The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-02-24
MISS UTLLiRD ON UOMEN
She Touches the ParneIl % Shea Scandal and
Criticises Ex-President Cleveland.

WASHINGTON. ID. c.. Feb. 23.-The first
triennal meeting Of the Women's National
Council Of the United States was held at Al
bourb's Grand Opcra House yesterday. The
decisions which were used last night on the
occasion of the memorial services OF the
Military Order OF Washington were
left untouched. and the body of the theatre
was crowded with intellectual women, with a
fair sprnklng of men. while on the stage
We're seated the delegates, many OF whom
We're the most conspicuous figures IN the
Womans world.
The meeting was opened with prayer by the
Rev Mary II j.. Hit. after which the dele
gates We're introduced by President Francis
Willard who then delivered long and IN
terc,ting address, which was frequently IN
teuuptcd 10y storms of applause; In opening
her address. Miss Willard said she held with
the president of the preU0uys council that
u difference of opinion ON one question
must not prevent us from working unltcdly
for those on which We can agree.
FROM sEXHooD TO woMANHooD.
To lift woman up from sexhood to woman
hood. and 90 do this for humanity's
sake. is our problem. But 1t has
taken women of brains and of pa pose more
than forty Years t0 find out this simple fact -
TO learn that they must agree to disagree
on many things in order that to the
greatest numbers the greatest good might
lc attained. She distinctly disay0wed any
banding together If women rs indictments or
hO-tilcs toward the correlated other half of the
human race She said she believed that this
council should organic q council IN every
town and city. confcderaung these IN
every State. aud iustructiug the State
Council To send delegates 10 the
National Council. We're there ever such a
council of women lu a town and city State
and nation. we should have our representa-
tiyes constantly at tine State and national cap
ital5 and should ash unitedly for advantages
that have heretofore been asked for only by
separate societies.
Miss Willard said: I'VE have long met 10
read ESSAYS. make speeches and prepare petit
tluus. let us hereafter meet IN tins great coun-
eli to logislate for womanhood and the home.
Men have tod us s0lemnly. have told usloiten
aud in good faith. no doubt. that they
would grant whatever the women of the ma
tion asked Our. time 70 ask umtedly has
waited long, but 1t Is here at last"
TRUE PRIEsrEss.
Speaking Of women, Miss Willard paid a
high tribute to Miss Kate DreXel, Of whom She
sad. Let the Catholic Katherine DreXel
speak. who on February 18th consecrated her
solf bv solemn vows To the exclusive
service of the Indian and the negro,
dcyoting her fortune 10 their religious
Intellectual and social elevation As true
"a prlestcs5 as walked the Garth Is such a wo-
man I'm this age On the subject ot social
purity Miss Willard spoke at length With
reference to the recent Parnell-O'Shea scandal
she said: The chief significance Of Parnell 3
present di~crOWned estate has been but httle
emphasized as yet in the public
mind. hut To my tmuklng the
woman question has had no triumph as
signal In oar generation. A. hero Iarneu
stood forth for what the world knew OF him IN
his relation To the world; but as a
man ia h', relations % women he was alto
gether different personality, with whom the
public had nothing whatever 10 do, and ~
matter how ba~cly he might conduct himself,
II was no concern Of theirs, because the esil-
mate Of woman was So much beneath mat
which was now held. She was but an adllnct
Of men. and called by many of the greatest
among men q necessary evil.
Mrs o'sHRAs CONDUCT.
Nor would | in the least forget that Mrs.
O'Shea has blurred. 80 far as her own indyldu-
ality could. .the composite photograph OF
womanknd But then there has not been one
word spoken in her favor She was nothing
10 ANYBODY hut Captain O'Shea and tho once
great Irish hero. Her penalty Is heavy
enough n the future case. Int God bee thanked
that we live m an age when men as a
class have risen To such am appreciation Of
women as % class. that the mighty tide of their
contempt win drown ont any mans reputa-
nou who IS false 10 woman at home. and
thI. which d, true now In 70 large degree
throughout the world will be q thousand
time, more true In a century from now.
Miss Willard paid q compliment to General
Sherman. whom she slid. proposed the admis
sion 0f women 10 employment IN the United
States Treasury Department.
She criticised the present style of dress
worn by society women. maintaining that II
prevented physical development, Woman"
she said. 81, a creature born u the freedom Of
Diana. but she is swathed by her skirts, splin-
terod by her stays. bandaged by her tight
waist. and pinioned until. alas, that | should
live to say H.. "a tu,sed turkey or
sp.tted goose aye most appropriate elnblems.'
She criticised ex-Presdent Cleveland for
tine u-e of the word female by him as being
obnoxirl- 10 women whom she said We're
women and wished 10 bc designated rs such.