The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-05-17
THE WOMEN'S CONGRESS
srrrrtIFyuaLE BODfEs CONVENE
~ THE WHITE CITY.
The Congress on Dress Reform pr""S
tho Biggest Crowd-Prac'ioai i""'""
lions Of the Innovation

cHICAGO. May iG.-The delegates 70 the
,,.or,an,q Congress- started in bright and
early this morning FOR a hard day 3 WORK
Tho programme for the week comprises
, fo,,r-hour morning session each day
a. visit 10 the Worlds Fair each after
,oo, and three-hour session In the
evening. Mrs. Charlotte Emerson Brown
presided this morning over an audience
Of about 1.50) IN the Hall Of Washington
and after devotional exercises a number
of FOREIGN representatives were introduced
by airs. Potter Palmer and Mrs. Charles
Henr0tin.
Politics was the theme Of the gathering
I'm the big Hall OF Columbus, where the
audience numbered about 300. These,
boveyor were only two Of some fifteen
eeparate and distinct congresses that are
in full swing this morning
In Hall seven the annual congress OF
tbc Eaetcrn Star a branch Of Masonry,
TO which female relatives Of Master Ma
,ooq ara alone eligible for membership.
,..s. called TO order by the Most Worthy
Grand Aiatr0n. Mrs. Mary G. Shedding.
Tha congresses in the other halls in
Guided ono of the national committee OF
tbo Young Mems Christian Association
tho National Council Of Women OF the
United states. and Woman's Alliance.
other congresses had reference TO edu-
cational. religious and Industrial SUD
jects.
Congress on Dress Reform.
Mrs Mary Wright Sewall presided over
the Congress on Dress Reform ana II
was here that expectation was on tlp toe
Lucy stone, a pioneer reformer; FRANCES
NJ. steele. Annie Jcnness Miller the apos-
lie Of the modern movement; octave
Bates and Frances W. Letter were an
nouuceG as speakers, and a large auu4-
encc gathered I'm the hall.
A ripple Of excitement moved across the
aesemblaoe when Mrs. Sewall advanced
~ tho stage She wore % dress reform
costume the noticeable reform feature
being short skirts She wore closely
fitting dark blue dress. with full skirts
about eighteen inches from the grouhu
Below the dress and encasing seINlC."-
BILE pair Of walking shoes were hleh pIue
raiters. Mrs. Brown had just called the
convention 10 order when Mrs. SeWall
,rri,.ad fo make several announcements.
Possibly the audience gave more atten-
lion TO the costume than the words. a
number of others who were not called 10
aprear so c0nsPicuOusly wore slIll'idI O'S
tunes 10 that of Mrs. Sewall, notably
Mrs Rachel Foster Avery
Before visiting the Fair this afternoon
the delec1teb We're rendered reception
M the Illinois Club by the Women's club
of Chicago. a total OF 5000 invitations
were issued.
National Editorial Association.
Journalists Of every degree are at the
Hotel Mecca where have arrived over
four hundred newspaper men 10 attend
the ninth annual convention Of the Ma
tional Editorial Association, which began
tonight.
President T. W. Palmer. Of the Worlds
Columbian Exposition. delivered an adj
dress Of welcome. and was followed 10y
Moses p. Handy. who also welcomed the
editors to Chicago. ON behalf Of the
convention Governor George w. Peck, or
Wisconsin,. who is also q delegate 10 the
convention. responded to the addresses
of welcome. and Byron W. Price. presi-
dent Of the Association, also Expressed
his thanks 10 the Worlds Fair officials
for the pleasant welcome extended TO
them. The annual address 70 the con
vention was then delivered b. ). {.
Matthews of Memphis.