The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-26

men and women have assembled under one
roof to discuss the meaning of the home,
and to try to settle the question of its
meaning to and connection with society.
1t has been said that the home is the
cradle of the'nation. Looking at the mere
dynamics, the family contains all the ma
chinery for the education of the race. And
is there anything more important than
that the members of the family should
understand it's connection and relationship
to the progress and evolution OF the human
race? The first concern of every man and
woman should be the home, and II the ele-
ments OF all homes were perfect, the homes,
as units OF the state, would soon bring
about a new nation. Some sayit is foolish
to draw comparisons between the homes
of the prehistoric races and those of this
day.
''But let us consider To be sure there
is nothing poetic and romantic in the wig
wan or mud hut, but is there anything
romantic in the thousands OF homes in this
fair land that are made in cellars, in gar
rets and dugouts? Where is the difference?
Some one says, But those kind of homes
are not the cradles of civilization nor units
of the state Yes, they are the units
of the state; but the cradle of civilization
is the home in which order, cleanliness,
beauty and happiness have been brought
out of chaos. Some one says again, Why
do you not take the ideal homer Because
we have no ideal homes, and thus cannot
have an ideal nation. There can be no
ideal home or nation where people live in
separate spheres. They do not labor to-
gether for the accomplishment of their
grand ideal. There are men and women
all over the country laboring singly for the
establishing of ideal homes, and they are
doing good work, but that grander home
at large-the universal home-can never
be realized until women and men work
together. Women must have a voice in
making the laws which exercise such a
potent influence on the life of the home.
Mrs. Spencer opened the discussion. She
was followed by Mrs. Stetson, W no took
the ground that the reason of the failure
of woman in accomplishing the ideal of
that home at large-the general home
was because she had been conterted to de-
vote her time and exclusive care to her
own home, her own husband, her own
babies, her own kitchen and her own SER
wants. AS long as she is contented to do
that she will have no time to do the
worlds work. She cannot go out among
the people and carry on the grand work of
idealizing the universal home.
Mrs. Cooper tried to announce that the
meeting stood adjourned until 2:30 p. M,
but her voice was drowned amid the
chorus of calls for Miss Shaw.
1t has been noticeable that since the
opening of the Congress the ladies have
not allowed any session to close without
the amen remarks from the energetic and
eloquent woman who has travelled 5000
miles to be with them for the one week.
She, complied with her usual pleasant
smile and happy opening sentence. She
said she could not let the session close
without saying little more about the girl
bachelors. at is a mistake to suppose
that all unmarried women rail- against the
holy and beautiful institution of marriage
because they hate the men, said she.
"They object only to marriage as it is to-
day, but not to marriage as it ought to be.
doubt II there is an unmarried woman
to-day who would not be willing to marry
II marriage was what it ought to be. The
time was past when women had to marry
for home and for the sake of support and
protection. The time is close at hand
too, when $4,000 women will no longer
marry 10-cent men. I think [ never
hated men but once, and that was for a
period of six months. 1t was while /
was doing my Summing work in Boston,
and when l saw the depth of degradation
to which women were brought through
the baseness and deceit of men work.
ing on their noblest and purest SEN
timents = love and trust, and when
saw the bestial men consorting with these
poor creatures, l positively hated man.
could not tolerate them. But I'll you how
was cured. My brother is doctor. and
once when was sick he prescribed the