Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-04-05
WOMEN IN COUNCIL
Celebrating the fortieth Anniversary of the
First Womans Rights Convention.


WASHINGTON, March 26.-The interna-
tional council of women was formally
opened today in AIbaugh's grand opera
house. It was assembled by the national
woman's suffrage association of the
United States to celebrate the fOrtieth
anniversary of the first woman's rights
convention. Susan B. Anthony called the
council to order.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton delivered the
address of welcome. At the conclusion
of Mrs. Stanton's address Miss Anthony
introduced to the audience in order
| named, delegates from Norway, Finland.
France, India, ireland, Englp nd ard
| Canada. Each was greeted with hearty
applause, to which brief responses were
made.
| WASHINGTON, March Pin the inter
national council of women this morning
several papers were read. Isabel Boge-
| lot, director of the prison reform work of
| st. Lazarea, Paris, spoke on the work of
the society over which she presides.
| Miss Clara Barton, of the Red Cross So
ciety, also read paper on the work of
her society.
Mrs. Emily S. Richards made e report
describing the relief societies and other
organizations among the women of Utah.
| At the evening session Francis E. Will
| lard, of Chicago, president of the W. G.
| T. o., spoke on Woman and Temperance.
Among other speakers were Hannah
| WhitalI Smith, Bessie Starr Keifer, Anna
Gordon, Matilda B. Corse, Mary HI. HINT,
Frances E. W. Harper (colored) Mary
Weeks Burnett, and Susan Fl. Barney.
WASHINGTON, March 29.-Among the
| many papers read before the international
congress of women today, was one by
Mrs. l.. M. Barry, the organizer of the
| Knights of Labor, upon what the Knights
are doing for women. Mrs. Barry spoke
with effect and was recalled twice. She
said in part: We are building
around our working girls a wall to pro-
| tect them from the humiGations which
| heretofore they had been subjected to.
The Knights of Labor are takiag the lit
tic girls from the factories, workshops
and mines and educating them, because
we know that the little child Of to-day is
the mother of the future. We know that
the fireside, city, state, council and ma
tions are moulded by the hands of the
| wives and the mothers of our children.
AS these are the children of to-day, and
as these shall be the working women of
| the future, we demand that they shall be
taken from the workshop, the factory and
the mine and put into school to develope
them.
WASHINGTON, March 29.-At the morn
| ing session of the international congress
of women the topic was "Organization,'
and Mrs. Julia Ward Howe was the first
speaker, she was followed by Mr.. Julia
T. Eastman of Boston. The other speak
ers were Mrs. 4 bbey Morton Diaz, presi-
dent of the Women's Educational Indus.
trial Union of Boston. Rev. Amanda Deyo
Mrs. Louise Thomas, Mrs. Croly, (Jennie
June) Mrs. May Wright Sewall, and
Mrs. Willard.
WASHINGTON, March 3o.-In the 'Wom-
ans Suffrage convention this morning,
Mrs. Elizabeth Lisle Saxo-, of Tennes
see, created sensation by her discourse
on Social Purity" She spoke very
plainly OF social evils, and of the in
prudence of women in MOI coniding to
their children the great secrets and
truths of life instead of letting them
learn from children and servants.
Mrs. Anna Rice Powell, of New YORK
spoke of the age of protection in various
states, and paid tribute to Kansas as
having made that age Is years, while in
one state it gas as low as years.
Mrs. Admission Chant vouched for the
truthfulness of the charges published in
the Pail Mall Gazette, saying she would
stake her life on their correctness. Sh:
spoke principally of the social purity
societies of Great Britain. Girls, before
there was legislation in the matter, were
taken in droves by PROGRESSES to the
tcontinent to fill houses of ill-fame under
the pretense OF getting them places OF
service.
Harriet B. Shattuck and Clara Claiborne
Hoffman, spoke in the same strain al
Mrs. Saxton had done, all remedies wouls
be partial and disappointing until woman
stands everywhere in perfect eq quality witt
man, until society and the church and Law
regard marriage as perfect partnership
and she an equal partner. The horror OF
lustful children being brought into thu
world will continue until woman is recog
nized as having the right to say when ths
! new life shall begin. Parents when tina
time arrives will have no shame in teach
ing their children the mysteries of life.
Frances Willard as preface to her re
marks read petition to be signed urging
cong ress to pass bill to raise the age o