Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-05-27
n. 4. GENERAL CONFERENCE.


l
The general conference proceeded with the
elections of editors of conference newspaper
on Monday and Tuesday, and other routine
| business. The most important change was
transferring C. C. McCabe from assistant sec.
retary Of the Church Extension Society to be
one of the secretaries of the Missionary So
| ciecty
On Monday evening. Capt. Pratt. principal
/ of the Iudian school at Carlisle had an audi
| ence of some 5000 or more at the Academy of
| Music for the benefit of his school. The In
dian BOYS and girls were present all neatly
| dressed, and all dark skinned. Thirty seven
tribes were represented. They sung several
hymns very well, but in this they are not
equal to their black brethren. A band of
Indians selected from different tribes dis
coursed excellent music. John Waneramaker,
the well known business man and philan-
thropist, presided, and made an appropriate
speech. He was followed by Judge Hender-
son Of Carlisle. Secretary Teller of the ma
tional cabinet then took the floor, and made
a powerful argument in favor of educating
the Indians, and training them to earn their
own living by industry and labor. That they
can be educated is already proved. Every
phiianthropic and humanitarian consideration
u
be true economy to do it. 1t would cost much
less to train them in schools than it has cost
to keep peace on the frontiers. The white
settlers on the frontiers can DE protected by
Indian schools at much less expense than by
the army.
Mr.. Price, commissioner of Indian affairs,
followed in an earnest and eloquent speech
on the same side. He set forth the difficult
ties experienced by his department, but said
all that was needed was money and well
directed efforts to accomplish the object.
Speaking as Methodist to the Methodists
present. he declared that the denomination
was not doing its duty to the lndians-that
weaker denominations were doing more than
the Methodists. Capt. Pratt then explained
that he had sent out many of the Indian boys
and girls of his school amongst the farmers
to get an industrial training with great sue
cess. Various articles were exhibited as the
work of the young Indians, including wagon,
tin ware, shoes, harnesses, cabinet work, &c.
Two Indian boys gave brief original pieces
on the question whether the Indians should
be made citizens, ,one for and the other against.
A farm has been bought on which is mort
gage of $4,000 or more. Over $1,000 was
subscribed at the close of the meeting towards
paw ing the mortgage.
Philadelphia is the paradise of street cars.
The long straight streets are highly favorable,
and they are rafting along all the time. One
can ride in them six or seven miles for five
cents. In Market street, they are laying a
track for the new fashioned automatic cars.
Yet they have here many elegant carriages, as
one may see in the fine drives in Fairmount
Park on any pleasant day, one of the largest
and finest parks in the world. Yesterday after
noon two of us took the street cars to
Fairmount dam, where the great water works
are situated, which pump up and filter the
Schuylkil water, but after all do not make
it fit to drink Here we went aboard little
steamer voyaged up the river five miles, to
Wissahickon The scenery is beautiful, the
park lying on both sides of the river, adorned
with native forest trees and shrubbery,
threaded with drives and avenues, with here
and there ravines, rocks, hills and juugles.
1t was a delightful excursion.
Last evening the Arch street church was
packed with an audience of 1900 or 1900 at a
meeting of the Methodist Woman's Home
Missionary Society. Mrs. Ex-President
Hayes presided, supported bv other noble
women. Eloquent speeches were made by
Bishops Wiley and Warren, and the claims
of the society were presented by Secretary
Reid of the Missionary Society. Several de-
lightful solos were sung by Mrs. Knapp of
Brooklyn, n. Y. telegram was read by
Secretary Reid, from New York lady donat-
ing S2500 for an industrial home in Green's
boro. N. c. Subscriptions and collections at
the meeting made up the sum to $1,000. The
work of this society is amongst the women of
the colored and Indian races, and wherever
the women of this country can be benefited
and elevated. Fl. X. B.