The evening times., 1896-07-14
.W0MEN's EARNEST WORK
Uplifting Of the Colored Race
Is Their Aim.
MRS. DOUGLASS PAPER
Widow OF the Great Leader Advises
the Abolition of Alley Life-The Bi-
cycle as an Element In the Advance
ment of the Wea ker Sex-The Other
Spea kers.

How to help cs,iored men and women to
| become better and to improve their condi-
| tion in life is The problem set for itself by
| the National League OF Coiored Women.
| which began its first annual convention at
the Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church,
| on Fifteenth. near l street northwest, at
| $3.50 O'Clock this morning.
The organization was formed four years
ago, and Mrs. Helen A. Cook is president;
Mrs. Charlotte F. Grimke, secretary; Miss
| Coralie l.. rankin. corresponding sccre-
| tary, and Miss Marion p. Shadd, treasurer.
There are vice presidents from Kansas
City. Denver, Cambridge, Newport, r. l.;
| Philadelphia. Baltimore, Norfolk, Harper's
Ferry and st. Paul.
The local committee is made up as fell
| lows: Mrs. a. j. Cooper, Mrs. lice S.
| Davis. Mrs. l. u. Bailey, Mrs. A. L. Muir
| ray. Mrs. H. A. Cook, Mrs. Emily Lee, Mrs
! Elizabeth Shippen. Miss A. V Thompkins,
Mrs. b. NJ. Howard, Miss L. A. Cook, Miss
C. l.. Franklin, Mrs. Bailey, Miss j. C..
| Grant.
| The church was handsomely decorated
| for the occasion. National flags drapcd the
organ buck OF the altar, and were hung in
1 pairs down the sides, while glutcs, two
| feet in diameter. ma de by Joining the staffs
| OF small baDnerets mt Common center.
| depended from the ceiling at intervals alung
the middle aisle.
The broad platform was bordered with a
deep fringe of palms. ferns, and other pntted
| plants. while the pulpit desk was replaced
/ by small square table. upon which stood
| a handsome brown vase filled with a mass
| of sweet peas. varying through all shades
| from pink 10 purple. The raiFin front of
| the choir loft was intertwifed with ivy.
About a hundred delegates had gathered
1 n l n'nnct Tho nffiears nf ba nj G 10
| lea CUES and other leaders occupied the
stage with the local officers.
Miss A. V. ThOmnkins called the con
| vention to order at 1880 O'Clock. Mrs.
cook, the president was not well enough to
officiate, though she had place on the
stage. Mrs. NJ L. Meriwether offered tie
| opening prayer.
Miss Thompkins also took Mrs. Cooks
| place by reading her address OF welcome.
| This was brief and simple but hearty.
MRS. DOUGLASS PAPER.
| Mrs. Helen Douglass. widow of the late
| Frederick Douglass, was introduced, and
| read IA paper. She called particular at
tention TO the alley life OF the cities of
the Union, and urged that they should unite
| and bring about reform in this matter.
If the colored women OF Washington, would
| unite, she said, they could put an end
to living IN alleys, and no longer would
come from them steady stream for the
workhouse and ainshousa.
She spoke OF the police court. They
| ought to find means TO keep as many
as possible from the place. But there
| seemed to be prejudice, and the police
| men wuul pick up poor old man WHO sat
| down weary for moment in some for
| biddcn place in a park or some Thought
| lcss boy who might pick magnolia hos
som. These wozld be sent to prison from
court next day. When leniency was to be
| exercised ii was reserved for those who
had recklessly taken human life.
This was greeted with applause
| She said the bicycle had been an i'm
| portant factor for reform and advance.
ment. 1t had ramliarized people with wo-
men in bloomers ani taught the world that
woman is moving successfully and hope
fully into a wide field Of usefulness.
Miss Anna q. Jones read the report from
| the league in Kansas City, and Miss Julia
| Jones from the Philadelphia league. The
| latter told u the organization. of an ill.,
dustrial school and other good work in the
| Qua ker City.
| Miss S. Z. Titus read an exhaustive re-
port from the Norfolk league. She said
it WAS common To think no good could come
| out OF Ncrfoik. Yet they had good schools
there; 80 per cent of the pupils sought
| higher education. There were 900
colored people in Norfolk. and they own
| 1876 900 worth OF real estate. They are
many of them independent business men,
and one has the contract Of supplying the
| government with coal.
| The delegates present were as follows:
| Washington, Mrs. Fannie L. Smyth, Anna
E. Murray, n. L. Meriwether, Misses Il. V.
| Thompkins, N. L. Jordan; Kansas City. Mrs
\ Mary +. Handy, Frances J. Jackson, Miss
Anna II Jones, Mrs. Callie Edwards, SaIlie
Mcguire, Lucinda Day; Denver, Mrs. L. NJ
| Olden, Misses Eva Johnson, Ida De Priest:
IA ltimore, Ruth NJ. Collett, Miss A da
Trusty, Ida Cummings, Carrie Cook, Mamie
Grooms, Mrs. Louise Watty; Cambridge
Mass, Mrs. A II. Jewell, Miss Ella Jewell;
Harper's Ferry, Misses Mamie Campbell
Sara +. Ballard, H. Eva Hood; st. Paul,
+. H. Tyler :.
| Fraternal delegates-Mrs. f. E. Williams,
WOman's Afro-American Union, Brooklyn;
| Miss Estelie Sprague and Mrs. Rosetta
Douglass Sprague, Gloucester Ed. Club
! Gloucester county, Va; Miss Mary E.
Jackson, Miss Dunbar, and Mrs. Kelly,
Union Missionary Society, Providence. r. L.:
jamie Page and Mrs. E. L. Mscheaux, OF
Y. NJ. C. A: Mrs Julia NJ. Layton,
| Woman's Relief Corps: Mrs Annie f.
Taylor, Lurv Green Miss Williams. Ella
F. Jones, j +. Mills. Elmira Jackson.
and Miss Ella Walker, of the Women s
| Progressive Cuion, all OF Washington:
Mrs. f. V. Williams, Ferguson Women S
College, ,Abbevlle. S. c.: Mrs May Nero,
| Kansas City: Mrs. Ella Bell and P. L.
BARRIER, of Y. NJ. C. A: Mrs w Mcselcy
and, Miss L. Rainey, OF Mothers Meet
ing: Miss Lucy Cotton, of W. C. T u:
/ Miss Eva johnson, Aurora Social Club.
all of Norfolk; Mrs. Eliza E. Williams an.
Josephine p. Richardson, OF Woman's
| a fro marjcon IIniop
I The WomaD's Protective Union of the
| District was represented as follows: Mrs
Helen A. Cook Miss Lulic 8. Chase, Emma
F. e. Merritt, o. L. White. Mrs B. Wright
j. A. Taylor, Misses Dora Z. Smith. Julia
| c. Grant, C. A. Patterson. Mrs. j. n
Hill, Susie Brooks, A. L. Slade Mrs Red.
mon. MIS-. f. V. c. Williams and Miss Lucia
Harper. Abbeville. s. c.
NO OTHER REPORTS.
Miss Campbell read tie report from
Harper's Ferry.
| Mrs. Collett read II long, interesting re
port from Baltimore. She said there were
| $4,000 coinred people in Baltimore, apt
they own between seven and eight miIIio,
dollars worth OF real estate.
| The colured people have their place in the
schools, but they are not Justly treated