Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-24
MISS WILLARD ON PARNElL.
Tho Distinguished W. c. T. L. Advocate
Discnsses a Delicate Subject.

Thc Distinguished W. e. L. L. Advocate
Discusses a Delicate Subject.
WASHINGTON CITY. Feb. 24-The Wom-
ans National Council OF the United
States met at Albaugh's Opera house yes
terday and was well attended A promi-
nent figure in the meeting was Miss
Frances f Willard, who presides, and
who made the principal address of the
day. In announcing the problem to be
solved she said it was to Gift woman up
from sexhood into womanhood." Speak
ing of woman individually Miss Willard
paid high compliment to Miss Kate
Drexel, of whom she said: LET the
Catholic Katherine Drexel speak, who, on
Feb. H. consecrated herself by solemn
vows to the exclusive service of the In
dian and the negro, devoting her fortune
of seven million dollars to their religious,
intellectual, and social elevation. AS true
a priestess as walks the earth is such a
woman in this mammon loving age"
Social Purity and Parneli.
On the subject of social purity Miss
Willard spoke at length, with special ref
erence to the recent Parnell-O'Shea scan
dial. She said: "The chief significance of
Parnell's present discrowned estate has
been but little emphasized as yet in the
public mind; but, to my thinking, the
woman question has had no triumph as
signal in our generation. AS a
hero Parnell stood forth for what the
world knew of him in his relations to the
world, but as man in his relations to
women he was altogether a different per-
sonality, with whom the public had moth
Jug whatever to do, and, no matter how
basely he might conduct himself, it was
no concern of theirs, because the estimate
of woman was so much beneath that
which is now held. She was but an adj
junct of man, and called by many of the
greatest among men "a necessary evil.
Change in Public Opinion.
But now, the speaker said "when Par.
nell, great hero that he is, ruins one
woman and despoils one home, his features
as hero are so blurred and distorted to
the eye of nations that he must step down
and out. Nor would in the least forget
that Mrs. O'Shea blurred. so far her poor
little individuality could, the composite
photograph of womankind. But, then,
there has not been one word spoken in
her favor She was nothing to anybody
but Capt. O'Shea and the once great Irish
hero. Her penalty is heavy enough in the
nature of the case But God be thanked
that we live in an age when men as class
have risen to such an appreciation of
women as class that the mighty tide of
their public sentiment will drown out any
mans reputation who is false to woman
and the home"
A Compliment and a Criticism.
Miss Willard paid a compliment to Gen.
Spinner, who, she said, just thirty years
ago, proposed the admission of women to
employment in the United States treasury
department. She criticised the present
style of dress worn by society women,
maintaining that it prevented physical
development. woman" she said, "is a
creature born to the beauty and freedom
of Diana, but she is swathed by her skirts,
splintered by her stays, bandaged by her
tight waist, and pinioned by her sleeves
until-alas, that / should live to say it
a trussed turkey or spitted goose are her
most appropriate emblems." She criti-
cised ex-Pres:dent Cleveland for the use
of the word sfemale' by him in recent