The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-11-01
The Worlds Congress of Representative
Women.

The Worlds Congress of Representative
Women. held under the auspices of the Worlds
| Congress Auxiliary OF the Columbian EXPOSE
| tion of 1898, was the marvellous etiorescence OF
woman's activities, which have been slowly
budding and developing through ages OF
| Christian endeavOr.
Mrs. May Wright Sewall is the gardener who
| has gathered the seeds which are in many
! clmes and Kingdoms destined to take root.
| Mrs. Sewaii's historical resume of the pro-
ceediugs of the Congress is the work OF a
woman OF broad culture. keen analyses, lofty
tolerance and that generous cOmradeship which
takes in at glance the momentouS and dIVersI-
fed possibilities oil the woman of the nineteenth
century.
Mrs. Potter Palmer proved herself the con-
summate leader when she chose Mrs. Sewail
Chairman of the organization of the WoInans
Congress- and President BOnny of the Worlds
Congress paid Mrs. Sewall just compliment
in his address at the Spring session OF the
Noman's Congress when lie commented upon
the incompatible ability. energy. and zeal ="
which had characterized all her plans aud
purposes"
The plans and purposes were indeed. hers,
promulgated now by statesmanlike papers
aud communications which were repubished
in England, France, Germany, Bohemia, Italy,
and other foreign countries, and again by word
of mouth before representative audiences IN
Paris aud other great centers of European
culture with whose language she is familiar.
or the momentous results as expressed IN that
epoch-making Congress, we know but the be-
ginning. 1t was the expression of the best
thought OF the best women of q great nation
alities, in every important movement iii which
they are engaged.
OF the 52s women of the q nationalities
making up tue Congress. 20G were representa-
tives of l26 organized bodies of women; the
others, like tho great actresses and authors
represented, were women who in themselves
were expouents Of the propelling power of
gcnius in achieving fame in professions or voca-
tiOns open alike to women and men.
OF the speakers on the programs there were
from the United States, So; England. 50; Ger
many, 8; France, Z; Canada. g; Scotland and
Sweden, each Finland and Denmark, 2
each; ireland, Itaiy Belgium and New South
Wales, each.
The purposes ard objects represented were:
Education, IL; literature and art, s. science,
A.; religion. 80; charity aud philanthropy in
GLIDING the Woman's Relief Corps. II; moral
aud social. 10; civil aud political. "a; industry,
6; Order, 2, aud miscellaneous 2.
The Congress of Representative Women,
General and Department. embraced from two.to
% meetings daily for one week, or an aggre-
gate OF 81 meetings. exclusive Of committee
meetings. Before these Congresses addresses
were delivered by $50 women aud so great WAS
the int est that all the halls were crowded
day and night, while thousands were turned
away. The Secretary Of the Worlds Column
bian Exposition estimates the aggregate at
tendance at 10000 larger attendance than
upon any Congress held, not even excepting
the Congress OF Religions.
So much for the magnitude OF Mrs. Sewall's
undertaking in securing aud sitting this mass
of material, often difficult to secure, and set
ting it forth intellgently in work of less
| than 1000 pages Many difficulties attended
| her enterprise, but the work has been well
done and entities her to the thanks of her
| country and OF women everywhere.
Every paper in every General Congress is
! given in whole in part. aud every subordi-
nate, or Department Congress- has at least one
| paper. A third volume is in course Of prepare
ton, giving Department Congress proceedings
| in full.
The vital force of Mrs sewalPs work as an
educator is in the Introductory chapters and
| the introduction to chapters. Thus we have
not only carefully. lifted summing up of
| papers read before the Congress but a succin CT
| explanatory editorial account Of the activities,
| organized or unorganized, which those who
! prepared and presented those papers represent.
The work is issued in handsome style, the
! cover embelished with globe circlcd by the
| motto, Not for herself. but for humanity
| in gilt, and is crowded with portraits of emf
| Dent women participating in the Congresses /:
| Mrs. Potter. Mrs. HenrOtin, Mrs. Sewall Helena
| Modjeska, Maud Balington Booth, Countess of
Aberdeen. Frances i. Willard, Susan B. An
thony, Lady Henry Somerset, groups of the
Worlds Fair officials, Mrs. Henry Ward
Beecher Isabella B0gelot, of France; Helen
Gardener Hanna Bieber- Boehm of Germany
Baroness Thorberc- Rape. OF Sweden; Laura
Ormisten Chant. Madam Janauschek, Madame
KOrany, the Syrian, ard hosts of others. Rand
q McNalIy, Chicago, publishers.