The San Francisco call., 1896-02-10
WOMEN IN REFORM WORK
DR.. Martyr on the Social Evil
and the Sanctity of
the Home.
The Chicago Divine Points Out Some
of the Methods by Which
to Operate.

DR.. Carlos Martyr, the eminent Chicago
divine, delivered another of his interest
ing addresses at the Central Methodist
Episcopal Church yesterday afternoon.
Ihere was quite large congregation pres
ent and to the ladies of it who are identi-
lied with the Woman's Federation move
ment for municipal reform Dr. Martyrs
remarks were particularly addressed. The
doctor believes that women should play
more important part in the administration
of the City's affairs and that their par
ticipation in matters affecting the civil
government might greatly conduce to the
improvement of the moral tone.
DIR. Martyr explained that women all
over the country are interesting them
selves in this sort of work and are doing
an immense amount of good s'These or
ganlzed bodies of determined and consci-
entlous women" be said, ..are the natural
outcome of evil conditions which have
sprung up everywhere in municipal gov
ernment. They are protest against bad
government and propaganda for good
government. Have you ever stopped to
consider how our fathers transformed
thirteen separate and warning colonies
into the same number of stalwart and
United States, which were so firmly con-
soildated that they were each for all and
all for each whenever a question of COM
mon interest was involved7
This is precisely the idea which we are
trying to understand and utilize. We are
willing to stand together, for the we'll being
OF each and every one of US is involved in
the proper administration of the affairs of
our City government. And these matters
are of such character that it matters not
to what party man belongs or with what
70 ierfn iS sE1l IL
work as one in the eradication Of evil and
the puritication of the municipal institu-
ton. When it comes to a matter of the
common -ood we can all operate together.
This Is why women may interest them
selves in such affairs, and the Woman's
Federation is intended to do this very
thing.
'Now about the evils. There are three
chief ones, and they are everywhere and
tremendously powerful. There is the
gambling evil, the liquor traffic evil, and
last, but not least, boodlers and boodling
1t used to be great is Mohammed and Allah
is his prophet but We hear it now, great
is the boodler and Doodle is his profit
These three evils are not to be found alone.
They are united in confederation in in
1qulty, and II you strike at one you find
the others leaping to its assistance. There
is vital bond between them. You can
not assail one but the others are on your
HoAiNo Ii OH AAotAflts 4AS1 GO HOb play
politics, either. When they want thing
they get it. and If We hope to battle with
them successfully we must be prepared TO
answer yes in support of law and order
as emphatically and arrogantly as they
howl no. Suppose you went home to-
day and found your house in possession of
burglar. Would you daintily extend
your hand with outspread fingers and ask
him to leave? Or would you not strike
with your hst2 Our fighting has been
done too daiDtily. We have struck with
fingers spread, a Methodist finger, Pres
byterjan finger, Unitarian finger, Con-
gregational and an Episcopal thumb, and
our striking has amounted to nothing
Now we must clench these party fingers
and hit from the shoulder until something
drops.
THE women represent the conscience
side of society. This conscience side is a
great thing and may be used to advantage
in political work. We have all a common
proprietary interest in the City affairs
We are interested in the enforcement of
laws and the preservation of order, and
there can be no sexual distinctions when
we consider the objects for which the City
exists. The women must teach nom
partisanship in civil matters. They must
instruct their children to proper under
standing of these things. In their indus
trial sphere they can increase their good
work of safeguarding working girls by
watching their wages, hours and health.
The health of the community is something
to which women can give attention. They
can do incaIculable service in Tightening
the homes and making easier the burdens
of the laborer.
you cannot reform society by law.
We must deal with the social evil by re-
generative influences which penetrate to
the very life and root of the thing. Let us
look to the purity of our homes. No
nation in the worlds history ever fell
until its home life was contaminated. Let
us watch the courts when our moral life is
endangered and see that justice does not
miscarry. Particularly should the women
do something about that infamous law in
this State which permits girl to consent
to the ruin of her body and soul when she
is IA years old. She cannot inherit prop
erty then. and why should she be privi-
legged to barter her virtue? Give some at
tention to the atrocious fence posters,
which are offensive to morals as we'll as to
art. Their wicked and intentional sugges-
tiveness should rouse the indignation of
every woman in the City. These are
few OF the things that women can do in
the way OF reform."