The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-02-24
CONGRESS OF MOTHERS.
Prominent Women Gather In Wash.
ington-Instructiv Papers Read.

nst0n-InsfrucuNc TaPcrs Head.
Washington, Feb. 1s.-The first ses-
sion of the National Congress of Moth
ers which has attracted such wide
attention all over the Unitfl States was
opened at the Arlington hotel at ten
o'clock. The president of the associa-
ton is Mrs Theodore W. Birney, of
this city, and the secretary Mrs. Mary
Louise Butler.
At 1870 the session, after organizing
and accomplishing some routine bust
ness, took recess to wait upon Mrs.
Cleveland at the white house, that dis
tinguished lady having rendered them
a formal reception.
The afternoon session began at 2:30
O'Clock, the time being taken up exclu-
sively with the delivery of addresses.
An overfowing congregation listened
TO the proceedings of the evening ses-
sion, which was held in the First Bap-
list church. Mrs. Wilbur F. Crafts. SUI
perintendent of the Sunday school
department of the Worlds w. C. T. T.,
and president of the Interna tional Pri-
mary Union of Sunday School Teach
ers, presented the subject of Mothers
and Schools" She said the Sunday
school as well as the secular school
needed the cooperation of mothers and
homes.
Mass, spoke on "The Value of Music in
the Development of Character"
Washington, Feb. 19.-The meetings
Thursday were attended by overflow
audiences and it was necessary to
throw open the Sunday-school room
in the church where the meetings
were held to accommodate the hundreds
who could not obtain admission to the
auditorium. The principal features
of the days programme were:
Devotional-Mrs. Maud Darlington Booth,
New York city: "Dietetics'-Mrs. Louise
E Hogan, Germantown, Pa; Mothers
Relation to Sound Physical Development
of Her Child''-Mrs. Jenness Miller, Wash
ington, D. c.; Reproduction and Natural
LAWNS. Alice Lee Moque, Washington,
d. c.; The Moral Responsibility of Won
an in Heredity''-Mrs. Helen H. Gardener,
Boston, Mass; THE Mothers Greatest
Needs''-Mrs. Francis Newton, Chicago
Play Grounds''-Miss Constance Macken-
zie, Philadelphia, Pa: Some Practical Re-
suits of Child Study''-Dr. G. Stanley Ean.
Worcester, Mass; Reading Courses for
New York city; How to Guard Our Youth
Against Bad Literature"-Anthony Com
stock, New York city.
The evening session of the mothers
congress was held in Central hall to ac-
commodate the enormous audience
which had been attracted to the earlier
sessions. The report of the press COM
mittee was prefaced by a statement
from its chairman, Miss Isabella Ly-
son, of Baltimore, regarding the i'm
pure press and its baneful influences.
The following resolution offered by
Alice c. Robinson, of baltimore, was
adopted by practically unanimous
vote:
Realizing the almost liuitless 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 Importance to
the future prosperity of the state.
Resolved, That we will admit into our
homes only those papers which inspire to
noble thought and deed, and that our in
fuence shall go towards cultivating the
public taste until it shall demand from the
press only that which elevates and re-
fines
The leading address of the session was
by Anthony Comstock, who cited SEN
sational instances of his experience,
showing to what an extent obscene lit
erature was circulated in the boarding
schools and colleges for both sexes
Throughout the country and the need
of effective cooperation from parents
and others to abolish an evil which was
destroying the morals of half the popu-
lation of the United States. In conclu-
sion he proposed action by congress
supporting national and state legisla-
lures to prevent the publication and dis
tribution of such literature.
Washington, Feb. 2c.-The last day
of the first session of the national con-
vention of mothers was marked by so
many diversified topics to be discussed
and such pronounced manifestations of
general interest that the congress had
10 divide itself, as on Thursday, into
three or four separate conventions.
Resolutions were reported and adopted
in favor of excluding evil literature
fl ON homes, and using ali influence
with the press looking to that purpose.
No new officers were elected. After the
night meeting the delegates attended
banquet at the Arlington hotel.