Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-24
WOMEN IN COUNCIL.
Address of Miss Frances +. willard, tho
President Of the Body.to Large
and Enthusiastic Assembly.

tBy telegraph 70 the Dispstch.l
WASHINGTON. February 28.-The featura
OF this mornings session Of the FIRST trien
NAL council Of the women Of the United
states was the address Of Miss Frances r.
Willard, the president Of the council. AL
baugh's Opera-House was filed in every
part by a highly enthusiastic audience
which was largely composed of representa-
tive women from oil parts of the country.
On the stage which was effectively deco
rated with flowers and tropical plants
were seated Miss Susan B. Anthony. Mrs.
Julia Ward Howe, Mrs. J. Ellen Foster
Mrs. MAY Wright Sewell Rev. Anna Shaw,
Mrs. Zerlda G.. Wallace, and many others
who have been prominently identified with
the cause Of women.
woMEN's DIFFERENCES or OPINION.
In the course Of her address Miss VIII
lard said that she held, with the President
of the previous council that difference
OF opinion on one question must not pre-
vent the women of America from working
unitedly on those on which they can agree.
They were engaged in a heroic struggle 10
lift women from mere sexhood up toward
glorious wOmanhOOd, and TO do this for
humanity's sake was the problem. But il
has taken women Of brains and purpose
more than forty years TO find this simple
truth-to learn that they must agree to
disagree on many things in order that the
greatest good might be attained.
THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE SEX.
She reviewed the advance Of woman,
and particularly SINCE the last council, as
scrting that these three years have pro-
duCed greater results than the previous
ten years. OF the general advance of
wOman's cause she said Consider the
fact that more than 81 per cent. OF all oar
pubhc-schOol teachers are women that
over 200 colleges have now over 1000
women students: that industrial schools
for girls are being founded in almost every
State; that hardly score of colleges in
all the nation still exclude us. and that
these begin TO look sheeplsh and speak in
tones apolOgetic.
COLLEGIATE OPPORTUNITIES.
The University Of Pennsylvania was
lately opened, Barnard College, in New
York. Is the annex TO the magnificent
Columbia and the Methodist University of
Washington, ID. c., the Leland Stanford
and Chicago Universities, with countless
millions back of them. are, in all their de-
partments, including divinity, 10 be open
20 women. Reflect that we are admitted
20 the theological seminaries of the Metho-
dist, Congregational, and UniveTsalist
dozen smaller ecclesiastical COM
muniOns; that the Free Baptist and
several other Churches now welcome dele
gates 10 their highest councils while We
vote in the local assembly of almost every
Church in Christendom except the Catho-
lie; and that, while some Of US were re-
jected as delegates 10y the General Confe-
renee of the Methodist Episcopal Church
IN 1855. that body submitted the question
10 a vote of 100000 MethOdists and 62 per
cent. of those present and voting de-
clared IN favor Of complete equality within
the household of faith
MANS PHILANTHROPY.
Msy Willard pf ed in review the philan-
thrOpics Of men, religious and secular, and
in this connection reflect that a woman
spoke before the Catholic Total Abstinence
Society, at its late meeting IN the presence
Of distinguished prelates OF the Church,
which, while beyond others utilizing the
money, devotion, and work OF women, IS
the most conservative of all when their
public efforts are concerned. Remember
the pathetic figure Of our beloved little
Pundita Ramauai as she stood pleading
the case Of the high-caste Hindoo windows
upon this platform three years ago, ard re-
ioice that in her school at PoOna the dream
is coming true.
PARSELL DISCUSSED.
In speaking of Mr.. Parnell she said that
the chief significance of his present dis
crowned estate had been but little empha-
sized as vet in the public mind but TO her
thinking the woman question has no
triumph so signal in our generation. 1t ls
not many years, she said since any man of
great gifts and splendid public achieve
ments in the interest Of humanity
was entirely separated IN the minds
Of the people into two characters;
As q hero he stood forth for what
the world knew of him in his relations to
the world: in his relations 10 women he
was altogether different personality with
whom the public had nothing whatever TO
do. and no matter how basely he might
conduct himself 1t was no concern OF
theirs because the estimate Of woman was
SO much beneath that which is now held.
At the afternoon session papers were
read and speeches delivered upon the. sub
iect of the control and social care OF the
denendent classes. and womans share in
the work. Included in this topic was the
discussion of the Indian question.
At the night session Women IN the
Churches " was the general topic of most
Of the papers and addresses.