The San Francisco call., 1896-05-09
"THE CALL" rs PRAISED.
Miss Severance Applauds the
Stand of the Great
Daily.
AUNT SUSAN'S" FIRST LOVE.
Professor GriggS' Strong Paper on
"The Modern Change in Ideals
of Womanhooi."
AUNT SUsAN's" FIRST LOVE.

Pale golden fleurs de lis, deep orange
peoples, yellow marguerites with cloth of
gold and Marechal Mel roses gave to the
stage in Native Sons Hall a warm, cheer
fuI coloring during yesterdays sitting of
the Woman's Congress of the Pacific Coast.
The president stated that she had re-
ceIved very large number of letters from
different parts OF the State commencing
the very full accounts of the sessions of
the congress given by the City papers and
particularly by THE CALL, which, she said,
it should not be forgotten had been the
first TO come out for the cause-to lead off
and be followed by the others.
The first paper OF the day, America s
Great Queens" by Miss Harryett R.
Strong, was read by Miss Dorothea Roth.
The following extract will give fair idea
of this interesting essay:
When use the word greatness" as applied TO
sovereign what do We meane Do we mean a
mighty monarch or nonle character: IN looking
down the short roll OF histOry's rulers is
there one worthy Of that epthet which has been
applied 70 Frederick and Peter Alfred and Alex
anders If so, upon what IS thai title bsseds Has
queen been great tighter? Has she LEFT
glorious record OF battles and tax-grosning peo-
pie behind her? II not, and sine stil deserves
honor. hen there must be some other way of win
nlng fame than through wa.
carefully has the rosal privilege been guarded
thar during the whole period OF 1000 years, his
toric and NEUROLOGICAL, when $40 kings reigned
the tuphrates River alone only about thirty
times in round numoers has a woman held regal
or imperial power by Yl..ue OF her own right as
queen or empress regnant. There have been
myriads OF queens mother or queens-regent,
Queens-consoIt ana queenS-dOwager, but seldom
have they had allegiance paid TO them as supreme.
At least nine OF these thirty ins ances are
NEUROLOGICAL or narrow ed down 20 a mere right
aud OF the twenry-one remaining one Gala
Placidia. though Emperor's daughter. ruled more
as regent than as regnaut; one the Empress
u Ia
Wilhelmina OF Holland, has not yet begun her
independents queenshIp This leaves eighteen
queens and empresses whose lives may
of these eighteen roval women six represent hest
the different forms OF sovereignty and The different
met hOds Of attaining power, and OF the six five
belong 10 moparchies winch from time ro time
held possessions on the western continent, and
this circumstance gives US the right TO claim them
The first in point Of time is Margaret OF Dem
mark, 1883. She was elected TO three thrones,
and belongs 10 the western world through Scand
naviau discoveries and settlements on the west of
The second. Isabella of CASTLE Q474), succeeded
10 her brothers kingdom IN preference 10 his
daughter; her claim 10 America comes through
the discoveries OF Columbus, undertaken under
Elizabeth of England, 1888, who Inherited her
throne through Will and act OF Parliament, ranks
Walter Raleighs explorations the Eastern
coast even now called Virginia, and of sir Francis
brakes discovery OF this our own san Francisco
Bay.
The fourth in point Of time we cannot claim az
our own. but she ranks with the worlds great
Queens snd therefore deserves word OF men
tlOn-Maria Theresa OF Austria, 17l7, inherited
from her father, but was obliged TO defend her
The NTH, Catherine the Great of Russia, 1929.
usurper, can with truth be reckoned Americas
fourth great female sovereign By virtue OF Alaska
when it belonged 10 Russia
Victoria, the last Of the list and our fifth and
latest Queen, reEns now over the largest part of
North America, and has had the longest and most
peaceful reign IN all history.
OF Isabella of CASTLE il may be said that her
praise has been exiravagantiy sounded throughout
The centuries, and only OF Late has prejudice
sIrlNen 10 create q reaction Her public acts may
sometimes Justly have deserved censure-her per
ness, gentleness, wisdom, magnaninity, that
could be desired, cAreIul mother and affectionate
wife, and these excellent personal qualities were
combined with those mental traits OF saxacity and
farsightedneSs that make the sovereign great
Catherine of Russia the only woman called
"The Great" possessed great genius and greater
faults Historians place her as only second 10
Peter IN her achievements toward Russia's devel-
opment- GOOD she certainly was not, but her sd-
ministrative ability showed her mental traits 10 be
tran scendenE der ambitions We're also i'm
mense, and she undertook vast schemes merely
for show" the historians tell us-of improving her
Tsn. r craving up the
emy, etc She, of al the others, fought and con-
Quereo. Dut WheH She sci ABOUT 10 make her name
renowned IT was through the arts OF peace and not
OF war thai she attempted iI-
Victoria is no absolute monarch as Catherine
nor despctic as Elizabeth she is what is cal led
constitutional sovereign: she reigns, while her
Parliament and Ministers govern Victoria pos
sesseS Lhe royal prerosAtlNe put she contents her.
self with merely Perfuuctory duties OF making doc
umsntS legal by afhXing the royal signature 10
every paper placed before her. This action re-
sembles . lion with its teeth drawn, for ROYALTY
without power ceases 10 be dangerous That such
government is for the welfare of the nation the
prosperity and greatness Of Nictoria's realm AZ
tests
Now that we have quickly glanced at the his
tories Of these royal women, written dow mems
annals ana compared with the kings Of their re-
speCtive times, hat do We discover Are their
Kingdoms the laughing stock OF the nArlons9 Do
their realms suffer confusion and anarchy under
the weak rule OF womRn2 We have hardly fou nd
il so? Have they been carried away By their
vomanly emotions, or Influenced by unworthy
and unscEupuious fsvcrifes?
The one reason why their good deeds are offer
not given credit due is because somehow or other
their excellent advisers should also shsre The
praise These same advisers, however, were
chosen by the Queens themselves DO we find
weakness of intellect No. they were naznifi-
Gently educated, and often their chief desire was
70 promote learning throughout their territories
Were they ooodfhirsty and cruel? Not even the
worst OF the queens regnant- Blood was shed and
wars carried on. but supreme power seemed 10
steady them and III them with sansr of -s,nS,st
hilify Tor their subjects lives Not one ranks as
monster with Ivan the Terrible nor in vorr rbIess-
ness At the side OF John Of England They-al pos-
sessed either ability, kindness of heart or yirtns.
our American queens possessed ali three except
ing Catherine.
Miss Severance knew of some native
born American Queens. She said:
There was great Indian Queen in