The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-15
WOMEN'S CONGRESS-.
Annual Meeting of the Association-Some of
the Topics Discussed Yesterday.

DETROIT, Nov. IA meeting Of noted wom-
representatives Of every sphere of woman's
work and every school Of thought, convened to-
day at the Church Of Our Father. It is the
sixteenth annual congress Of the Association
for the Advancement of Womsn. Over $50 Of
the FIVE hundred members of the association are
here. Among the more noted Of the members
present are Miss Calliope Kechieia. of Constan-
tinople; Mrs Julia Ward Howe, Mrs. Frances
T. Willard, Rev. Antoinette Brown Blackwell,
Of Elizabeth, N j.; Miss Ida II. Fredericksen,
of Denmark; Mrs g. B. Easily, of Wilmington,
Del; airs. c. Pierce. of Philadelphia; Rev. Ida
G. Hutton, Mrs. Caroline Brown, of Chicago;
Mrs. DR.. Mowry. of Providence, r. l.; Miss Ella
Lapham. of Frsdonia, N. Y; Mrs. n.
L. Wolcott, Of Dedham. Massachusetts, and
Mrs. Harriet Townsend and Mira. d. S.
Austin, Of Buffalo. The congress was practi-
cally opened last night by a conference of the
board of directors of the Young Women's Home,
but the active work OF tbs association did not
begin until to-day. The main business trans
acted at the morning session was the
reading Of reports from the vice -presideuts Of
tho different States relative to the needs OK
women in their respective localities. This year
the reports make q comparison between tina
work of men aud women, telling where women's
work is equal, superior and inferior to that OF
the other sex.
The afternoon session was called to order at
2:4o o'clock by Mrs. Julia Ward Howe. president
OF the association She spoke FOR fifteen minutes,
and gave general review of the advancement
made in the work Of the association since its
organization eleven years ago. Mrs. Howe spoke
OF the good the congresses have brought forth.
referring especially to the meeting Of women in
Washington last spring, and the impetus IL has
given to women's work elsewhere.
To Senator Palmer, in the absence OF Mayor
Pridgeon, fell the duty of welcoming the mem
bsrs OF the association, which he did In a feici-
tous address, The session closed with 40 essay
on Functions OF Society," by Mrs. Anna Z.
Bowser. Of Kentucky.
AT the evening session papers were read by
Mrs. Jennie E. Froisette, Of Salt Lake City,
topic was Reasons Why Utah Should Not Be
Admitted State at Present" She took tho
ground that the Mormons ara not Americans.
Mormonism, she said. is the most complete
and compactly organized system of priestly
power upon earth, and behind this absolute
theocracy there is an aim OF universal dominion,
perpetualy aggressive purpose, which is to
destroy the government of the United States
and reproduce hero system Of government
that prevails Ia Mohammedan countries. Their
aims are to hold the balance OF political power
and dictate their principles. To achieve this
end they will stop at nothing. She asserted that
every Mormon was sworn to avengs the death ot
Joseph Smith upon the American people; thHt
there is no such thing as fair vote in Utah, no
high system Of education. and that If pofygamy
is left to grow and the Territory invested with
American statehood there will come time when
there will be another call for volunteers and
money.
Miss Wizards essay was on "SociAl Purity.
In America, she said, home questions have be-
come the living issues Of the time, and home
protection is the battle cry of preacher pubcist
and politician. Only by convincing the wage
workers and women that the outlawing of the
saloon means protection for those who dwell
within the home will prohibition ever gain the
day, and only by convincing wage-woIksrs and
temperance voters that through equal suffrage
home, will the woman question ever be settled.
Miss Willard explained at some length the OBJ
iects of the White Cross Association, and the
good it had accomplished. She asked, why do
the laws bear so heavily upon the weaker sex,
making the puI ishment for stealing away a
woman's honor greater than for stealing q silk
gownl Why is the age Of consent but ten years
in twenty States, and in one only seven yearsl
Who would have supposed. whom mans great
physical strength il considered, that be
would have fixed upon an age so tender
and declare that after q child lad reached
| it she should be held equally accountable switt
her doughty assailant for crime in which hs
was the aggressorls And who would not suppose
man who had been false to one woman would b.
socially ostracised by all the rest Of woman
kindY" The Women's Christian Temperate,
Union, she said. he's taken up this sacred cause
OF protection for the home, and will never RES
until women can have all the protection the Law