The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-01
woMAN'S DAY AT THE SHOW.
THEIR BUILDING OPENED WITH
APPROPRIATE EXERCISES.

Music Furnished by GiImOre's BAND
and an Orchestra Of Beautiful
Young Ladies-The Address De-
ivering the building Made Icy Miss
Harding. n the Representative OF
Miss Mercur. the Architect-sirS.
Joseph Thompson Receives the
Structure in a FeIicitOus speech.
Atlanta. Ca. Sept S0.-The woman's
building was formally opened AT ENposi-
ton Park to-day. There was great gath
ering in the auditorium az o'clock, when
the exercises Of the formal opening began.
Gilmore's band and COx's orchestra Of
beautiful young ladies furnished delightful
music for the occasion. Mrs. Albert II.
Cox. a leader of Atlanta society, presid-
ed Beside her sat Mrs. Louie VI. Cor
don. one of the most prominent of south
ern women. and Mrs. W. II. FELTON,. DIR.
l. S. Hopkins opened the exercises with
prayer.
The young ladies' orchestra rendered
delightful air and Miss Julia Morgan
Harding, the representative Of Miss Elise
Mercur, the architect Of the woman
building, delivered the building. Mrs.
Joseph Thompson, president of the wo-
mans board, received the building on be
half of the board. She said: This is a
noble structure, decorated with rare taste
and designed not only for to-day, but for
many years to come. AS a matter of
architecture It is worthy OF the hlghest
praise. As a creation of the brain OF a
sister woman II deserves special mention,
for never until now, never indeed until
in Atlanta, in the year 1895, has woman
been chosen as an architect OF any great
southern event. and never before m me
south has an official edihce been buut,
decorated, equipped, ofhcereu ana deui-
Gated by women alone. Architecture has
long been recognized as one of the nigh
est ana greatest OF human arts II Is an
that in many cases tells the story OF
dedicat lions of buried civilization. it is the
best Of every great country and every
metropolis. When, therefore, woman
shakes off the ties of depression which
have so long bound her and interests
herself in the field of this magnificent art,
and proves herself the worthy peer OF
man, II is a feat of which she herself,
and we, her sisters, may feel justly proud.
Again, on behalf OF the woman man
ayers, we are happy to thank Miss Mercur
for the work she has so well done and to
declare our high appreciation of the
fruits Of the labOrs of her brain. de-
sire also TO thank you, Miss Harding, for
your charming courtesy in representing
our gifted architect and for the pleasant
and friendly sentiments which you nave
spoken to us all. II shows that although
our land is a continent so far the
eagle flies, and the rivers run, yet that it
mems hearts beat and woman's affections
90 out in the desire to do good"
Mrs. Maude OH made short address
and was followed by John Temple Graves.
Mr.. Graves said: Chicago focused the
art and gathered the indus trial progress
Of the world. 1t surpassed all records
and fashioned a new and impossible stan
dard of display. AS the temporary cap
ital, with the purse and prestige of the
republic al its back Ii collected history,
classified achievement, incarnated proph-
ecy, and framed the glorious aggregate
with a splendOr that dazzled the magma
tion Of the race.
ATLANTA repeats the story in it's own
brave and conquering way. 1t differs from
Chicago as the stars differ in glory. IT
the one exposition was greater in scope,
the other is richer in suggestion and as
prolific in results.
''This is the south's exhibit of recovery
Its official bill of health to the com
merce of the world. Here is the splendid
manifest of the power held in reserve be-
hind the graces of the cavalier-and this
the elimination to the bravest miracle
of recuperation that the nations of the
earth have witnessed since Israel rose
from Egypt, or the undaunted French
men drew themselves together from the
shameful ruin of Sedan.
Il do not strain the record or make
comparison OdiOus when / say the the lau-
rels of Chicago were won by the woman's
board.
Il speak a truth of common acceptance
here when | declare that after all the in
cidents of our exposition have been weigh
ed that will remain the richest in which
these nfllidIlt ana devoted women, Elk
ing their widows cruise TO marvellous en-
durance, have marshalled the forces of a
section with cOnsummate skill and made
every element of our population pay tri-
butte to the purpose which flowers to fun
fllment in this high and successful hour
i may say further with the ripest cour-
tesy to those splendid ladies of the north
that our southern womanhood has battled
fiercer odds and grappled a more frown-
ing prejudice than they. This sentiment
of Dixie had put ban on womans public
work. We have cherished some beautiful
but blasting ideals of woman in the south
ern cline. We have put her on a pedestal
and worshipped her Pygmalon wor-
shipped Galatea-as beautiful and bound
as the marble statue of the legend. We
have girded her with romance. We have
panopled her with excessive reverence,
and encircled her with a chiValry that
glorified her person while it strangled her
achievement. 1t has been difficult to
break with these silken bounds. Preju-
dice has faded sullenly. Light has been
projected slowly into these tender and ro-
mantle mists.
But when our southern women burst
the cerements of this unreal and fanciful
environment and weave the triumph of
their brains and judgment into the glory
OF to-days achievement, you may be sure
that however fogies may pirate and foolish
sentiment protest, she shall wear hence
forth the laurels she has won, and share