The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-19
BIG COUNCIL OF WOMEN.
FEMALE PREACHERS, POLITICIANS.
DRESS REFORMERS, AND ALL.
Any Number OF Celebrities From Nome
and Abroad Attracting General At
tention--Somc of Those Prsssats

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1s.--The second
triennial convention of the National coup-
Gil of Women of the United States (to give
the full title) began this morning, and for
two weeks will divide with Congress In
terest in Washington affairs. II is safe
to say that never before was there such
an enthusiastic assemblage OF women as
that at Merezetto Music Hail. at 10
o'clock. when the formal opening oc-
Cured.
When Mrs. Mary Wright Sewell. OF In
dianapolis. the president of the National
Council, raped for order from the stage
at one end of the hall, she looked down
upon representative gathering of wo-
men from every section OF the country
ana few from other countries. while
the gallery above was crowded with an
appreciatve audience. both male and fe-
maie-apparently thoroughly in sympathy
win the objects OF the meeting. The
gathering WAS not only representative
from a geographical standpoint but from
those OF appearance and sphere.
Dress reformers and women In gowns Of
the mode sat side by side, while here and
there could he seen the quaint bonnet
OF Quakeress. Acknowledged leaders
| In society, noble women. In the European
| meaning of the term and several noted
for wealth In their own right or that OF
| their husbands, were there on an equal
footing with delegates from the ranks OF
those who work for their daily bread
All ages were likewise In evidence, vary
ing from the more than three score and
ten of Miss Susan B. Anthony. president
of the National American Woman Suf-
frage Association. to the nineteen years Of
Miss II. Augusta Howard president OF
the Georgia auxiliary OF Miss Anthony's
organization. IL was truly a national
council of women.
MANY CELEBRIIIEs PRESENT.
Conspicuous in the gathering by rea-
son of their prominence In womens work,
was the Countess of Aberdeen president
or the International Council Of Women
and best known I'm America through her
Irish exhibit at he Worlds Fair: Lady
Henry Somerset. Miss Frances T.. Willard,
of Illinois. president of the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union; Mrs. Rus
sell Sage. OF New York. Mrs. T.. B. Gran
MS, of New York. president of the Ma
tioral Christian League for ;he Prom otion
OF Social Purity, who recently attained
some prominence in the metropolis
through following In the footsteps of Or.
Parkhurst; Mrs j. Ellen Foster. OF Wash
ington, ID. c., president of the Womens
Republican Association of the United
states; Mrs. II. Slocum, of Illinois. presl-
dent of the National Council OF Jewish
Women: Mrs. Annie Jenness Miller, the
dress reformer; Mrs. Mary French Shell
don, OF Massachusetts, the African ex-
plorer; Mrs. Jennie LAM. Losior, of New
York; Mrs Lille Devereaux Blake. OF
New York: Rev. Annie Ford Eastman,
~ nrnfr AnA los ...l
Shaw. OF Pennsylvania: and Rev. Caro-
line j.. Bartlett, OF Kaiam \Io. Mich.
the female minister of oy,,,H-iS-suasd
Mrs. :s-r7 Spyt., :>ss'--s'< Of BrookIy \.
| who shares with .Irs. Hetty Green. the
| distinction of beirfS female millionaire.
OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS,
| A number of fraternal organizations not
| in the council, were also represented.
These societies numbered twenty, and
included the Woman's First Dental As
soclation OF the United States the Wo-
mans National Indian Association. and
the Woman's Auxiliary Keeley League;
the National League OF Colored Women:
the Legion of Loyal Women. the Work 4
ing Womans Society, and the Internal-
tional Order OF Kings Daughters arm
Sons.
The opening session was merely formal.
II began with prayer. and this waY fol-
lowed by the Introduction OF the bresl-
dent. and the delegates of ORGANIZATIONS
forming the national council.
The presentation Of greetings from the
National Council Of Women ofi Canada.
and the greetings by fraternal delegates
from organizations not In Hie council
came next on the progrymme, and
the session concluded with fhe trienniai
address of Presldet Mary Wright Sew
ell.