected from different parts of the world, who are inter- ested in the subject to which it pertains.
The officers of this body are as follows : President, Charles C. Bonney ; vice-president, Thomas B. Bryan ; treasurer, Lyman J. Gage ; secretaries, Benjamin Butter- worth and Clarence E. Young. The officers of the Woman's Branch of the World's Congress Auxiliary are Mrs. Potter Palmer, president, and Mrs. Charles Henrotin, vice-presi- dent.
The inception of the World's Congress of Representative Women maybe traced back to February, 1891, when the National Council of Women of the United -States, then in session in Washington, D. C., decided to recommend to the officers of the International Council of Women that the first quinquennial session of the International Council should be held in Chicago in the summer of 1 893 instead of in Lon- don as originally intended. This decision was reinforced by the very cordial invitation of Mrs. Potter Palmer, who attended the sessions of the National Council as the delegate of the Board of Lady Managers, and as president of the Woman's Branch of the World's Congress Auxiliary. In her address before the Council Mrs. Palmer said : " The Board of Lady Managers most cordially and pressingly invites this Council to hold its international meeting in Chicago at the time of the Columbian Exposition, when it -will place at the service of the ladies the Assembly Room in the Woman's Building, and, should that not prove large enough, through our Congress Auxiliary, the magnificent Auditorium can be secured for the meeting of the Interna- tional Council of Women."-'
* Printed transactions of the National Council of Women, page 317.
PREPARATIONS. 47
This invitation was supplemented by a similar one from Mrs. Charles Henrotin, vice-president of the Woman's Branch of the World's Congress Auxiliary, who also was in attendance at the Council sessions.
In pursuance of the plan thus initiated, the American officers of the International Council obtained the consent of the foreign officers to the proposed change from London to Chicago. The Executive Committee of the National Coun- cil of Women of the United States pledged the National Council to entertain free of expense all foreign delegates while in attendance upon the proposed meeting of the Inter- national Council.
The call for the meeting of the International Council in Chicago was promptly issued, accompanied by the pledge of entertainment above referred to, and both call and pledge were given wide publicity through the home and foreign press, and through private and official correspondence, in the early summer of 1891. The documents bear date May 31, 1891.
In due time, as the plan of the World's Congress Auxil- iary developed, the officers of the National Council of Women of the United States entered into correspondence with the Hon. Charles C. Bonney, president of the World's Congress Auxiliary, requesting that the quinquennial meet- ing of the International Council of Women, announced for the summer of 1893, should be adopted as one of the series of congresses organized by the Auxiliary, with the under- standing that its scope should be enlarged to the greatest possible extent ; that it should take the name of " The World's Congress of Representative Women ; " and that it should be subject to the same rules and enjoy the same privileges as the other congresses in the series.
This formal application from the officers of the National Council of Women of the United States was made by its president, Mrs. May Wright Sewall, of Indianapolis, under date of May 29, 1892. In reply President Bonney wrote as follows, under date of June i, 1892 : " To Mrs. May Wright
48 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
vSewall, president National Council of Women of the United States, Indianapolis, Ind. Dear Madam : The application of the National Council of Women of the United States for a World's Congress of Representative Women, in the series of congresses to be held at Chicago during the Exposition season of 1893, under the auspices of the World's Congress Auxiliary, is allowed, and, in accordance with your request, the week beginning May 15, 1893, is assigned for the pro- posed congress." Mr. Bonney, at the request of the officers of the Woman's Branch of the Auxiliary, at once appointed Mrs. May Wright Sewall chairman of the committee in charge of the preparations for this congress. Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery, corresponding secretary of the National and International Councils of Women, was made the secretary of the committee. To these two ladies was thus committed the task of laying the plans, shaping the programme, and corre- sponding with leading organizations and individuals in all countries, with a view to securing their support and partici- pation. The committee was completed by the addition of Dr. Sarah. Hackett Stevenson, Dr. Julia Holmes Smith, Mrs. John C. Coonley, Miss Frances E. Willard, Mrs. Elizabeth Boynton Harbert, and Mrs. William Thayer Brown, all of Chicago. All the work of this committee was subject to the approval of the head of the Congress Auxiliary, Hon. Charles C. Bonney, of Chicago, and also to that of the pres- ident and the vice-president of the Woman's Branch of the Auxiliary, Mrs. Potter Palmer and Mrs. Charles Henrotin, both of Chicago.
The following extracts from the initial correspondence between President Bonney, of the Congress Auxiliary, and Mrs. May Wright Sewall, president of the National Coun- cil of Women, will show in clear detail the gradual devel- opment of the plan, from the mere holding of a session of the International Council of Women to the convening of a World's Congress of Representative Women.
There are unavoidable repetitions in the following letters and in the preliminary address, which it is hoped will be
PREPARATIONS. 49
pardoned in consideration of the importance of setting forth fully the preparatory steps of this great undertaking.
IxniAXAi-m.is, May 19, 1892.
HQN. CHARLES C. BOXXEY, President of the IVorld's Congress Auxil- iary of the World's Columbian Exposition.
MY DEAR SIR: At the recent meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Council of Women of the United States, held in Chicago on May gth and loth, it was decided to make to the board which you repre- sent certain requests.
May I preface these requests with a statement explanatory of the char- acter of the International Council ? In the year 1888, at the close of the International Council of Women, convened in Washington, D. C., two per- manent organizations were effected — the National Council of Women of the United States and the International Council of Women, representing the world. It was decided that the International Council should be convened in five years, that is, in 1893, and it was then intended to convene it in London. However, when the Columbian Exposition was set for 1893, Chicago became the proper place for the meeting of the International Council. More than a year ago, at the first triennial meeting of the National Council of Women of the United States, Mrs. Potter Palmer of Chicago offered the National Council a room in the Woman's Building for its headquarters during the Columbian Exposition; and Mrs. Charles Henrotin, in speaking for the Congress Auxiliary, assured the Council that, in making preparations for convening the International Council in Chicago, reliance could be placed upon the board managing the Congress Auxiliary for help in securing ample announcements, halls for the sessions, printing, etc.
Supported by these voluntary pledges of Mrs. Palmer and Mrs. Henrotin, the National Council commenced its correspondence one year ago, issued its preliminary call, and undertook to entertain all foreign delegates during the time of the sessions of the International Council in Chicago. To give you a fuller comprehension of the scope of both International and National Councils, I shall send you herewith a copy of the report of the first sessions of each body.
With this preliminary statement, may I set forth our requests? First, we should be glad to have the International Council of Women convene prior to the World's Woman's Temperance Congress, because, as it does not exist for the promotion of any one object, but for the cultivation of a larger mutual sympathy and intelligence among the advocates of different objects, it seems proper that it should precede and introduce the other congresses. Second, if the first request cannot be granted, or in any case, we desire to be authorized to issue our call for an indefinite approximate date between May i5th and June isth, 1893. Third, we wish to have fourteen public sessions of the Council, which will necessitate the Council's lasting one
50 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
week at the very least. Fourth, we desire to apply for one of the large auditoriums and for five of the smaller rooms in the Art Palace, during the sessions of the International Council.
From my conversation with you on last Saturday, I feel confident that you will be able to accede to our requests. It seems necessary to issue a preliminary call at once, because it is our intention to secure for our pro- gramme the strongest women in the world to represent the different depart- ments of activity in wrhich women are engaged.
Asking such an immediate reply as will warrant the officers of the National Council in assuring the officers of the International Council of their ability to redeem pledges already made, and to go forward with necessary correspondence and preparations, I have the honor to subscribe myself,
Yours with high esteem,
MAY WRIGHT SEWALL.
CHICAGO, U. S. A., May 26, 1892. MRS. MAY WRIGHT SEWALL, President National Council of Women of
the United States, 343 N. Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis, Ind.
DEAR MADAM: Your favor of the igth inst., in which you request an assignment of dates for a congress of your organization, prior to the World's Temperance Congresses to be held during the first week in June, 1893; and, if that request can not be granted, an assignment of some date for such a congress between May isth and June isth of next year; and expressing a desire for meetings of your Council, extending through a week, including sessions in one of the large auditoriums of the World's Congress Art Palace, and special meetings in five smaller rooms, came duly to hand, and has received preliminary attention. The communication of the same date, in which Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery, corresponding secretary of your Council, joins, has also been received.
While I can not, at this time, make a definite assignment of the Art Palace rooms for the use of your Council, I think it safe to say that arrange- ments can be made for a congress of your own and allied women's organ- izations, to be held within one or two weeks of the date fixed for the con- gresses of the Department of Temperance. I expect to be able to give definite dates for the various congresses by the ist of July, next.
Should an application be made, as \vas suggested in your interview with me, for a general congress of women, under the leadership of your organ- ization, to be held during the week commencing May 15, 1893, very much better facilities can be afforded than will be practicable at any later date. « * * * * -* * *
As expressed to you in the interview to which I have referred, it seems to me peculiarly appropriate that in this century, so highly distinguished by the advancement of women in nearly all the departments of human prog- ress, aside from the particular congresses in which her work will, more or less, be set forth, an occasion should be arranged in which a graphic pres-
PREPARATIONS. 51
entation of the whole scope of woman's advancement may be made under the most auspicious circumstances.
Cordially inviting all and any such further suggestions as you may be pleased to make, and awaiting with special interest the decision whether an application for such a woman's congress will be made, I am, my dear Mrs. Sewall,
Very sincerely yours,
CHARLES C. BONXEY, President World's Congress Auxiliary.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., May 28, 1892. HON. CHARLES C. BONXEY, President of the World's Congress Auxiliary ',
Chicago, 111.
MY DEAR SIR : Yours of May 26th, in reply to mine of the igth inst., has been duly received and carefully read. I fear that my request was less definitely and carefully made than I intended it to be. I intended it to be framed in strict accordance with the general understanding reached in our interview. What the officers of the National Council really desire is this — that a general congress of women shall be convened under the leadership of the National Council of Women of the United States.
We wish it to be prefatory to all other meetings of women, and the only reason that I did not specify the week beginning May isth was because I understood that you preferred the request as to date to be more general. If you can at once grant permission to convene this congress at this date, our organization will gladly avail itself of this time.
We expect to be subject to the general rules and regulations of the World's Congress Auxiliary, and feel that our own work will be dignified by this association. * * *
If I receive a favorable reply, as from the tone of your letter and of our interview I anticipate, I shall at once issue the preliminary address in con- junction with the president of the International Council for this general congress of women. I have the honor to remain,
Yours very sincerely,
MAY WRIGHT SEWALL, President of National Council of Women of the United States.
CHICAGO, U. S. A., June i, 1892. MRS. MAY WRIGHT SEWALL, President Xational Council of Women of thr
United States, Indianapolis, Ind.
DEAR MADAM : Your favor of May 2Sth was duly received, and has had attention. The application of the National Council of Women of the United States for a World's Congress of Representative Women, in the series of congresses to be held in Chicago during the Exposition season of 1893, under the auspices of the World's Congress Auxiliary, is allowed, and
52 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
in accordance with your request the week beginning May 15, 1893, is assigned for the proposed congress.
As in all the other cases, the general sessions of the congress will be under the direction of the World's Congress Auxiliary, and, as in other •cases of congresses of women, under the special supervision of the officers of the Woman's Branch of the Auxiliary; but, of course, in those general sessions your own and other general organizations of women will be most conspicuously represented. The sessions of the congress of your own organ- ization will, of course, be held under your own officers; and the same rule •will apply to any other organization, like the Federation of Women's Clubs.
To secure the necessary unity and completeness of the programme for the entire Congress of Women, the programmes for the various sessions, both general and special, will be arranged in a conference with represent- atives of the important interests involved.
All to whom I have mentioned the matter believe that the proposed congress of representative women of the world may be made a brilliant and imposing success. * *
I have the honor to remain,
Very sincerely yours,
CHARLES C. BONNEY, President World's Congress Auxiliary.
SOMERTON, PHILADELPHIA, PA., June 13, 1892. HON. CHARLES C. BONNEY, President of the World's Congress Auxiliary.
MY DEAR SIR: Your two letters of June ist and June 4th, together con- taining very full replies to mine of May 28th, have been carefully re-read with Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery, the corresponding secretary of the National Council of Women, with whom I have conferred upon every point.
We thank you for the ample information your letters afford concerning the general plan of the World's Congress Auxiliary, and the requirements ^vith which all associations must comply which seek to hold meetings under its auspices in Chicago, in 1893. As we understand them, we find all of these requirements not only reasonable, but helpful. That we may be guarded against any possible misconception, and be able to prosecute our wrork energetically during the summer, will you permit me to recapitulate the situation at some length ?
First. All announcements of this General International Council of Women must bear on their title page the names of the officers of the World's Congress Auxiliary, and of the different officers of the Woman's Branch of said Auxiliary; but may be signed by the names of the Local Committee of Arrangements and of the Advisory Councils.
Second. The chairmanship of the Local Committee of Arrangements is offered to me. This I accept, and pledge myself to come to Chicago as frequently, prior to the meetings, as may be necessary to perform the duties implied by the position. * * *
PREPARATION-. 53
Third. In our subsequent calls and programmes we shall \vish, besides our local committee, to provide for two Advisor}' Councils — one American and one foreign. * * *
In respect to these Advisory Councils, we ask these privileges. We ask to have the summer to correspond with leaders, at home and abroad, within and outside of organizations. In this way we shall prepare representative lists - representative both of diverse ideas and also of widely separated territory, home and foreign. Before publishing these lists they will be submitted to you for amendment, both by excision and by addition. Our organization includes so many different groups that we believe this is the best possible means of securing truly representative names on our two Advisory Councils.
Fourth. We accept May i$th as the date of this international congress, knowing that it may be shifted a few days later, but understanding that it shall not be set earlier than that date. * * *
Fifth. Our desire about the programme is your own. We wish every line of progress along which woman has advanced to be represented on the pro- gramme by its ablest exponent. We wish to avoid repetition within our own programme, and also to avoid duplicating in our programme the papers to be presented in subsequent congresses. Therefore, we shall gladly submit to you every name and topic, and shall expect the aid of your counsel at every step.
Sixth. The correspondence involved in the foregoing statements will be largely in the hands of Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery, who is corresponding secretary of the International as well as the National Council of Women, though I shall also give my time to cooperating with her and with Mrs. Fawcett to secure the success of this gigantic undertaking.
You understand that the work of the National Council to this end was begun one year ago, on May 30, 1891, when its Executive Committee passed a resolution to entertain all foreign delegates who should attend the Inter- national Council of Women to be convened in Chicago during the Colum- bian Exposition of 1893. This resolution was sent at that time to the leaders of all organized effort in foreign countries, and for the past year such leaders have been working with this meeting in view ; National Councils have been formed in France, Scandinavia, and Finland similar to our own, while in other countries leaders have been working toward such a consummation .
You will see from this that we are now prepared for public steps.
Seventh. The first public step is the second preliminary address, the first having been issued through women's papers at home and abroad nearly a year ago.
We suppose that it will be your desire to have this address printed in a style uniform with the preliminary addresses of other congresses and issued from your office. I mail you herewith the copy of the address that seems appropriate to us. We, of course, wish this congress to have the prestige which can come from showing its relation to former International Councils
54 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
of Women. Should you wish to revise the address in any way, will you kindly communicate with Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery ? And in any case will you send her a proof of the address before it is published ? I am myself going abroad for a few weeks, my main purpose being to arouse the women of Ger- many and of other countries where there is less public activity among women than there is in England and France, to a sense of what this General Congress of Women will be to all who participate or who are represented in it. So soon as this preliminary address is issued, will you kindly send me a hundred copies to distribute abroad? I shall also see that it is translated and published in progressive foreign papers.
Eighth. Your plan of presenting as many different celebrities as possible to the audience, and of "distributing honors and dignities," is in entire accord with the fundamental ideas upon which the International and National Councils are based. I assure you we do not wish to exclude, but to include, as many different lines of work, as many different exponents of progressive thought, and as many distinguished women as can be convened, by the continual, harmonious effort of all of us, in the International Council of 1893, which will, I suppose, be known as the General World's Congress of Women.
We do, of course, wish to recognize the continuity of effort which makes this congress, in its magnitude and representative character, possible. This is clearly indicated in our preliminary address and call.
Copies of this letter and of the manuscript of the address will be sent to Mrs. Palmer and Mrs. Henrotin, that they may have a clear conception of our view of the plan and the manner in which it is to be executed.
I thank you, dear Mr. Bonney, in advance for the patience which you will exercise in reading this long letter, and beg to assure you that I am profoundly grateful for the cordial sympathy which you have thus far given us, and which I am certain you will continue to extend to us until our plans are accomplished. I have the honor to remain,
Yours with high esteem,
MAY WRIGHT SEWALL, President of National Council of Women of the United States.
With the letter of June i3th, above given, was sent the manuscript copy of the Preliminary Address, copies being forwarded also to the president and the vice-president of the Woman's Branch of the World's Congress Auxiliary. Imme- diately after the dispatch of these documents the chairman of the Committee of Arrangements sailed for Europe, leav- ing further correspondence in charge of the secretary, who received from Mr. Bonney, under date of June 2/th, the following communication, approving the draft of the Pre-
PREPARATIONS. 55
liminary Address and the various propositions offered by the chairman in her letter of June 1 3th.
CHICAGO, U. S. A., June 27, 1893. MRS. RACHEL FOSTER AVERY, Corresponding Secretary of 1he National
Council of Women, United States, Some r ton, Pa.
DEAR MADAM: Please accept my thanks for your recent favors. Your note of the i7th inst., inclosing a copy of the constitution of the National Council of Women, and a copy of the constitution of the International Council, came duly to hand; and the communication of your president, Mrs. May Wright Sewall, accompanied by a draft of the Preliminary Address of the Committee on a World's Congress of Representative Women, had previously been received. I have taken time to reconsider carefully the whole subject of the proposed congress, and I take pleasure in saying that I am strongly confirmed in the conviction expressed to you, Mrs. Sewall, and others, that this congress may be one of the most brilliant and useful in the entire series proposed by the World's Congress Auxiliary. I am also glad to say that the proposed Preliminary Address, and the views expressed by Mrs. Sewall in her communication, have my hearty approval; and while I will reserve the liberty to make any suggestions for which there may seem to be cause hereafter, I do not now see occasion to advise any change in the plans thus far outlined.
* * * I propose that the Woman's Congress shall have a department of its own, to be called the " Department of Woman's Progress." This will be better than assigning such a congress either to the Department of Moral and Social Reform, or to the General Department. Any suggestions in relation to the title of the new department will be cordially received.
Please have the kindness to convey to Mrs. Sewall, with the foregoing information, my high regard and my congratulations on the auspicious outlook for the Congress of Representative Women.
With the like respect and congratulations for yourself, I remain, my dear Mrs. A very,
Very sincerely yours,
CHARLES C. BONNEY, President World's Congress Auxiliary.
The Executive Committee of the National Council of Women, at a meeting held in Chicago on May 9th and loth, had authorized the President of the Council, Mrs. May Wright Sewall, to represent the interests of the Council in Europe during the summer of 1892, with a view to increase foreign interest in the proposed meeting of the Interna- tional Council of Women in Chicago in May, 1893.
56 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
After this proposed meeting of the International Council of Women had been merged into the greater project of a World's Congress of Representative Women under the auspices of the World's Congress Auxiliary, Mrs. Sewall naturally devoted herself, during the three months spent in Germany, Belgium, and France, in the ensuing summer, to awakening among the prominent women with whom she came in contact an interest in the proposed World's Con- gress of Representative Women. While invested with no official authority to represent the Auxiliary, Mrs. Sewall was greatly aided in her efforts by her position as chair- man of the Committee of Arrangements, and by her con- nection with the National and International Councils of Women, the essential features of which were already well known abroad, and served to divest the idea of a World's Congress of Women of much of the strangeness it would otherwise have assumed in the minds of foreign women.
The main objects to be accomplished in this foreign work were as follows: First, to make clear the distinction between the World's Columbian Exposition, the Board of Lady Managers, the World's Congress Auxiliary, with its Woman's Branch, and the National and International Coun- cils of Women, these bodies being naturally confounded continually, and almost hopelessly, by those who heard of them only through the vague paragraphs of the foreign press ; second, to impart a clear understanding of the mag- nitude of the proposed congress, both as a whole and in its infinite details and subdivisions ; third, to show the exact nature of the papers and reports desired from European delegates, and the character of the subjects to be treated ; fourth, to stimulate the foreign wromen to appoint delegates from organizations already existing, and to form new organ- izations to be represented in like manner; fifth, to encour- age individuals to come to Chicago whether connected with organized bodies or not ; sixth, to endeavor to reach the general European public through reports, interviews, and articles published in the European press ; and, seventh, to
I'RKI'AKATIONS. 57
combat unceasingly not only the general apathy in regard to a project so remote in time and place, but also the spe- cific objections everywhere encountered, based upon the date chosen for the congress, which did not fall within the foreign vacation period, upon the length, hazard, and cost of the journey, and upon the grossly exaggerated reports of the expense of living in Chicago, and the heat of Chicago summers.
In Berlin Mrs. Sewall devoted a month to personal inter- views with ladies prominent in philanthropy and educa- tion, and to informal conferences with groups of ladies rep- resenting, among other organizations, the following : The Sclicppeler-Lette Verein, the Frauenwohl, the Jugendschutz, the VaterldndiscJic Frauen-Verein, the Edelweiss Verein, the Vic- toria Haus, the Victoria Lyceum, the Pestalozzi Froebel- Verein, the Kunstlerinnen- tend Schriftstellerinnen-Verein, the Mdd- chcn RcalscJinle-Verein, and the Volkskiichen. Many of these enjoy the protection of the Empress Frederick.
Among the ladies who were most responsive to her appeals and most influential in spreading a knowledge of the movement among a wider circle were Frau Henriette Schrader, Frau Von Helmholtz, Frau Hedwig Heyl, Frau Elisabet Kaselowsky, Frau Lina Morgenstern, Fraulein Helene Lange, Fraulein Lucie Grain, Frau Dr. Tiburtius- Hirschfeld, Frau Direktor lessen, Frau Claere Schubert- Feder, Ph. D.; Frau Ulrike Henschke, Fraulein von Kobe, and Frau Hanna Bieber-Boehm.
Airs. Sewall supplemented her work in Berlin by a visit to Homburg, where she was granted an extended interview with the Empress Frederick, who showed herself deeply interested in the plan of the proposed congress, and declared herself ready to aid by every means in her power in secur- ing an adequate representation of German women in its deliberations.
In Brussels Mrs. Sewall addressed the Belgian Woman's Rights League, an influential organization, whose leaders are Mile. Marie Popelin, docteur en droit, and M. Louis
58 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
Frank, avocat. Mile. Popelin and M. Frank, by their learn- ing, their high position, their indefatigable labors, and their eloquence with tongue and pen, have powerfully advanced the cause of women in Belgium.
In Paris Mrs. Sewall spoke in the Hall of the Mairie St. Sul- pice to a large audience, and devoted the following fourteen days to conferences with the leaders among the women of Paris, singly and in groups. Among the many women of the French capital who deserve mention for their sympa- thetic interest in this and other causes involving the higher interests of their sex are the following : Mile. Maria De- raismes, presidente de la Socie'te du Droit des Fcmmcs; Mme. Isabelle Bogelot, directrice de VCEuvre des Liber ees dc St. Lazare, and ex-treasurer of the International Council of Women; Mme. Emilie de Morsier; Mme. Maria Martin, direc- trice du Journal des Femmcs; Mme. Clemence Royer; Mme. Raymond Pognon; Mme. Nelly Lieutier, of the Socie'te des Gens de Lettres; Mme. Teresa Viele; Mme. Ernesta Urban, presidente de r Union Internationale des Sciences et des Arts; Mme. Griess-Traut, of the Fef deration Feminist e de la Paix; Mile. Myrtile Rengnet ; Mile. Pauline de Grandpre ; Mile. Oilier, of the Patronage des Jeunes Filles; Mme. Marya Cheliga-Loevy ; Mme. Aline Valette, of the Federation Franc^aise des Socie'tc's Feministes; Mme. Blanche Edwards- Pilliet, docteur en medicine ; Mme. Rene Marcil, directrice de r Esprit de la Fcmmc; Mile. Marie Maugeret, directrice de VEcho Litteraire de France; Mme. Eugenie Potonie Pierre, secretaire du Groupe de la Solidarite des Fcmmcs.
In addition to the interest aroused in these influential groups of German, Belgian, and French women by the visit and personal solicitations of the chairman of the Committee of Arrangements, wide publicity was given to her addresses by the press of France, Russia, Belgium, England, and Italy, and thus the scope of the great congress was made known to many thousands of European women of influence in their respective localities.
Mrs. Sewall returned to this country early in September.
PREPARATION-. 59
Meanwhile Mrs. Rachel Foster A very, in her office at Som- erton, Pa., was planning and carrying out a voluminous and searching correspondence with prominent individuals in this and other countries, and especially with the executive officers of every national body of women at home and abroad, preparing the way for the selection and appoint- ment of prominent women from every nation on the Advis- ory Councils, for the selection of persons to prepare papers for the General Congress and reports for the Report Con- gresses, and for the formal enrollment of all national organ- izations of women as members of the World's Congress of Representative Women, entitled to send delegates thereto and to hold department congresses in connection therewith. The responses to the appeals thus made by the secretary were so prompt and so generally sympathetic that it became immediately evident that a wide-spread interest was aroused, and that the success of the congress was assured. Every precaution was taken to place the movement on the broadest possible plane, and thus .to allay any apprehensions of unfair treatment that might arise on the part of weaker or younger organizations.
After the simple facts regarding the inception of the plan had been stated, all organizations were placed upon exactly the same level, and all official documents issued reiterated in appropriate terms the assurance that all organizations, whether large or small in membership and influence, stood upon an equal footing in the opportunities granted to each by the committee charged with the preparations for the pro- gramme of the great congress. The spirit of fairness was so manifest in all the preliminary work of the committee that organization after organization gave in its formal adhesion to the congress, until scarcely a national woman's organization in the United States or in Europe stood aloof.
The various blanks and forms used by the secretary of the committee in this arduous correspondence may be found in the appendix to this volume, together with documents issued from time to time from the Chicago office.* The
* It has not been thought necessary to reproduce all of these in the ap- pendix; for a partial statement see Appendix "A."
60 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
Preliminary Address, issued in September, 1892, the manu- script of which had been sent to the officers of the Woman's Branch of the Auxiliary by the chairman of the committee on June 1 3th as before related, is of such importance, as being the first general statement given to the world by the com- mittee, and as outlining clearly the history of the movement, its condition in September, 1892, and the committee's plans for the final development and execution of the great proj- ect in hand, that it is here given in full, instead of being relegated with other documents to the appendix. Of all the documents issued by the committee it was the most important. It was distributed in French and in English versions by tens of thousands — not at random, but to care- fully selected addresses in every civilized country. It was reprinted from time to time substantially without change, either alone or as a part of more comprehensive statements, as the needs of the work required, the latest edition bearing date April 12, 1893, about four weeks before the convening of the congress.
Not Things, but Men.
President, Charles C. Bonney. Treasurer, Lyman J. Gage.
Vice-president, Thomas B. Bryan. Secretary, Benjamin Butterworth.
THE WORLD'S CONGRESS AUXILIARY OF THE WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION.
Not Matter, but Mind.
THE WOMAN'S BRANCH OF THE AUXILIARY. — Mrs. Potter Palmer, president; Mrs. Charles Henrotin, vice-president.
DEPARTMENT OF WOMAN'S PROGRESS. — Preliminary Address of the Com- mittee on a World's Congress of Representative Women at Chicago, in 1893.
This congress is proposed, not for the purpose of advocating any one cause, of promoting any one doctrine, or of advancing any special propa- ganda, but for the purpose of bringing together the representatives of all worthy organizations of women, whatever their nationality or their specific object.
In June of 1887 the National Woman Suffrage Association issued a call to the women of the world, stating that on March 25, 1888, an International Council of Women would be convened in Washington, D. C., to celebrate
RACHEL FOSTER AVERY,
Secretary Committee on Organization, World's Congress of Representative
Women.
I'KKI'AkATIONS. 61
the fortieth anniversary of "the first organized demand for equal educa- tional, industrial, professional, and political rights for women, which was made in a convention held at Seneca Falls, N. Y. (U. S. A.), in the year
The International Council convened in Washington on the appointed day, and continued its sessions through eight days, adjourning April i , 1888. Fifty-one national organizations of women and seven different countries were represented in this meeting.
The Council seemed too important to the women participating in 'its deliberations to permit of its being adjourned and dissolved without taking measures toward a permanent organization of the national and international movements represented in it. Accordingly, on the 3ist of March, 1888, the National Council of Women of the United States and the International Council of Women were both formally organized, under the form of consti- tution hereto appended.* The International Council of Women was officered as follows :
f President, Millicent Garrett Fawcett, England. Vice-president, Clara Barton. United States. Corresponding secretary, Rachel Foster Avery, United States. Recording secretary, Kirstine Frederiksen, Denmark. Treasurer, Isabelle Bogelot, France.
By the terms of the constitution, meetings of the International Council were to be held quinquennially, and the first was set for five years from its organization, viz., the spring of 1893. It was informally agreed that the first meeting of the International Council should be convened in London, unless, prior to the date fixed for it, circumstances should render it advisable to convene it elsewhere.
In July, 1889, in response to an invitation of the progressive women of France, an International Congress of Women was convened in Paris, under the auspices of the French Government.
The French leaders were generous in repeatedly ascribing the courage- ous impulse under which they had acted to the council held in Washington the preceding year. Before its adjournment, that congress, composed of delegates representing over one hundred societies and twenty-six different nationalities, by a unanimous vote passed a resolution \ approving the perma- nent International Council of Women, the organization of which had been effected in Washington the preceding year, and pledging its members to work for the establishment of National Councils in their respective countries, and for the dissemination of information concerning the Inter- national Council and its objects.
So soon as the United States Government had, through Congress, made provision for celebrating the discovery of America by the World's Colum- bian Exposition, and had fixed the time and place for such Exposition,
* It is not considered necessary to reproduce these constitutions here. tMrs. Fawcett resigned her position as president in June, 1892. $ See Appendix for the text of this resolution. 6
62 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
the American officers of the International Council at once conceived it to be appropriate, inasmuch as the year fixed for its first meeting coincided with the year for the Exposition, that the International Council should be -convened in Chicago during the Exposition season of 1893, the exact date to be hereafter announced. Through correspondence concerning this plan the cordial concurrence of the foreign officers was received. The organiza- tion of the World's Congress Auxiliary, under the authority and with the support of the World's Columbian Exposition, and with the recognition and approval of the Government of the United States, affords to the officers of the International Council of Women an unanticipated ally in securing a meeting of the character they desire, viz., a general world's congress of the representative women of the world.
It is desired to convene in this congress not only the delegates of organ- izations of women, but also women not affiliated with others in any organic relation, who have attained distinction in any line of worthy activity.
It is believed that such a congress of women will be able to present the history of woman's development and progress, and her present status as an acknowledged factor in the worlds of Art, Science, and Industry, and as a potent influence in civil as well as in social and domestic life.
In May, 1891, the National Council of Women of the United States, through its Executive Committee, passed a resolution pledging itself to entertain, during the congress, all delegates attending it from foreign countries.
This was announced to organizations of women wherever known, and in many countries, notably in England, France, Canada, Scandinavia, and Finland, and more recently in Italy, Switzerland, and Germany, the organ- ized activity of women has been quickened by it. Many women in all these countries are planning to attend this congress.
Home and Foreign Advisory Councils will be formed to cooperate by correspondence with the Local Committee of Arrangements, to the end that this congress may be conducted to the distinguished success which the con- ditions demand. All officers of the International Council will be made members of the Foreign Advisory Council; all officers of the National Council will be made members of the Home Advisory Council.
Women in all parts of the world, interested in any department of intel- lectual activity, in philanthropy or reform, are solicited to correspond with the chairman of the local committee, or with the secretary of the Interna- tional Council of Women, and freely suggest topics for discussion in this congress, the names of women who should be invited to present papers or to participate in the discussions of the congress, and also the names of women who should be included in either of the two Advisory Councils.
Every living question pertaining to the education or the employment of women may be discussed in this congress. In its sessions the woman's view upon every issue affecting humanity — upon the Home, the Church, the State, and her own function in these institutions — may be presented. What such a congress may do for the uplifting of humanity if the women
PREPARATIONS. 63
of the world avail themselves of its unique advantages for stating their views of the present condition of the race, of its struggles, its possibilities, its hopes, is incalculable. The aid which such a congress will give to the solution of the hundreds of problems included in what is massed under the phrase, " The Woman Question," is equally beyond measure. Humanity may well entertain eager anxiety regarding the manner in which women will respond to this matchless opportunity.
In issuing this edition of the Preliminary Address, the committee is able to announce the general themes which will be discussed in this con- gress. Practically these themes will divide the congress into the following general divisions: First, education; second, industry; third, art; fourth, philanthropy and charity; fifth, moral and social reform; sixth, religion; seventh, civil law; eighth, government.
It must be borne in mind that while congresses in each of the above divisions are provided for in the great scheme of congresses under the management of the World's Congress Auxiliary, these congresses will not take the place of, nor duplicate the work of, the Woman's Congress in the general subjects above given.
In each of the separate congresses, to convene in Chicago during the summer of 1893, women will participate in the degree in which they have taken part in the interest or activity indicated by the title of the congress, and they will discuss the themes presented in such congress accordingly.
In the General World's Congress of Representative Women, however, these great subjects will be viewed from a different standpoint, the object of this congress being to discuss, not the subject per se, but the relation of the women of the world to the subject. For example, in the papers and addresses to be presented in the World's Congress of Representative Women, on titles that will come under the general subject of education, it is not desired that Pedagogy, as a science, shall be discussed, but papers of two kinds upon this general theme will be demanded by the character and objects of this particular congress.
First. Papers that may, with propriety, be called reports from each country represented in the congress, showing the history of woman's progress in that country in respect to education, and setting forth her present educational opportunities, and the agencies through which these opportunities have been received; and also the objects now sought in each country by its educational leaders.
The object of these reports, which is to ascertain the historical progress and the present status of woman's education in each country, will deter- mine the character of the reports, in which accuracy and statistical detail will be required — qualities which will make these reports invaluable to the student of Pedagogics and of Sociology, but which will in a large degree deprive them of that warmth and eloquence required in addresses that please the ear and stimulate the enthusiasm of such large popular audiences as it is hoped the Congress of Representative Women will convene. Hence the necessity for papers of the second kind, namely: Addresses
64 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
upon themes bearing upon the general subject of women in education, under which title many topics can be suggested which would give free play for wit, pathos, illustration, aspiration, and all of the elements of oratory.
What has been above said and suggested concerning the manner in which the subject of education will be treated in this congress, is equally applicable to all of the eight departments under which its work will fall.
According to the present plan, no other congress will be convened dur- ing the time of the World's Congress of Representative Women. There- fore, all of the rooms necessary for the meeting of committees, or of groups particularly interested in the same question, will be at the command of the committee having the congress in charge.
What is now necessary is that every society of women into the hands of whose officers this address may come shall immediately send to the chair- man or to the secretary of the local committee the names of women for the Advisory Council, the names of women best fitted to prepare reports upon the subjects included under the titles above given, and the names of women able to make the addresses to be delivered before the public sessions of the entire congress.
Every one to whom this Preliminary Address is sent is further solicited to send suggestions as to subjects, titles of papers, etc., suitable for the programme of this congress. The results of the correspondence carried on by the committee during the last four months are an assurance that the plan of the congress has commended itself to the judgment of women everywhere, has aroused enthusiasm and stirred new hopes. Only six months now remain in which to complete the preparations for this con- gress, and, therefore, prompt response is solicited to every inquiry, whether made directly, or suggested in this appeal.
MAY WRIGHT SEW ALL, Chairman,
343 N. Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis, Ind. RACHEL FOSTER AVERY, Secretary,
Somerton, Philadelphia Co., Pa.
SARAH HACKETT STEVENSON, FRANCES E. WILLARD,
JULIA HOLMES SMITH,
y Chicago.
ELIZABETH BOYNTON HARBERT, •MRS. WM. T. BROWN, MRS. JNO. C. COONLEY,
Committee of the World's Congress Auxiliary
on a Congress of Representative Women. WORLD'S CONGRESS HEADQUARTERS, CHICAGO, December, 1892.*
*This second edition of the Preliminary Address contains everything of importance in the first, and brings the statement down to the above date.
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From the time of the return of the chairman of the com- mittee from abroad, in September, 1892, until the opening of the congress, on May 15, 1893, an uninterrupted corre- spondence was carried on between the chairman of the com- mittee, in Indianapolis, and the secretary of the committee, in Philadelphia ; and between these officers and the execu- tive officers of the Auxiliary, in Chicago. This correspond- ence was summarized and tabulated from time to time, and the results submitted to the Committee of Arrangements, which held meetings in Chicago upon the call of the Woman's Branch of the Auxiliary. Four such meetings, including eight sessions, were held between October ist and May 1 5th, and all matters of importance were passed upon after deliberation in full committee. The reports submitted to these meetings by the chairman and the secretary show that from their offices alone there were issued 7,198 sealed letters, home and foreign, and 55,000 printed documents. The records of the Chicago office of the Auxiliary would largely increase these totals.
This correspondence, a considerable portion of which was in foreign languages, occupied the entire time of the chair- man of the committee and her secretary, and of the secre- tary of the committee, with from two to eight clerks in her office, for the nine months ending May 15, 1893.
The greater part of the enormous load was carried by the secretary of the committee, Mrs. Rachel Foster A very, to whose familiarity with business methods, accuracy in detail, intelligence in plan, skill in execution, comprehen- sive grasp of multifarious lines of work, and unfailing industry, unstinted praise is due. Without her efficient aid success on the scale actually achieved would have been impossible.
The other ladies included in the Committee of Arrange- ments, Dr. Sarah Hackett Stevenson, Dr. Julia Holmes Smith, Mrs. Elizabeth Boynton Harbert, Mrs. William Thayer Brown, Mrs. John C. Coonley, and Mrs. Matilda B. Carse (whom upon her own departure for Europe Miss
66 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
Frances E. Willard nominated as her substitute), rendered invaluable assistance by the weight of their names, by reg- ular attendance upon the meetings of the committee, and by intelligent and sympathetic discussion and decision of the many delicate and puzzling questions that came before them.
Unfailing courtesy, sympathy, and sound advice was expected and received from President Bonney, to whose generous devotion to the great cause intrusted to him was largely due the signal success of the long series of world's congresses of 1893.
Mrs. Potter Palmer manifested toward those engaged in this arduous labor the same fairness of temper, quickness of perception, fertility of resource, soundness of judgment, and unfailing tact that have distinguished her in such marked degree since she entered upon her high position as president of the Board of Lady Managers. Although her exacting duties in other lines did not permit her to attend to the details of the work of this committee, she was frequently present at its meetings, and, whether pres- ent or absent, was always felt as a power upon which the committee could rely in every difficulty.
Mrs. Charles Henrotin, as nominal vice-president, and acting president of the Woman's Branch of the Auxiliary, devoted herself with untiring assiduity to the supervision of the countless details involved in organizing the woman's side of the various congresses; and by interviews, corre- spondence, and personal direction, as presiding officer of the deliberations of the committee, was a potent factor in the preliminary work of the World's Congress of Representa- tive Women.
Recognition should also be made of the unfailing courtesy and cordial cooperation of the secretary of the Auxiliary, Mr. Clarence E. Young.
The preliminary labors outlined above resulted in the completion in good season of the following programme, of which seven editions of 10,000 copies each were distributed
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among the audiences that thronged the Art Institute dur- ing the memorable week of May 1 5th to 22d. Every name appearing on this programme was placed there by formal consent of its owner, after adequate correspondence. Each address, discussion, or report for the multitudinous meet- ings of the congress was pledged in advance. The pro- gramme was carried out almost intact; and this fact, combined with careful attention to detail in all matters devolving upon the Committee of Arrangements, contrib- uted very largely to the unprecedented success of the congress, in spite of the many serious inconveniences arising from the use of a temporary structure, in which the workmen were still busy. The building, moreover, was at first devoid of many simple conveniences which the experience of this first congress suggested for the comfort of those that followed it.
PROGRAMME OF THE WORLD'S CONGRESS OF REPRESENTA- TIVE WOMEN, MAY ISTH TO 2iST, INCLUSIVE, 1893. MEMORIAL ART PALACE, MICHIGAN AVENUE, FOOT OF ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO.
THE WORLD'S CONGRESS AUXILIARY OF THE WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSI- TION OF 1893.
President, Charles C. Bonney; vice-president, Thomas B. Bryan; treasurer, Lyman J. Gage; secretaries, Benjamin Buttenvorth, Clarence E. Young.
THE WOMAN'S BRANCH OF THE AUXILIARY. — President, Mrs. Potter Palmer; vice-president, Mrs. Charles Henrotin.
DEPARTMENT OK WOMAN'S PROGRESS.
COMMITTEE ON A WORLD'S CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN. — May Wright Se wall, chairman, Indianapolis, Ind. ; Rachel Foster Avery, secre- tary, Somerton, Philadelphia, Pa.; Sarah Hackett Stevenson, M. D.; Julia Holmes Smith, M. D.; Mrs. John C. Coonley, Frances E. Willard, Elizabeth Boynton Harbert, Mrs. William Thayer Brown.
MONDAY, MAY 15, 1893. HALL OF WASHINGTON. GENERAL CONGRESS.
MORNING SESSION, n O'CLOCK. FORMAL OPENING OF THE CONGRESS. — Addresses of welcome, Mrs. Potter Palmer, president Woman's Branch of
68 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
World's Congress Auxiliary; Mrs. Charles Henrotin, vice-president Woman's Branch of World's Congress Auxiliary. Ode, "Columbia's Emblem" (Edna Dean Proctor}, Mrs. Albert Barker, England. Address, 4 ' The World's Congress of Representative Women," May Wright Sewall. Introduction of foreign representatives and responses on behalf of their respective countries: Dr. Emily Howard Stowe, Mrs. John Harvie, Mrs. Dr. Todd, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Tilley, and other representatives from Canada; Jane Cobden Unwin, Florence Fenwick Miller, Marie Fischer Lette, Laura Ormiston Chant, and other representatives from England; Isabelle Bogelot, Ernesta Urban, Cecile Renooz, France; Mme. Quesada, South America; Sigrid E. Magniisson, Iceland; Marie Stromberg, Russia. EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Introduction of foreign representatives, continued: Elisabet Kaselowsky, Hanna Bieber-Boehm, Augusta Foerster, Kaethe Schirmacher, Agnes Burchard, Annette Hamminck Schepel, Ger- many; Kirstine Frederiksen, Nico Beck Meyer, Frederikke Olesen, Den- mark; Countess of Aberdeen, Scotland; Baroness Thorborg Rappe, Hulda Lundin, Sigrid Storckenfeldt, Sweden; Tauthe Vignier, Emilie Kempin, Switzerland; Margaret Windeyer, Australia; Meri Toppelius, Ebba Nordqvist, Finland; Callirrhoe Parren, Greece; Sefiorita Catalina de Alcala, Spain; Josefa Humpal Zeman, Sleona Karla Machova, Bohemia; Marie Marshall, Paris; Martha Sesselberg, Brazil.
TUESDAY, MAY 16,1893. HALL OF WASHINGTON. GENERAL CONGRESS. MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK.— Honorary foreign president,
honorary American president, Charlotte Emerson Brown. Introduction of foreign representatives by Mrs. Potter Palmer and Mrs. Charles Hen- rotin, with responses on behalf of their respective countries, continued. "The Civil and Social Evolution of Woman," Elizabeth Cady Stanton, New York. Discussion: Margaret Parker, Scotland; M. Louise Thomas, representative of the Woman's Centenary Association; Dr. Emily Howard Stowe, president of the Woman's Enfranchisement Association of Canada; Dr. Jennie de la M. Lozier, president of Sorosis. " The Evolution of the Russian Woman," Marie Stromberg, Russia.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Honorary American president, Mrs. J. N. Grouse. " The Moral Initiative as Related to Woman," Julia Ward Howe, Massachusetts. Discussion: Rev. Antoinette Browrn Blackwell, New Jersey; Mrs. John F. Unger, representative of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Reformed Church in the United States; Elizabeth McGregor Burt,* president of the National Association of the Loyal Women of American Liberty; Josephine C. Locke, Illinois. " The Ethical Influence of Woman in Education," Kate Tupper Galpin, California. Discussion: Mrs. W. D. Cabell, representative of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution; Anna Byford Leonard, Illinois; Frances Stew- art Mosher, representative of the National Free Baptist Wroman's Mission- ary Society.
*Mrs. Burt died a few days befoi-e the congress opened.
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TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1893. HALL OF COLUMBUS. GENERAL CONGRESS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Honorary foreign president, ; hon- orary American president, Laura S. Wilkinson. "Woman in Municipal Government," paper by Mrs. Jacob Bright, read by Jane Cobden Umvin, representative of the Woman's Franchise League of England. Discussion: Ida A. Harper, Indiana; Margaret Ray Wickins, president of the Woman's National Relief Corps. " Woman as an Actual Force in Politics," Countess of Aberdeen, representative of the Woman's Liberal Federation of England. Discussion: Lillie Devereux Blake, New York. " The Position and Influence of Woman in Civil Law," Martha Strickland, Michigan.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — " Woman in Science," Dr. Mary Put- nam Jacobi, New York. Discussion: Dr. Julia Holmes Smith, Illinois; Prof. Rachel Lloyd, University of Nebraska; Dr. Mary A. D. Jones; Louise Reed Stowell, Washington, D. C.; Mrs. Leander Stone. "Woman as a Physician" (paper), Dr. Garrett Anderson; read by Constance Elder, England. "Woman the New Factor in Industrial Economics," Augusta Cooper Bristol, New Jersey. Discussion: Lina Morgenstern (by a paper), Germany; Virginia C. Meredith, Indiana; Ellen J. Phinney, president Non- Partisan N. W. C. T. U.; Agnes Burchard, representative of Frauenbil- dung-Reform Verein, of Germany; Augusta Foerster, Elisabet Kaselowsky, representatives of the Comite fur die Deutsche Frauenabtheilung bei der Weltausstellung; Juana A. Neal, California.
TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1893. HALL VI. REPORT CONGRESS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Presiding officer, Julia Ward Howe. L'Union des Femmes, Tauthe Vignier, Switzerland. Verein Jugendschutz, Hanna Bieber-Boehm, Germany. Women's Progressive Society, Mrs. War- ner Snoad, president; read by Clara Bewick Colby,. Nebraska. La Solidarite des Femmes; read by Clara Bewick Colby, Nebraska. Association for the Advancement of Women, Julia Ward Howe, Massachusetts. Sigrid E. Mag- niisson, Iceland. Anti-Vivisection Society, Mrs. Fairchild Allen, Illinois.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Presiding officer, Mary McDonell. Woman's Anti-Opium Urgency Committee, Laura Ormiston Chant, England. Sociologic Society of America, Imogene C. Fales, New York. Dominion Woman's Christian Temperance LTnion, Mary McDonell, Canada. Moral Reform LTnion, Marie Fischer-Lette, England. British Section of the World's Christian Temperance Union, Laura Ormiston Chant, England.
TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1893. HALL XXIX. REPORT CONGRESS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Presiding officer, Mary Frost Ormsby. International Board of Women's Christian Associations, Mrs. William O. Gould, California. Women's Franchise League, Jane Cobden L'nwin, England. Women's Auxiliary Keeley Leagues, Mrs. J. A. Stafford- Wood, Illinois. Writer's Club (England), report sent by Mrs. Henrietta E. V. Stannard (John Strange Winter). National Democratic Influence Clubs,
70 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
Mary Frost Ormsby, New York. Women's Trades Union League (of England), report sent by Florence Routledge.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Pacific Coast Woman's Press Associa- tion, Mrs. Lindon W. Bates, Illinois. New England Women's Press Asso- ciation, Belle Grant Armstrong, Massachusetts. Working Women's Society, Harriette A. Keyser, New York. De Samlede Kvindeforeningen, Nico Beck Meyer, Denmark. Kvindelig Fremskridtsforeningen, Frederikke Olesen, Denmark.
TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1893. HALL III. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE NA- TIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN OF THE UNITED STATES.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Welcome by the president, May Wright Sewall. " Reminiscences of Early Dress Reform," Lucy Stone. Sketch of the work of the Society for the Promotion of Physical Culture and Correct Dress, Frances M. Steele. Report of the work of the committee, Frances E. Russell, chairman National Council's Committee on Dress. ' ' Line and Color in Costume — How Beauty Makes Reform Possible," Henrietta Russell. ' ' Fash- ion versus Law in Dress," Helen Gilbert Ecob. " The Influence of Dress upon Development," Frank Stuart Parker. "The Essentials and Non- Essentials of Dress," Annie Jenness Miller. " Obstacles to Improved Dress," Octavia W. Bates. " Physical Culture — a Necessary Preparation for Cor- rect Dressing," Frances W. Leiter.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Addresses of the presidents of the members of the Council. National-American Woman Suffrage Association, Susan B. Anthony. Woman's Centenary Association of the Universalist Church, Cordelia A..Quinby. National Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Matilda B. Carse (representing Frances E. Willard). National Free Baptist Woman's Missionary Society, Laura A. De Merritte (representing Mary A. Davis). Illinois Industrial Reform School for Girls (National Charter), Mrs. M. R. M. Wallace. National Woman's Relief Society, Mrs. ZinaD. H. Young. Wimodaughsis, Rev. Anna Howard Shaw. Sorosis, Dr. Jennie de la M. Lozier. Young Ladies' National Mutual Improvement Asso- ciation, Elmina S. Taylor. National Christian League for the Promotion of Social Purity, Elizabeth B. Grannis. Universal Peace Union, Rev. Amanda Deyo. International Kindergarten Union, Sarah B. Cooper. Woman's Republican Association of the United States, J. Ellen Foster. National Association of Loyal Women of American Liberty, E. McGregor Burt. Closing address by the president, " The Idea of the National Council," May Wright Sewall.
TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1893. HALL VII. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Mrs. Lorraine J. Pitkin will call the meet- ing to order, and introduce Mrs. Mary C. Snedden, Most Worthy Grand Matron. Prayer. Singing. Greeting, " The Dawn," Mrs. Elizabeth But-
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ler, Chicago, Most Worthy Grand Matron, 1878 to 1880. " Illinois and the Eastern Star," Mrs. Jane M. Ricketts, Illinois, Grand Matron, 1892 to 1893. Reading, Miss Bessie Waterbury, Chicago. William G. Bartels, Grand Patron of Illinois, 1892 to 1893. Miscellaneous greetings. Vocal selection, Mrs. Brinkerhoff, Chicago. "The Eastern Star and Its Ceremonials, as Based upon Bible History," Rev. H. A. Guild, Past Grand Patron of Nebraska. "Masonic Homes," Mrs. Jennie A. Walker, Illinois, Grand Matron, 1885 to 1887.
AFTERNOON SESSION, RECEPTION 2 O'CLOCK.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Miscellaneous greetings. Quartette. " Order of the Eastern Star — Its Origin, Progress, and Development," Mrs. Mary C. Snedden, Missouri, Most Worthy Grand Matron. Violin duet. " Eastern Star Literature," Mrs. Nettie Ransford, Indianapolis, Ind., Most Worthy Grand Matron, 1889 to 1892. Miscellaneous. Selection, vocal, Lorraine J. Decker, Chicago. ' ' The Value of the Eastern Star as a Factor in Giving Women a Knowledge of Legislative Matters," Mrs. Mary A. Flint, California, Most Worthy Grand Matron, iS86to 1889. Reading. " Relation of the Eastern Star to Masonry, and Its Importance," A. B. Ashley, Illinois, Grand Patron, 1886 to 1889. " Masonry and Its Eastern Star," Mrs. Theresa Jacobs, Pennsylvania. "Iowa and the Eastern Star," Mrs. Jennie E. Matthews, Iowa, Most Worthy Grand Matron, 1883 to 1886. " Eastern Star and the Benefit it Has Been to Women as an Educational Organization," Mrs. Harriet A. Ercenbrack, Iowa, Right Worthy Grand Treasurer, 1889 to 1895. "Indiana and the Eastern Star," Mrs. E. M. Hollinger, Indiana, Grand Matron, 1892 to 1895.
TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1893. HALL VIII. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE INTER- NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Mrs. J. V. Farwell, Jr., chairman Inter- national Committee Young Women's Christian Associations, presiding. Hymn. Devotional exercises. " The Association Working with the Church." "The Strength of the Young Women's Christian Association," Miss Nettie Dunn, Michigan. Music. "The Highest Education," Mrs. Charles Kendall Adams, Wisconsin.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Mrs. J. V. Farwell, Jr., chairman International Committee Young Women's Christian Associations, presiding. Hymn. Scripture. Prayer. " The Young Women's Christian Association — Its Methods and Aims," Mrs. William Boyd, Missouri. Music. "The Responsibility of the College Woman to Christian Work," Mrs. Jane Bancroft Robinson, Michigan. "What the Association Does for Young Women," Mrs. John Harvie, Canada.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1893. HALL OF WASHINGTON. GENERAL CONGRESS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Honorary foreign president, Catalina de Alcala, Spain; honorary American president, Isabella Charles Davis.
72 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
" The Solidarity of Human Interests," Isabelle Bogelot, France; Callirrhoe Parren, Greece; Tauthe Vignier, Switzerland. "Woman in Spain for the Last Four Hundred Years," Catalina de Alcala, Spain. "Woman's Position in the South American States," Mme. Quesada, Peru; Baroness Wilson, Spain. " The Evolution of the Russian Woman," Marie Stromberg, Russia.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Honorary foreign president, Ernesta Urban, France; honorary American president, May Wright Sewall. "Woman's Place in the Legitimate Drama," Mme. Janauschek. "The Endowed Theater," Helena Modjeska. " The Stage and Its Women," Georgia Cayvan. " Woman in the Emotional Drama," Clara Morris. "The Stage and Its Women," Mile. Rhea, Julia -Marlowe.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1893. HALL OF COLUMBUS. GENERAL CONGRESS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Honorary foreign president, Kirstine Frederiksen, Denmark; honorary American president, Mary C. Snedden. "The Progress of Women in England" (paper), Helen Blackburn. " Our Debt to Zurich," Dr. Emilie Kempin, Switzerland. Discussion: Prof. Helen Webster. " The Position of Women in Bohemia," Sleona Karla Machova, Bohemia. ' ' The Struggle of Woman in Belgium to Enter Public Employ- ments and the Professions" (paper), Dr. Marie Popelin, Belgium. "A Century of Progress for Women in Canada," Mary McDonell, A.M. Blakely, representatives of the Dominion W. C. T. U.; Dr. Augusta Stowe Gullen, representative of the Woman's Enfranchisement Association of Canada; Mrs. John Harvie, representative of the Young Women's Christian Associa- tions of Canada; Nellie Spence, B. A. , Canada; Emily Cummings, Canada; Alice Fenton Freeman (Faith Fenton), Canada.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Honorary foreign president, Josefa Humpal Zeman, Bohemia; honorary American president, Mrs. W. D. Cabell. "The Effect of Modern Changes in Industrial and Social Life on Woman's Marriage Prospects," Kaethe Schirmacher, Germany. Discussion: Mary F. Eastman, Massachusetts; Alice Timmons Toomy, California; Rev. Anna Howard Shaw, Pennsylvania; Emily Marshall Wadsworth. "The Moral Responsibility of Woman in Heredity," Helen H. Gardener, New York.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1893. HALL VI. REPORT CONGRESS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Presiding officer, Lillie Devereux Blake. The Dublin Woman Suffrage Committee. Womanhood Suffrage League of New South Wales, Margaret Windeyer, Australia. The Society for Promot- ing the Return of Women to all Local Governing Bodies, Countess of Aber- deen, Scotland. Gift Qvinnas Eganderoett, Baroness Thorborg Rappe, Sweden. The Women's Liberal Federation, Jane Cobden Unwin, Eng- land. The Women's Liberal Federation of Scotland, Countess of Aber- deen, Scotland.
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EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Central National Society for Women's Suffrage, Laura Ormiston Chant, England. Women's Enfranchisement Association of Canada, Sarah A. Curzon, Canada. Kvindestemmeretsfor- eningen of Norway (report to be read). Women's Republican Association of the United States, J. Ellen Foster, Washington, D. C.; Adelle Hazlett, Michigan.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1893. HALL XXIX. REPORT CONGRESS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Presiding officer, Ida M. Weaver. CEuvre des Liberees de St. Lazare, Isabelle Bogelot, France. Supreme Temple of Pythian Sisters of the World, Ida M. Weaver, Iowa. Patronage Laique des Jeunes Filles Apprenties et Ouvrieres du VI. Arrondissement, Isabelle Bogelot, France. Alice- Frauenvere in fur die Krankenpflege, CEuvre des Jeunes Apprenties-Servantes (Le Foyer Chretien), Marie Marshall, France. Royal British Nurses' Association, Mrs. Bedford Fenwick, Josephine De Pledge.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Presiding officer, Mrs. John Harvie. London Young Women's Christian Association, Hon. Mrs. Waller, Eng- land. Young Women's Christian Association of Canada, Mrs. John Harvie, Canada. Young Women's Christian Association of Sweden, Sigrid Storck- enfeldt, Sweden. Canadian Branch of the International Order of King's Daughters and Sons, Elizabeth M. Tilley, Canada. Onward and Upward Association, Invalid Children's Aid Association, Countess of Aberdeen, Scotland.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1893. HALL III. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE NATIONAL CHRISTIAN LEAGUE FOR THE PROMOTION OF SOCIAL PURITY.
SESSIONS AT 10 A. M. AND 7.45 p. M. — Delegates from the Christian League to the Women's Congress: Mrs. E. B. Grannis, president; Mrs. M. Louise Thomas, corresponding secretary; Dr. Nancy M. Miller, treasurer; Mrs. Arthur Smith, Mrs. C. M. Sawyer, Dr. J. M. Lozier.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Elizabeth B. Grannis, "Object and Aims of the Society." Mrs. M. Louise Thomas, " Social Purity." Dr. Jennie de la M. Lozier, " Educational Training." Rev. Conrad Haney. Mrs. Caroline B. Buell. Mrs. Arthur Smith, "High Living — One Cause of Impurity." Helen H. Gardener, " Heredity."
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Rev. John P. Hale. Mrs. Virginia T. Smith, " Child Culture." Genevieve Stebbins (paper), " The Sacredness of the Marriage Relation."
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1893. HALL IV. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Reading of Scripture. Prayer. Music. Address, Mary T. Lathrap, Michigan. Address, Mary McDowell, Illinois.
74 ro.MiKEss OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
Music. Address, Josephine R. Nichols, Indiana. Woman's Lecture Bu- reau, Lucy E. Anthony, manager. Prayer.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Music, " America." Reading of Script- ure. Prayer. Music. Address, Mary H. Hunt, Massachusetts. Address, Ida Clothier, Colorado. Music. Address, Frances W. Leiter, Ohio. Address, Clara C. Hoffman, Missouri. Music. Benediction.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1893. HALL VII. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL KINDERGARTEN UNION.
OFFICERS. — President, Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper, San Francisco; first vice- president, Miss Sarah A. Stewart, Philadelphia; second vice-president, Miss Laliah B. Pingree, Boston; treasurer, Miss Eva B. Whitmore, Chicago; recording secretary, Miss Mary C. McCulloch, St. Louis; corresponding secretary, Miss Caroline T. Haven, New York.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — President's address, Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper, San Francisco; subject, " Obstacles to Kindergarten Progress in Large Cities." Discussion (limited to five minutes): Miss Laliah B. Pingree, Boston; Miss Caroline T. Haven, New York; Miss Mary C. McCulloch, St. Louis; Mrs. Mary B. Page, Chicago; Mrs. Eliza A. Blaker, Indianapolis. Subject, "The International Kindergarten Union," Miss Sarah A. Stewart. Discussion: Mrs. Emily L. Ward, England; Mrs. Ada Mareau Hughes, Canada; Miss Annette H. Schepel, Germany; Miss Elise Von Calear, Holland; Miss Annie Laws, Ohio. Subject, " The Dangers of Public Exhibits of Young Children," Mrs. Alice H. Putnam. Discussion: Mrs. Eudora L. Hailman, Miss Emma Marwedel, Miss Eleanor Heer- wart.
AFTERNOON SESSION, 2 O'CLOCK. — Round-table conferences. Social re- union. A committee will be in attendance to introduce members and visit- ors. Reports will be presented at each session, so far as time will permit.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Subject, "Kindergarten Literature," Mrs. Louis H. Allen, Mrs. Lucretia W. Treat, Miss Virginia E. Graeff, Miss Angeline Brooks, Miss Laura Fisher, Miss Harriet Henderson. Subject, " The Kindergarten an Organic Part of the Public-School System." General discussion. Subject, "The Shoemaker's Barefooted Children," Miss Emily Poulsson. Reading, Mrs. Kate Douglas Wiggin.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1893. HALL VIII. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE WOMEN'S NATIONAL INDIAN ASSOCIATION.
EVENING SESSION, 8 O'CLOCK. — Presiding officer, Mrs. Amelia S. Quinton. Singing by Indian school of Albuquerque, N. M. Opening services by Rev. Dr. C. R. Henderson, University of Chicago; Rev. Dr. Noble. Sing- ing by the Indians. Opening remarks, Hon. C. C. Bonney. Singing. "A Sketch of the Legislative Work of the Association," Mrs. William L. Burke, secretary Brooklyn Auxiliary. A sketch, " The Home-Building
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Work of Seven Years," Mrs. Sara T. Kinney, vice-president of the associa- tion. Paper, "An Educational Field Illustration," Miss Mary E. Dewey. Address, "The Association's Missionary Work," Mrs. Amelia S. Quinton, president of the association. Music. Address, "The Indian Yester- day and To-day," Miss Alice C. Fletcher, Fellow of Harvard University. Address, "The Indian's Outlook," Gen. Thomas J. Morgan, late U. S. Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Address, " From the Indian Standpoint," Capt. Chauncey Yellow Robe, a Sioux. Singing by the Indians. Bene- diction.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1893. HALL XXXIII. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LOYAL WOMEN OF AMERICAN LIBERTY.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Scripture reading. Prayer. Opening address, Elizabeth McGregor Burt, national president, Waltham, Mass. Address, Rev. I. W. Martin, Troy, N. Y. Address, Abbie A. C. Peaslee, Auburn, Maine, member Board of Managers of L. W. A. L. ; subject, " The Relation of Woman to our Present Political Problem." Address, J. D. Fulton, D. D., Chicago, 111.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Scripture reading. Prayer. Address, Rev. Dr. Gray, rector of Reformed Episcopal Church, Boston, Mass. Address, Mrs. E. C. Martin, president of the Troy Branch. Address, Rev. James King, D. D., New York City; subject, " A Movement for the Protec- tion of American Institutions."
THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1893. HALL OF WASHINGTON. GENERAL CONGRESS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Honorary foreign president, Isabelle Bogelot; honorary American president, Ellen J. Phinney. " Woman as a Religious Teacher," Ursula N. Gestefeld, New York. Discussion: Cor- delia A. Quinby, president of the Woman's Centenary Association; Alice May Scudder, representative of the United Society of Christian Endeavor; Sarah B. Cooper, president of the International Kindergarten Union; Miss Lois A. White, representative of the Christian Woman's Board of Missions; Zina D. H. Young, president of the National Woman's Relief Society; Mrs. J. Macallum; Elizabeth B. Grannis, president of the National Christian League for the Promotion of Social Purity; Fanny M. Harley, Illinois; May L. Gibbs, representative of the Dominion Branch of the International Order of King's Daughters and Sons; Hattie A. Robinson, Supreme Chief of Pythian Sisters. "The Modern Deaconess Movement," Jane Bancroft Robinson, Michigan.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — "Woman in the Pulpit," Rev. Flor- ence E. Kollock, California. Discussion: Rev. Eugenia St. John, Kansas; Rev. Caroline J. Bartlett, Michigan; Rev. Augusta J. Chapin, Illinois; Rev. Mary L. Moreland, Illinois. "The Intellectual Progress of the Colored Women of the United States Since the Emancipation Proclamation," Fannie
76 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
Barrier Williams. Discussion: Mrs. A. J. Cooper, Fannie Jackson Coppin, Florence Lewis.
THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1893. HALL OF COLUMBUS. GENERAL CONCKKSS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Honorary American president, Sarah A. Stewart. " Woman's Place in Hebrew Thought," Minnie D. Louis. Discussion: Emily Marshall Wadsworth, Mrs. John F. Unger, representa- tive of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Reformed Church of the United States. "The Light in the East," Eliva Anne Thayer. Discussion: Ella Dietz Ciymer, New York.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Honorary American president, Clara C. Hoffman. " WToman as a Minister of Religion," Rev. Mary A. Saffiord, Iowa. Discussion: Rev. Mary L. Moreland, Amelia S. Quinton, president of the Woman's National Indian Association. " Laws Affecting the Inter- ests of Wives and Mothers," Florence Fenwick Miller, England.
THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1893. HALL VI. REPORT CONGRESS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Presiding officer, Harriet Taylor Upton. " Pestalozzi-Froebel House," Annette Hamminck Schepel, Ger- many. Swedish Ladies' Committee, Hulda Lundin, Sweden. " Wimo- daughsis," Rev. Anna Howard Shaw, Pennsylvania. " American Library Association," Annie Godfrey Dewey, New York; Marie Stromberg, Russia. " Lette Verein," Elisabet Kaselowrsky, Germany. New Somerville Club (London), Florence Fenwick Miller, England. General German Associa- tion of Women, Society for Education of the Working Classes, Federation of German Associations of Lady Teachers, Augusta Foerster, Germany.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Presiding officer, Meri Toppelius. " Ladies' Physiological Institute," Sarah A. Bryant, Massachusetts. "Woman's First Dental Association of the United States," Dr. Mary H. Stilwell, Pennsylvania. " Dansk Kvindesamfund," Laura Kieler, Den- mark. " Finsk Qvinnoforening," Meri Toppelius, Finland. " Qvinno- foreninges Unionen i Finland," Ebba Nordqvist, Finland. " Frederika- Bremer-Forbundet," Baroness Thorborg Rappe, Sweden. Woman's Mis- sionary Society of the Methodist Church, Mrs E. S. Strachan, Canada.
THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1893. HALL III. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE NATIONAL-AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Opening address by the president, Susan B. Anthony. " Woman as an Annex," Helen H. Gardener. " The Progress of Woman," Lucy Stone. "The Evolution of Woman Suffrage," Carrie Lane Chapman.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Opening address, Elizabeth Cady Stanton. " Woman and the Municipality," Laura M. Johns. "Wyoming," Clara Bewick Colby. " Wives and Mothers — their Civil Duties," Florence Fenwick Miller of England.
MRS. WM. THAYER BROWX. DR. SARAH HACKETT STEVENSON'.
ELIZABETH BOYNTON HARBERT.
DR. JULIA HOLMES SMITH. MRS. JOHN C. COONLEY.
Members of Committee on Organization World's Congress
of Representative Women.
ri<i-:r. \KATK >.\s. 77
THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1893. H.M.I. IV. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE 'S BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Opening service, conducted by Mrs. J. N. Crouse, president. Music. 10.30. —Topic, " The Women's Baptist Home Mission Society": a, " Its Inception," Mrs. J. S. Dickerson, first chairman of the Executive Board; b, " Its Development," Mrs. W. M. Lawrence, present chairman of the Executive Board; c, " Its Pioneer Missionary," Sister Joanna P. Moore; d, "Its Finances," Mrs. R. R. Donnelley, first treasurer, Mrs. A. H. Barber, present treasurer. Music. " Its Training School," Mrs. C. D. Morris, preceptress. " Representative Students," Miss M. Virginia Ashton, seniors; Miss Frances J. Ketman, juniors. "A Grad- uate," Miss Ella F. Brainard, class of '81. 12. — Music. "Christ on the Avenues," Mrs. William E. Isaacs, president of the New York City Branch. " The Church in the Slums," Mrs. C. Swift, first corresponding secretary W. B. H. M. S. 12.30. — Adjournment.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Devotional service, conducted by the president. 8.15. — "Our Home Heathen," Miss Mary G. Burdette, cor- responding secretary. 8.45. — "God's Call to Women — the Plea and the Promise," Mrs. M. A. Ehlers, principal of Missionary Training Depart- ment, Shaw University, Raleigh, N. C. Mrs. S. A. Northrup of Fort Wayne, Ind. , will conduct the singing. There will be on exhibition a unique piece of work executed by pupils in Miss Lydia Lawrence's Industrial School for Colored Girls, in Tampa, Fla., and perhaps some other spec- imens of work done in similar schools at other stations.
THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1893. HALL VII. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE GENERAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Federation Council, only members of federated clubs invited. Brief reports from Board of Directors. Discus- sion of, a, " State Federation"; b, "The Philadelphia Biennial"; c, "The Federation Organ."
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Symposium, " Results of Club Life Among Women": a, "Upon the Home," Mrs. J. T. Lamed, St. Louis, Mo. ; b, " Upon Society," Maud Howe Elliott, Boston, Mass. \c, "In Public Life," Mary A. Livermore, Melrose, Mass.; d, " As a Means of Intellectual Growth," Celia Parker Woolley, Chicago; e, " Dangerous Tendencies in Club Life," Kate Tupper Galpin, Los Angeles, Cal.;/, "In Relation to the Sense of Individual Responsibility," Mary F. Lewis Gannett, Roches- ter, N. Y. Mrs. Frances Lester of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Miss Ada Sweet of Chicago.
THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1893. HALL VIII. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE AMERICAN PROTECTIVE SOCIETY OF AUTHORS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Invocation, Clara Barton. Address, Mrs. M. D. Lincoln (Bessie Beech), Washington, D. C. " Commercial Value of 7
78 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
Literary Work — a Statement of Facts," Mrs. Sara J. Lippincott (Grace Greenwood). Paper, " Reasons Why Authors Should be Protected," Mrs. Katharine Hodges, Brooklyn, N. Y. Paper, " Values of Interest in Liter- ature," Mrs. C. M. Spofford, Tennessee. Paper, " How Shall Authors Secure Protection?" Mrs. Lelia P. Roby, Chicago.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Paper, "Between Two Fires — Pub- lisher and Plagiarist, "Mrs. E. D. E.N. Southworth. Address, "Inadequate Protection of the International Copyright Law," Emily Thornton Charles (Emily Hawthorn). Paper, Mrs. James B. Tanner, Washington, D. C. Paper, " Insurance Against Piracy of Brains," Mrs. Kate Brownlee Sher- wood. Paper, " Imperfections in Copyright Law," Mrs. Virginia S. Pat- terson, Kokomo, Ind. " Experiences in Publishing," Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher. " The Inalienable Rights of Authors," Mrs. Lucy Page Stelle, St. Louis, Mo., and others.
THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1893. HALL XXIV. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE WOMAN'S CENTENARY ASSOCIATION.
MORNING SESSION, n O'CLOCK. — i. Opening address by the president, Mrs. C. A. Quinby. 2. Reading of the Scriptures, Rev. A. J. Chapin.
3. Prayer, Rev. Ada C. Bowles. 4. Hymn, Rev. Florence E. Kollock. " Come, Thou Almighty King." 5. Address, Mrs. M. Louise Thomas, past president; topic, "A History of the Woman's Centenary Association." 6. Address, Mrs. J. L. Patterson, president W. U. M. Society of Massa- chusetts; topic, " Our Missions in Massachusetts." 7. Hymn, " Hail to the Lord's Anointed." 8. Address, Rev. Florence E. Kollock; topic, "How All Our Women Can Help." 9. Address, Mrs. M. R. M. Wallace, president Illinois U. W. A.; topic, "Illinois Universalist Woman's Association." 10. Address, Rev. Lorenza Haynes; topic, " The Relation of the Young Women to this Work." n. Address, Rev. Henrietta G. Moore; topic, " Woman's Mission as Minister and Missionary in the Church." Benedic- tion, Rev. Florence E. Kollock.
EVENING SESSION, 8 O'CLOCK. — Mrs. C. A. Quinby, presiding. Singing, "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name." i. Address, Rev. Augusta J. Chapin, chairman of Woman's General Committee on Religious Congresses; topic, " AVhat These Things Mean." 2. Address, Rev. Abbie E. Danforth, president W. M. Alliance of Ohio; topic, "Home Missions." 3. Address, Mrs. M. A. Adams, first vice-president of W. C. A.; topic, "What Mis- sions Have Done for Women and What Women Have Done for Missions."
4. Address, Mrs. H. B. Manford, vice-president of W. C. A. for California; topic, "The Need of Missions in California." 5. Hymn, "From Green- land's Icy Mountains." 6. Address, Mrs. Mary A. Livermore; topic, "What Missions Have Done for the World." 7. Address, Mrs. M. R. Libbey; topic, "The Field is the World." 8. Address, Rev. Phebe A. Hanaford; topic, " A Woman's Reason Why." 9. Address, Rev. Ada C. Bowles; topic, " In Union there is Strength." 10. Address, Rev. Olympia
PREPARATIONS. 79
Brown Willis; topic, "The Mothers of the Church." u. Address, Rev. Myra Kingbury; topic, "What is the Message Universalism has for Mis- sions?" Benediction, Mary A. Livermore.
THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1893. HALL XXVI. CATHOLIC WOMEN'S DEPARTMENT
CONGRESS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Presiding officer, Alice Timmons Toomy. Introductory Address, Alice Timmons Toomy. " Elevation of Woman- hood Through the Veneration of the Blessed Virgin," Emma Gary. "Women to Whom Churches were Dedicated," Ellen A. Ford. Harp solo, Miss Sullivan. Poem, Eleanor C. Donnelly. "The Intellectual Woman of the Early Church," Frances Costigan. Vocal solo, Miss Reilly. " Catholic Woman the Inspirer of Noble Deeds," Lily Alice Toomy.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Harp and piano, Misses Cudahy and Dennison. "The Catholic Woman in Philanthropy," Mary Josephine Onahan. " The Catholic Woman in Temperance," Sarah Moore. Poem, Margaret M. Halvey. Vocal solo, Miss Wilson. "The Catholic Woman as Educator," M. A. B. Maher. "Two Types of Progressive Catholic Women," Janet E. Richards.
THURSDAY, MAY, 18, 1893. HALL XXXIII. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE WOMAN'S NATIONAL RELIEF CORPS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Music. Address of Welcome, Miss Emma R. Wallace, Department President of Illinois. Response, Mrs. M. R. Wickins, National President Woman's Relief Corps. Solo, Mrs. Belle
C. Harris, Past Department 'President, Emporia, Kan. "What Women Have Done," Mrs. Flo Miller, National Inspector, Monticello, 111. Address, Mrs. Sara L. Rothrock, Past Department President of Iowa. "The Women of the War," Mrs. Ida W. Moore, National Instituting and Install- ing Officer, Abilene, Kan. Remarks, Mrs. John A. Logan, Washington,
D. C.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Address, Commander-in-Chief A. G. Weissert. Paper, Mrs. Emma B. Lowd, Past Department President of Massachusetts. Solo, Mrs. Robb, Emporia, Kan. Recitation, " We Keep Memorial Day," Elizabeth Mansfield Irving, Toledo, Ohio. Remarks, Mrs. Lucy Jones, Past Department President, Norton, Kan. Music, Major T. J. Anderson, Topeka, Kan. Remarks, Adjutant-General Grey, G. A. R. Remarks, Mrs. Kate B. Sherwood, Past National President, Canton, Ohio. Recitation, Mrs. Maude Gerow, Atchison, Kan.
FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1893. HALL OF WASHINGTON. GENERAL CONGRESS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Honorary American president, M. Louise Thomas. ' ' Woman's Contribution to the Applied Arts," Florence Elizabeth
80 CONGRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN.
Corey, New York. Discussion: Emily Sartain, Philadelphia. " The Trades and Professions Underlying the Home," Mrs. Ernest Hart, England; Helena T. Goessmann, Massachusetts; Laura S. Wilkinson, president of the National Columbian Household Economic Association; Mary H. Hull, Illinois. " Pottery in the Household " (paper), M. Louise McLaughlin, Ohio. "Art in Ceramics," Luetta E. Braumuller, New York. " The Influence of Women in Ceramic Art," Miss M. B. Ailing, Rochester.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK.— Honorary American president, Fannie Barrier Williams. " The Kindergarten System and the Public Schools," Sarah B. Cooper, California. Discussion: Rev. Mila Frances Tupper, Michigan; Caroline M. Severance, California. "The Popular Inculcation of Economy," Sara Louise Vickers Oberholtzer, Pennsylvania. "The Organized Efforts of Colored Women in the South to Improve their Condi- tion," Sarah J. Early, Tennessee. Discussion, Hallie Q. Brown, Alabama.
FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1893. HALL OF COLUMBUS. GENERAL CONGRESS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Honorary American president, Minnie D. Louis. " Woman's Work in Greece," Callirrhoe Parren. " Woman's War for Peace," NicoBeck Meyer, Denmark; Rev. Amanda Deyo, Pennsyl- vania. Discussion, Lizzie Kirkpatrick, Canada. " Woman as an Explorer," Mrs. M. French-Sheldon. " The Organized Work of Catholic Women," Lily Alice Toomy, California.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Honorary American president, Mary Lowe Dickinson. " Woman as a Social Leader," Josefa Humpal Zeman, Bohemia. " Organized Development of Polish Women," Helena Modjeska. "Woman as a Political Leader," J. Ellen Foster, Washington, D. C. Dis- cussion: Eugenia B. St. John, Kansas; Mary Frost Ormsby, New York. " Woman's Participation in Municipal Government," Laura M. Johns, Kan- sas. Discussion: Sarah C. Hall, Kansas.
FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1893. HALL VI. REPORT CONGRESS.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Presiding officer, Alice May Scudder. Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Reformed Church of the United States, Mrs. John F. Unger, Pennsylvania. Union Maternal Association, Louise A. Chapman, Massachusetts. Christian Woman's Board of Missions, Mrs. O. A. Burgess, Indiana. Order of Melchisedek, E. A. Thayer, New York. Woman's Ministerial Conference, Julia Ward Howe, Massachu- setts. United Society of Christian Endeavor, Alice May Scudder, New Jersey.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Presiding officer, Frances Stewart Mosher. Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the M. E. Church, Mrs. F. P. Crandon, Illinois. National Free Baptist Woman's Missionary Society, Frances Stewart Mosher, Michigan. Woman's Missionary Society of the Evangelical Association, Mrs. E. Krecker, Pennsylvania. International Order of King's Daughters and Sons, Mary Lowe Dickinson, New York.
PREPARATIONS. 81
Needlework Guild of America, Mrs. John Wood Stewart, New jersey. " National Association of Women Physicians," Dr. Mary Weeks Burnett.
FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1893. HALL III. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF UNITARIAN AND OTHER LIBERAL CHRISTIAN WOMEN, WOMEN'S WESTERN UNITARIAN CONFERENCE, AND WOMEN'S UNITARIAN CONFERENCE OF THE PACIFIC COAST.
COMMITTEE.— Mrs. Thomas F. Gane, Mrs. B. Ward Dix, Mrs. S. K. Lothrop, Mrs. Kate Gannett Wells, Rev. Ida C. Hultin, Mrs. Emily A. Fifield, Mrs. Marion H. Perkins, Mrs. Horace Davis.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — Rev. Ida C. Hultin, presiding officer, president Women's Western Unitarian Conference. Address of welcome, Rev. Ida C. Hultin, Moline. Response, Mrs. B. Ward Dix, Brooklyn. Report of National Alliance of Unitarian and Other Liberal Christian Women, Mrs. Emily A. Fifield, Boston. Report of Women's Western Unitarian. Conference, Mrs. Marion H. Perkins, Chicago. Report of Women's Unitarian Conference of the Pacific Coast, Mrs. Elizabeth B. Eastman, San Francisco; read by Mrs. Horace Davis. Essay, "Post Office Mission Work " Mrs. Jenkyn Lloyd Jones, Chicago. Address, Mrs. Kate Tupper Galpin.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — Presiding officer, Mrs. B. Ward Dix, president of the National Alliance of Unitarian Women. "A Woman's Religion," Mrs. R. H. Davis, New York City. Address, Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, Boston. " Religion of the Twentieth Century," Mrs. John C. Learned, St. Louis. Addresses, Mrs. Celia Parker Woolley, Chicago; Rev. Mary A. Safford, Sioux City.
FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1893. HALL IV. DEPARTMENT CONGRESS OF THE X» IN- PARTISAN NATIONAL WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION.
MORNING SESSION, 10 O'CLOCK. — " Power of Womanliness in Wrestling with Stern Problems," Mrs. Florence C. Porter, Winthrop, Maine. Address, Mrs. J. Ellen Foster, Washington, D. C.
EVENING SESSION, 7.45 O'CLOCK. — "