Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-01-31

PETTICOATS.
Their Wearers IN Force at the Cap
ital-Oklahoma.
Special Correspondence Of the INrER-OcEAN:
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-The women
are here again calling attention to their
rights. Year after year for sixteen
years, prominent lights of the sister,
hood have rallied at the national cap
ital to renew their demand for suffrage,
and to review the trials and triumphs
which the cause has undergone in the
twelve months that have passed since
last they met. They do not receive
overwhelming encouragement at the
white house, on Capitol hill or in polit-
ical conventions, but they are undaunt.
ed and insist that the cause is growing,
growing every day. 1t is, alas! too true
that locks are growing whittier, and that
age and death have devastated their
ranks, but new recruits come forward
every year. Then there are more school
trustees, and deputy marshalesses, and
postmistresses, and common council
women and jurywomen among their
numbers. So the struggle goes bravely
on and the spark Of hope is kept alive.
In convention they adopted resolutions
rejecting as dogmas Of Judaism the
teaching that woman was an after
thought in creation, that her sex was a
misfortune, and that marriage was q
condition of subordination. And fur
ther called upon the Christian ministry
as leaders of thought to enforce the
idea that in true religion there is
neither male nor female, neither bond
no. free, but all are one.
1t vas an interesting sight to observe
the eager crowds that thronged the
meetings just held here by Evangelist
Moody. High and low, rich and poor,
saints and sinners, literally all classes
and conditions of men and women went,
or tried to 60. And as one watched the
sea OF faces, n could not help Won
dering what had brought them there.
Primarily, of course, it wa the man
himself, who has made his name famil-
lar to half the globe. But no one, how.
ever indifferent or prejudiced, could
listen to MIR. Moody long without feel.
ing that he has power. or without un.
derstanding something of what it was
that held and influenced the lowest and
vilest people Of Chicago or London, and
the highest culture of Oxford and
Cambridge. He is a mar who feels that
he has a message, and that nothing on
earth is so important as to tell it. He
is more than that. He is a man who
feels that, his message is greater than
himself.
Congress has not accomplished much
this week. The subjects that have
come up for consideration have been
dull, and both the senate and the house
devoted much time to obituary o~ratory
over the late Senator Anthony, of Rhode
Island, and Representative Evins, de.
ceased, Of South Carolina. Indian ap.
preparations have been discussed in the
house, and the Oklahoma lands CUES.
ton has been before both branches OF
congress. Thus the whole Indian ques.
ton has been sprung, and no question,
probably, is more provocative of talk
The fact that the best use the Indian
can make of land is to lease thousands
OF acres to syndicates of cattle kings a,
a few cents per acre yearly, while there
are thousands of white people who
have no land and would, like to &c,
some, has impressed legislators with the
idea that congress must take hold o.
the matter. Not only for the purpose
OF taking care of the Indians. but 70,
the purpose of taking care of the white
people: Senator Vest, Of Missouri, de,
clares that Oklahoma belongs to the
red men and thinks the white settler
should be made to 60, while Represent
alive O'Neill. of Missouri, thinks there
IS no need of carrying the idea of sacred
ness of treaties to the verge of idiocy.
The faporite loaing place of congress
men has been spoiled. The row o
screens in rear Of the seats in the House
behind which Members collected il
order to joke, tell stories and smoke
have all been taken away. The alleged
reason was to promote ventilation. blu
the real object. was to promote legisla