The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-29
THE COUNCIL OF WOMEN.
SOME FINE PAPERS READ BY THE
SUFFRAeIsTs.
Mrs. Leonora M. Barry Makes q HIT
with Her Address on "what the
Knights OF Labor Have Done for
Women"--other Papers.

Women"--Other Papers.
WASHINGTON, March 2S. The morning
session Of the International Council Of
Women was devoted 10 the general sub
ject OF industries, Laura NJ. Johns, presi-
dent Of the Kansas Equal Suffrage associa-
ton, presided. The iint paper Of the
session was read by Mr. Mary A. Liver
more on "Woman's Industrial Gains Dur
ing the Last Half Century"
Mrs. A. NJ. Worten and Hilda b. Loud
also read papers.
Mrs. Loud said that woman's great In
6uencc in the Knights of Labor is being
felt wherever women OF character have
joined the order. Her work in the order
is manifest in the banishmcnt Of tobacco
and rum from the asscmbly-rooms and In
the greater effect upon herself in the de-
yslopment Of stronger character. She Is
beginning to question II II IL right TO vote,
speak and hold Office In these assemblies,
why Is II wrong for her 30 do 40 In the
Statc2 Her official recognition IL 50 slow
because Of mans scliishness and her own
timidity and disincllnation 20 push her
claims. And then office has not and never
| will have the attraction FOR woman II has
for man. The Knights Of labor Il the
| grand educational fore among the masses,
the barrier that protects capital and nonop-
oily from the results ol their folly and
crime. We should foster labor organiza-
tions 10 prevent revolution.
The next speaker was Ida Beney Sales,
corresponding secretary al the Sociological
Society OF America. llof paper described
the work Of the society.
Mrs. Leonora NJ. Barry. organizer OF tho
Knights Of Labor, next read n paper upon
"What the knights Of labor are Doing
for Women" Mrs. Barry spoke with ease
and effect. Her address created something
like a sensation and she Was recalled twice.
She said: 1--WE arc building around our
working girls wall 10 defend and protect
| them from the humiliations which hereto
fore they have been subjected TO. There
are no better law supporters, no more loyal
| citizens, true IN the law of their country
and their country's flag Than the organized
workingmen and women Of today They
do not demand revolution, but they do de-
mand reform; they do not nsk II by the
power Of physical or brute force or
strength; they do not ask II by the dcstiuc-
ton Of life or property, they simply ask II
at the hands OF the lawmaking bodies OF
their nations. Only iour years ago be-
came a knight Of labor. Seven years ngo
I was left without knowledge Of business,
without knowledge Of what the world
was, with three fathcrless children
looking 60 mo for brad. To support
these children Il became my duty 10 70 out
In the army Of the employed, and IN one
of the largest factories in GENITAL New
York went and for four ycan became
n factory woman. -Four ycars ago ! bc-
came a Knight oi Labor became n
member Of an assembly Oi 800 women,
and let me say that although there was not
one among them thai could boast of
more than n minor PAT oi a common
school education. yet b that body Of
women there was moro executive ability,
morc tact more keen calculating power
than could be found In twice that number
OF any body OF men.
The Knights Of Labor ar taking the lit.
tic girls from the factor, the workshop
aud the mine, and elncaiing them. be-
cause We know that tir little child Of 10
day IL the mother Of thefuurc We know
that the fircsidc, the ciis, the State, ooun-
ell and nation ia moyrd by the hand Of
wives aud mothers oi our children. As
these are the children oi today, and as
these shall bc the working women ol the
future, We demand thai they shall be
taken from the workshop factory and the
mine and put into The school 10 develop
them.
The scsgion closed with aNell received
address on Women n Fauncn,' 10y
Esther l.. Warner.