Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-02
THAT CONGRESS- OF WOMEN
Gathering Receives a Cold Welcome from
British Public.
HELD At THE WRONG TIME OF YEAR
Social Events and Cricket Match
Excite More Attcntion-Massa-
chusctts Woman stirs
Things Jp.

Excite More Attcntion-Massa-
chusctts Woman surs
Things Jp.
Copyright 1899. by Press PulA shins CO.
| LONDON July l,-CNcw York World
Cablegram-Special Telegram The In
ternationa Congress Of Women made little
stir in London. The height of the London
season was an ill-chosen time for its meet
ing. VI was overshadowed by the social
| attractions, by the Transvaal crisis and most
of all by the third test cricket match be
tween England and Australia; far and
away the dominating topic of the week in
the eyes of every true-born Britain. The
pubic was not interested, and the press
! either ignored the congress or printed the
meagerest accounts of the proceedings.
Finally, by an unhappy coincidence. on the
opening day of the congress the nvincible
conservatism of English feeling concerning
woman's sphere and duty was forcibly dem
onstrated by the House of Lords rejecting
| by sweeping majority the proposal in
serted in the new London government bill
| making women eligible as alderman and
councillors.
But these drawbacks did nothing to damp
the ardor of the delegates. They are from
all corners of the earth and are inspired with
new enthusiasm by actual contact with
workers in the same field throughout the
world, civilized or otherwise. This fact was
proven by messages given by the leading
delegates from all countries.
Susan B. Anthony writes: THE chief re-
suit of this congress will be that women of
each different nationality will become ac-
quainted with the work actually being done
women that their own nation is not the
only one in the world and that there are
other people besides me and my wife and
my son John and his wife. English and
Americans are apt to get swelled heads about
their respective countries and congresses
like this will tend to reduce them"
Mrs. May Wright Sewall, vice president OF
the congress. wrote: II look for one SUI
premely important result of this congress.
1t brings women of different nationalities
into closer sympathy and enables us to
join hands in promoting the large prin-
ciples in which we all believe we have been
able to demonstrate, for example, that en-
lightened women in all countries are in
favor of international arbitration.
A Hindu Delegate.
Miss Mary Bhor, Hindu delegate at
tired in the native costume, was one of the
most picturesque and strange figures in the
congress. She is a daughter of a wealthy
Hindu, and, being educated in England,
speaks English we'll. She said: MY soul
Is thrilled by discovering that women can
unite from all countries in the great work
of advancement of the equality of the sexes,
This is the first congress l have attended,
but am cherishing the hope of some day
summoning such an assemblage in India to
condemn that terrible blot on our country,
the zenaCla system. But it takes long to
dspel the darkness behind the VEIL
Miss Shen, a pleasant Chinese woman,
daughter OF liberal mandarin who once
ran the risk of his life for his opinions in
Pekin, writes: Female education will re-
ceive an impetus from this congress. AL
though you give us little credit for enlght-
enment the Chinese government has sent
me here and my report will be circulated in
China. The social position of women in
China is not deplorable, but their ignorance
is. The Chinese proverb tefls lis that the
education of the children should begin
twenty years before it is born with the
mother"
Mrs. Flora Annie Steele, novelist writes
II don't place much confidence in the result
of the congress itself. Action by resolution
is not a great dynamic force, but the combi-
nation should be a good indus, as it were,
for something definite. We must avoid
claiming special advantages for women.
hear 1t done every day. 1t is illogical. Wo-
men should have special privileges, as
they stultify the definite place she has in
the universe. She has a place Of her own,
ret her abide iu it,
French Womnn's Opinion.
Mile. Isabelle Bogeot, a French delegate
Of the Legion of Homer, writes: French
women are not in the habit of going out
of doors, but the congress teaches us French
delegates the lesirability of organization.
Once we start we shall make up for lost
time. | have the feeling you experience
when you have to hurry to catch a train
which is already leaving the platform. The
result will not be immediate. We are only
eating here. When we return to our homes
we will digest what we have heard"
Frau Maria Stritt, German delegate and
president Of the first women's legal defense
union of Dresden, says: THE congress will
result in an enormous increase in the So
lidarity of women. The position of women
in Germany is greatly inferior to that of
women in America and England, both as re-
CARDS civil rights and entrance into the pro- |
fessions. In Germany we cannct become
doctors or even obtain degrees of science, |
but the light is breaking and this congress
viii help spread it,"
Miss Mary Shaw, actress, and a delegate, |
wrote: I'VE Americans are apt to fancy
we are further advanced in our views about |
education and special rights of women than |
people of other countries. This congress |
shows us we are mistaken and we find wo-
men reformers even in non-progressive coun- |
tries have been working along the same
lines and inspired by the same ideals of
mutual helpfulness and sympathy"
Mrs. Bedford Fenwick, founder of the !
British Nurses association. a delegate to the
Chicago exposition writes This congress
means the emancipation of women 1t will |
be of enormous educational value and 1t |
means that women will soon obtain votes in
all elections"