The San Francisco call., 1895-05-23
THE WOMAN'S CONGRESS DISCUSSE
AG butt obem
Remains sLnored

1T mas TedilZeQ III IlIQe Wudt MIS- CtCtSOH
calls its opportunity for talking back. Be-
fore yesterday mornings session was over
therefwas no dearth of discussion, and as
the president, Mrs. Cooper, stood upon the
platform sweetIy auctioning off another
minute there was no lack of bidders for
the privilege of speech.
Curiously enough it was not woman suf-
frage, not question of mans superb
ority or inferiority in intellect, not
a matter of morals and manners which
precipitated the dew of discussion
from the thunder-clouds of thought.
Doubtless, women are interested in all
these things; but, to judge by yester-
days excitement, there is one subject
which is still the vital question to women
of all kinds: the homely one of house
keeping.
After an apparently inoffensive talk by
the Rev. Ada Bowies on Home Indus
tries there followed remarkable discus
sion which ranged from the shocking un-
reliability of newspaper reporters and the
color of a woman's hair to an attack upon
ministers, a profession of un-faith and
denial of the Deity.
Mrs. Bowles had spoken eloquently
about "clean, honest lye," "good soft
soap" "clear greese," "nice, new, white
wool" and other housewifely details as
though she still spent most of her time in
the spotless New England kitchen and
back yard, her description of which had
brought wistful look of remembrance to
many an old woman's face among her
listeners. She accused men of having
limited woman's usefulness in the home,
1f H. i l, o,,x oS ~ !.
by their inventions.
"You shall spin as factory girl more
cotton in a day than you have done in a
year at home" is one of the imaginary
speeches she attributes to man. She says
he has even deprived the mother of the
pleasure OF rocking her own baby to sleep,
but being practical as well as . woman,
Mrs. Bowles suggests that mothers deposit
their babies in these man-given patent
cradles, wind UP the spring, set the cradles
rocking, put on their bonnets, go to vote
and be back in four minutes with that
blessed baby-asleep or loud awake-sti!l
swinging away. But "God bless the men"
was the end of her talk.
And man was gracefully thanked by
another woman who invoked Gods bless
ing upon him for having made woman's
work lighter. A member suggested that
mans meddling with woman's affairs
would result in his taking the spring
housecleaning off her hands, and there
was fervent "amen" to that. And then
reference was made to the monumental
selfshness of one man who is lying meath
a lying tombstone, which ascribes to him
the glory of the thing his wife invented.
II don't understand" then boldly said a
woman in the gallery, who has not red
hair, "the necessity Of the continued allu-
sicas s., this congress to religion and God
ism. The ministers are the ones who have
most bitterly opposed womans progress
from the first. Advanced women should
be done with the myths of religion. As
for me, have always been converted; not
to any sect or kind of religion, but to the
glorious belief in woman's freedom. But I
don't believe in God"
There was an awed hush, followed by
mixture of ladylike Kisses and applause.
Then the Rev. Ada Bowles came forward.
"You are a brave woman" she said, ad-
dressing the dark-haired atheist in the
gallery, land l think you believe what
you say, but the time will come" and
Mrs. Bowles' tone suggested the pulpit,
"the time will come when your belief in
God will be as strong and as fearlessly ex-
pressed as"
"Nev-er!" came long-drawn-out, obsti.
nate wall from the gallery.
"Let US be tolerant" said Anna Shaw,
who is a doctor of medicine as well as a
minister. "If any one feels deeply, it is
better that he should express his feelings
than to use dynamite. An expression of
opinion never blew up anybody. If the
lady wishes to make public her unbelief,
it relieves her and it doesn't hurt us.
But And Miss Shaw became the Rev.
Anna Shaw, and amid much hand-clap-
ping anG visible satisfaction the religious
tone of the congress was re-established.
One of the best papers read in the
congress followed, Mrs. Helen Campbell's
"Skilled Labor or Domestic Service" Its
thoughtful argument brought about a
discussion of the '.help" question, which
in its humanity, its comprehension of the
subject and its capacity to look upon the
matter from all points of view, does credit
to the woman who engaged in it.
"Give the woman who's doing your work
a good room to live in. Crowd your guest,
but make your servant comfortable"
IL oiplOIud oudll Uc IcQulIcQ III tiIne
from the maid. diploma must also attest
the fitness of the mistress to command"
"Your servant has as much right to re-
ceive callers as any other member of the
family"
"If you want to elevate domestic SER
vice." said Miss Anthony, rising from her
1ower-bedecked throne, elevate the head
of it."
1.-THE nurses cap and apron on the street
is disgrace to American mothers" said
the Rev. Eliza Tupper Wilkes.
And, evidently, the whole of the con-
gress agreed with her. Nevertheless, San
Francisco is not likely to see the abolish
ment of domestic livery, for woman seems
to have become quite as broad-minded as
man in her capacity to draw the line be.
tween theory and practice.
MIRIAM NICHOLSON.
THE MORNING SESSION,