Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-02-20
moraeas' coseaess.
UnldsaI Msthsshesd ths Subject d Pager 81
lore tuesdays Session.

| Washington. Feb. ia large crow,
attended the Mothers convention. TIL
feature Of the day was q paper read b.
Helen II. Gardiner OF Boston o,
''Heredity." She spoke OF the mora
responsibility Of motherhood and tn
never failing punishment which is in
hicted upon the offspring. because o
the crimes of parents. Mrs. Gardiner
paper. In part, follows:
/ fear that l shall strike less pleas
ant note than those who have preceded
me. who have so generally dealt with thu
ideal motherhOod-who have sung tn,
praise side of the song. My theme II
significant. 1t deals With demonstrate
facts, and IL goes back Of even the kin
dergarten. Self ambition, subservienc,
to man--whether he be father, lover. Of
husba nd---is the most dangerous theory
that can be taught to. or forced upon, q
woman. She has no right to transmit
a nature and q character that Is sub.
servient. inefficient. undeveloped-ir
short. a slavish character, which il
either blandly obedient OF bIindly re.
bellious. and is therefore In either case
set. as Is a timefock, to prey or to be
preyed upon by society of the future
II woman Is not brave enough person
ally to demand and to obtain absolute
personal liberty OF action. equality of
status, entire control of her race-en-
downing function. maternity, she has no
right to dare to stamp upon child and
Ia curse race with the descendants of
such a servile. a dwarfed a time and
understanding character. We wonder
IL the awful power with which nature
clothes maternity in heredity does not
strike blindly back al the race for the
artificial and cruel requirements at the
hands of the producer of the race. We
wonder II mothers do not owe higher
duty to their offspring than that of
mere nurse. We wonder If she has the
moral right to give her children the
inheritance that accident and subser-
viency stamps upon body and mind. We
wonder how she dares to face her chill
dren and know she did not TT herself by
self development and by direct. sincere
and thorough qualifications for ma
ternity before she dared to assume its
responsibility. We wonder that man
has been so slow in learning to read the
message that nature has telegraphed to
him in letters Of fire and photographed
with a terrible persistency upon the dis
torted, diseased bodies and minds OF his
children and upon the moral imbeciles
she has set before him as an answer TO
his message of sex domination. Do you
NHVN ludt tUtIt IL al aVIIly OI tuU,VVU de-
fectives in this country? Don't you
know that that means something to
every mother in the world? Seven hun
dred thousand forced into life without
their birthright: 700 900 imbecile, insane.
deaf. dumb. blind and criminal victims
of maternal and paternal ignorance
Stop and think Oft. Our standing army
ton: our defective army, 700. O00-these
for our destruction.
At the afternoon and evening sessions
papers were read and addresses made
as follows:
THE Mothers Greatest Need" Miss
Frances Newton. Chicago: play
Miss Constance Mackenzie.
Some Practical Results
OF Child Study" Dr. c. Stanley Hall.
Mass: Reading Courses for
Mothers" Mss. Margaret 4. Sangste-.
New York city; presentations of resolu-
tions by the press committee of Woman's
Friends, Baltimore: How to Guard Our
Youth Against Bad Literature" An
thony Comstock, New York city
At the conclusion of his remarks, Mr..
Co:nstock offered the following preamble
and resolutions. which, without action.
were referred to the appropriate COM
mittee:
Realizing the almost limitless power
for good or for evil exerted by the daily
press. and that the proper education of
the youth of our land is of vital i'm
to the future prosperity,
Resolved. That we admit into our
houses only those papers which inspire |
to noble thoughts and deeds, and that |
our influence shall go toward cultivat-
ing the public taste until II shall demand l
from the press only that which elevates |
and refines.
Resolved. That we, the mothers in con-
gress assembled, do call upon the con-
gress Of the United States and the vari-
'us legislatures of the several states in /
the Union to enact specific laws to pro-
hibit the dissemination among the /
young of all papers. books, magazinesI
and circulars containing detailed &C.
of stories of blOodshed, lust or |
crime. all pictures and displays which
tend to degrade woman or corrupt or /
1eprave the minds Of the young. and all
advertisements of every name and nal
lure which offend decency, or of anyI
luack or medical charlatan which offers
for sale or distribution any article which,
can be used for criminal purposes.
The I.aureda Case.
Philadelphia, Feb. 19.-The trial OF
John D. Hart, charged with fitting out
4 hlibusterinE expedition in violation OF /
The United States neutrality laws in
with the steamer Laureda,
which it is alleged sailed for Cuba early
in August. 1896, with arms and ammu-
oition for the insurgents. was continued
n the United States court yesterday.
Herbert S. Heath, seaman on the
said he was hired by Mr. Hart L
10 go on the vessel. He had seen men
md boxes placed on the Laureda when
that steamer was off Barnegat. The
Witness detailed at length how the boxes
had been unpacked and rifles and cart.
ridges taken from them. The balance OF i
MS testimony was devoted to the trim
% Cuba and the transfer Of the arms,
ammunition and men to the Dauntless
when off Navassa island
That - Rate on Lumber.
Detroit, Feb 1o-A moctins xva hA1aI