The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-22
THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN
1t Was q Great Success, from What
ever Point OF View Ii Is Considered,
And the Dignity Of the Occasion Was Only In
terrupied Twice-Attitude of Catholics as
to Sunday Opening Of the Fair.
spec,al to the Indianapolis journal.

saturday. but the religious meetings con-
Quoted to-day by the several women
preachers who were present during the
week were really it's final feature. The
success of this gathering. In point of at
tendance, the character of the addresses.
and the interest manifested by the public
generally exceeded even the highest ex-
pectations of the projectors. Whatever
the scotfers may say as to the
actual practical value of this celebration
of feminine achievements. great good must
result from so free an interchange of views
on all subjects pertaining TO industrial.
moral and social activities. The addresses.
and still more the personal acquaintance
formed among women of different nation
aIties and diverse opinions and methods
cannot fail to result In broadening of
mind and increased respect and liberation
Tor those w no differ with their own cher
ished c0nvictioDs-p0ints In which many
otherwise cultivated women are often
lacking. The Chicago press. which is much
given to frivOlity. was ready and waiting
for opportunities to ridicule, or at least to
slyly make light of the proceedings.
but no opportunity OF any oonse-
qucnce offered. The newspapers were
compelled by the decorum aud dignity of
the affair. aud by the high personal and
professional character of the women who
conducted and took part In 1t. TO treat 10
seriously and respectfully. The absurd
form dress exhibit made slight ripple In
the even current. and the pestiferous
Helen Cougar another. HeleI's plan OF
airing her personal eninities did not add 10
the esteem in which she has long been held
by women engaged in public work. They
know by experience that she was not TO be
trusted. aud that If she were requested TO
speak Oh any subject. from domestic science
TO the ethics OF dress. she light be expected
TO deliver third party TRADE or q
screed on some topic equally irrelevant
Whether Mrs. SewalI, as chairman of the
executive committee, or Miss An thony, who
knows Helen OF old. or the entire womans
council was responsible for emitting her
name from the weeks programme is not
matter OF consequence. but whoever did
1t deserves vote Of thanks. The women
who planned this Congress and helped TO
carry IL out should not allow themselves 20
be disturbed by the disagreeable episode.
but should congratulate themselves that
they have so triumphanty opened the
series OF auxiliary congresses.
Several Chicago editors have felt 1t in
Cumbent upon themselves this week TO lu-
dulge In the stock platitudes concerning
woman and the home" Congresses and
public life may be all right, they soy, in
substance, but how can they be made COM
patlble with the primary duty OF woman
TO her familyf Woman must be q mother
they urge. with profound solemnity. This
twaddle was made the more ridiculous by
the fact that large proportion of
the women in attendance. either as
delegates or as visitors. were middle-aged
or elderly women. and the most of them I'M
doubleday the mothers of families who
could give points To any male editor living
On the duties of women. They were women
of the world. shrewd, keen, intellectual
and experienced. They had looked we'll
after thor households. and had yet found
time in which to be interested In things
outside.
AS To SUNDAY OPENING.
phase of the Sunday opening question,
of which little has been said. has attracted
the attention of some observant Chicago
people. This Is the shrewd and politic
position taken by the Catholic Church. A
year ago or more the New York Independ-
ent published the views of large
number of leading churchmen of
all denominations on the question
OF opening the fair. The Catholic bishops
without exception, favored the opening, on
the ground that il was for the benefit of the
laboTlEg classes. The Protestants. In their
zeal TO protect the sacrednoss of Sunday,
practically ignored the claims of working
people or dismissed the argument In their
behalf as Inmsterial. When the delega-
tion of ChIcagoans appeared before a con-
gressional committee TO argue for and
against the opening Tommy" Morgan, who
is sort of John Burns of Chicago was
cent as a representative OF forty labor Or
ganiZatiOns to speak In favor of open doors
on the only day when workingmen
have leisure. Morgan Is not q polished
person, but he Is q man of brains and much
force, and made powerful speech. He Is
not attached to any church himself. and
was therefore the more free to express his
opinions. which were to the effect that the
Protestant ministry no longer represented
the people and their best interests. but
that they and their followers had become
o class which was endeavOrIng to dictate
to the majority and to secure class rule.
His speech did not prevail. but the idea
was quickly taken up and has been
shrewdly disseminated by Catholics, and
will undoubtedly have effect In circles
which PrOtestants already find il hard
enough to reach. A few Protestant min
listers have had the penetration
to zee that they were being placed
in the light of being unfriendly 70 the
"toiling millions" and are beginning to
hedge on their previous demands for closed
doors and even TO advocate their opening.
but the majority still refuse to see the course
of wisdom. How any intelligent and we'll
balanced person can look upon the Chicago
saloons and multiplied dens OF iniquity.
and the theaters all in full blast seven days
in the week. and with an air of self-right-
eousness refuse to countenance the opening
of wholly desirable place of entertain
Inent and education is hard to understand.
There is good reason to believe, however,,
that their unreasonable demands will soon
be overruled and the fair be thrown open
to all.
The National Editorial Association prac.
tioally owned Chicago last week. The gen.
tiemen composing il were taken on vari-
ETY. OF excursions. they were given the
freedom of the fair. and q grand electrical
display made for their benefit. One
night twelve hundred tickets were at their
disposal for theatrical performance at the
Auditorium. and all the week they lived on
pie. or whatever is the Chicago substitute
for that article. The several hundred ed
itors went home happy. and when they get
there they will write glowing accounts of
the attractions of Chicago and the fair
They do not know il, perhaps. but this is
just what Chicago was working for when it
entertained them so literally. Tho press
of the country has beea some W hat critical
of the fair. especially since the stories of
extortion and the robbery of innocent
strangers went ont, and il was to counter
act this nnfriendly feeling that the press
representatives were so Hospitality treated.
No editor with the instincts of q gentleman
can do otherwise than praise so agreea bic
host and all his belongings