The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-24
THE AFTERNOON SESSION.
Immense Throngs Inundate the
Congress at the Open
ing Hour.


Congress at the Open
ing Hour.
Such large crowds poured in to the after
noon session that even the capacity of the
First Congregational Church was taxed to
accommodate all the people. 1t was with
great difficulty that DR.. Brown by pleading
and expostulating prevented the aisles
from being entirely blocked with chairs
AS 1t was the aisles were crowded with
women, who were compelled to stand dur
Ing the whole afternoons proceedings.
Rev. Mia Upper Maynard, the first
speaker, was introduced in little speech
by Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper, wherein she was
alluded to as one of the sisters who had
distinguished herself by her ability. Mrs.
Tupper's subject was 1.-THE Citizen Maker"
woman's activities has lately been urged, she
said Woman's power, it is urged, is unQues-
uonably vast, but what she accomplishes is
comparatively little. The moral standards of
men are not what they should be, yet these
men are the sons OF women. Laws are unjust
yet the men who make the laws were reared by
woman. How can the mother sex insist on in
creased functions when those in which she
now has undlsputed sway are so poor an evil
dence of her ability and success?
AS long woman is irresponsible for the
great political, industrial and social problems
as they arise in governmental affairs she will
not be able to enter seriously upon their study
indeed, any adult human being entirely free
from such responsibility finds it well nigh i'm
possible TO take herself seriously when she at
.tempts to study into practical measures
Her influence is also Vitiated by this want of
political recognition in her dealings with her
sons. The child is quick to see that however
much the father may value the mothers YER
diet on other matters she is left out of
consideration when the affairs of Government
q q c |
as well they may be in many cases
What the mothers OF our land need is the full
self-respeetng responsibility for all matters
that affect their country's veal.
No one who has eyes can fail to regard the |
present era as buTdened with problems too |
weighty for solution by any people except the !
paralyze the influence which should be the |
most potent force in giving US a generation of |
citizens which will be ready to meet the de- |
mands which will be made upon it? This Gov
eminent of ours stands for the divinest things |
the world has yet produced-the voluntary CO. |
operation OF each with all for the highest good |
OF every part 1t stands for that unity in our |
common humanity, the thought of which |
thrills our Utmost souls. By what right are |
into this associated life? By what fool. |
hardness do you allow to lie dormant that |
force which should, by its glowing power |
weld ell divergence into united whole. That |
much-needed but now practically dormant |
force IS the intelligent, actively trained !
patriotism in the women OF this land.
At the conclusion of the paper Mrs
Laura de Force Gordon said: 1.-THE home
has been injured by placing the mothers of
the Nation under the heel of the lowest
politician"
Mrs. Weaver fastened to explain that
her subject was not directly the Aims
house, but Love and Justice" though it
became evident, as she continued her re-
marks, that her experience in a State in
stltutlOn had served her in good stead in
the handling of her chosen theme.
One of the chief points made by Mrs.
Weaver was that OF emphasizing the inju
rious effect that an almshouse bringing up
IS likely TO have upon children, and she
stated that whenever it was possible she
gave the children committed 10 the Aims
house out into homes where they would
learn the meaning OF the word, as they
never could in q public institution. The
speak er also commented upon the unnatu-
raj plan that some well-to-do children pur-
sue in letting aged parents pass their de-
clining years in the Almshouse, and she
added, "The electric button of family pride |
can often be touched to goad people into
doing their duty"
The Rev. Ada C. Bowles of Pomona was
next introduced to give her views on the !
subject, "The Home Dependent on the |
State, and she did SO lucidly and forcibly. |
She began by stating that error is inherent |
in the people, and government was insti- |
She asked the question, then, who were the |
people? She quoted from the constitution |
of the State of California, which asked and |
answered the question. The people, &C.
cording to that document are the citizens, |
the electors, who are defined as 1.-The male |
citizens"
Now said Mrs Bowles, "who are the
non-electors. Well take the constitution |
for it again. We find it says they are
Cinnamon, idiots, embezzlers, persons con-
victed of infamous crimes and-women.
Looking over the thousands of women |
fail to see where the idiots are. Yet we |
are on plane, politically, with China |
men and all these others, idiots, embez-
Zlers and persons convicted OF infamous |
crimes. l am wondering what makes you |
submit so patiently to being placed in such |
q category. 1t is wonder to me you are |
not in state of rebellion"
Thirty-nine years ago, in Massachusetts,, |
the speaker continued, she had taken the |
platform and spoken of the state of women |
nine years the conditions remained I'M |
changed. She recited case after case which |
had come under her observation of the |
severity of the laws in their operation |
against women, especially in the depriva- |
ton of custody of their children or the |
ownership of her own clothes even. Stories |
of little sons and daughters torn ruthlessly |
from the care of mothers by scheming
guardians and ruthless husbands followed |
each other with gruesorne rapidlty, until |
cries of SHANE, shameW could be heard |
at the apathy of the legislators of the great |
State which allowed such laws to remain |
on the statute books.
The same conditions, she continued,
which existed in Massachusetts, thirty-nine |
years ago and exist now, are fostered by |
the laws in operation in the State of Cali |
fornia. Women here have no rights in |
property, wages or children which their |
husbands are legally bound to respect. |
The husband is supreme, and all this talk /