Evening star., 1898-03-12
WORK OF REFORM BUREAU.
Showing Made in the Recently Issued
Annual Report.

According to the recently issued annual
re port of the reform bureau, whose head
quarters are in this city, the specific local
work accomplished during 1897 included a
number of addresses at legislative hear
ires; favorable report in the Fifty-fourth
Congress- after three defeats, secured
through interviews with Judge kimball
and Senator Pritchard, for the bill to raise
the age of protection for girls to eighteen
in the District of Columbia; the introduc-
ton in the present Congress, by request of
the bureau. of eight practical bills in both
houses; the enlistment of influential allies,
including Cardinal Gibbons, the Episcopal
bishops of Washington, of Oklahoma of
New Mexico and Arizona, the delegate
from Oklahoma, for the Ray anti-divorce
bill, and the resciLding of a permit for the
sale of liquors in the National Library on
which the bureaus part was only second
to that Of the Woman's Christian Temper
ance Union.
Reforms In View.
The bureau reports that it is now seeking
to accomplish the following reforms:
Raising the age of consent to eighteen by
state and national laws; repeal of Okla
hcma's ninety-day divorce law by act of
Congress; establishment of national and
state boards of industrial arbitration; ap-
pcintment of a national commission to in
vestigate the labor problem; passage of a
Sabbath Jaw for the national capital; en-
forcement in Washington of compulsory
education; suppression of gambling by lel-
egraph (gamblins by mail and express be-
ing already suppressed); completion Of the
union of states in scientific temperance ed
ucat1on by securing such laws in Virginia
Georgia, Utah and Arkansas; the enact
ment OF local option in Ohio and else
where; newspaper reform forbidding trans
mission in mails or by interstate commerc,
or papers containing descriptions and Illus
trations of prize fights or of suicides, ex-
cePt IN scientihc Journals. or on judicial
order for identification, or betting columns;
restraint of brutal sports by law; against
kinetosope reproductions of prize fights: to
conform divorce statutes in jurisdiction OF
oCngress TO the law of Christ in prepara-
tfon for constitutional legislation to the
same end for the whole nation; curfew
ordinances; anti-cigarette laws; national
law against Sunday work in mail and mil
ftary service and in interstate commerce
and international arbitration
Ihe ofncers OF the bureau are Mr.. Charles
Lyman. former civil service commissioner
president; Rev. DR.. F. D. Power, pastor
vermont Avenue Christian Church. secre-
tary; Rev. DR.. w. F. Crafts, superintendent
and treasurer. These, with the following
compose the board Of directors: Bishop Sat
terlee, Mr.. John Eaton, former commission
er OF education Rev. DR.. J. G. Butler. pas
tor Of Luther Memorial Church; T. H An
derson, former minister to Bolivia; Gen. E.
Whittlesey, Rev. DR.. B. L. Whitman, pres
ident Of Columbian University all of Wash
ington; Rev. DIR. Canter and Rev. DIR, Hugh
Johnston of Baltimore
There is also an advisory council, among
whose members are Bishop o. P. Fitzgerald
of the Southern Methodist Church, Nash
VILE, Tenn; Mrs. Margaret Dye Ellis Of
Chicago, Representative w. H. Blair of
New Hampshire. Booker T. Washington,
president of Tuskegee Institute, Alabama;
Rev Dr. H. M. Wharton of Baltimore, An
thony Comstock Of New York and many
others of equal prominence.
Canada is represented on the board by
Rev. DR.. John Potts, Rev. DR.. D. H. Nc
Vicar, Major Z. L. Bond and Mr.. Seth p.
Leer.