Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-09-28
First District Delegates in Session
Today.
STATE PRESIDENT HUTCHlsyA HERE.
Over Fifty Delegates and Visitors In Al.
tendance-Details of the Morning
Session = Camp Fire
Tonight.

Corps, is in session in this city today.
The sessions are being held in Wood
men hall, corner Second and Court
streets, and there are fifty delegates
and out of town members in attend
ance. The convention is being presid-
Ell over by Mrs. Sarah Seihert, presi-
dent of Cloutman corps, No. 1874. who,
virtue of her office, is made The
presiding officer of the convention.
Mrs. L. S. Hutchison, of Lake Guy,
president of the department of Iowa.
is here to assist in the work, as is also
Miss Ida Van Hon, of Mt. Pleasant, as
sistant state inspector of the corps.
The work of the convention will be di-
vided into three sessions, closing with
camp fire at the above hall this even
ing.
Secretary. Address.
The following is the address of well
come delivered by Mrs. Louise Adler
this morning:
Mrs. President and sisters of the
First district of Iowa:--To our depart
men't president and all the ladies who
have assembled here, Clontman Corps
No. 1874 extends royal welcome. Not
only are you welcome to our
headquarters and homes, but to every
part of our city. You have come
among us at time when Ottumwa is
decked in regal splendor. AT every
turn on every side banners of welcome
greet you. Places of amusement are
erected in abundance, decorations of
every description dazzle the eye and
our enterprising merchants who have
labored increasingly for several weeks,
will gladly welcome you to their NAM
moth establishments which rank sec
ond to zone in the great state of Iowa.
We are happy in the thought that so
many have been able to come and we
trust that at the close of our conven-
ton we will have been mutually bene-
fitted by mingling together here, that
the objects of that grand organization
known as the w. r. G. will be more
thoroughly impressed on our minds,
that we may become more closely unit
ed in our efforts to promote the well
fare of the cause we espouse.
There is no organization in existence
where aims and objects are of a higher
order than those advocated by the w.
Il. c, and ever since it was organized
in Denver six years ago it has steadily
increased and now has a membership
of 10000. Within its ranks are moth
ers grown old and gray, upon whose
faces are depicted lines of sorrow;
mothers whose memories are failing,
whose sight is growing dim, but neith-
er time nor eternity can efface from
their minds nor absent from their
vision the stalwart son who left them
when the call "to arms was sounded
when our country was menaced by the
danger of secession. Through the dim
recollections of the past they can WV
| idly see that as son he bid her a last
farewell. except perhaps, the one he
bid her in silence during his last mo-
ments upon the battle field.
Within its ranks are wives who have
experienced the sorrows borne by the
the mothers. The pages of history
have never recorded the anguish of the
wife as she anNiously watched over her
family while awaiting the news from
| Vicksburg, from Gettysburg, from Bel
mont to AppamotoN, from army, from
fort and prison pen and although thir-
lty-five years have elapsed, to many
there was never home coming, while
| to others their dear ones returned, but
not as they left them. The leaden ball
did not always whiz past them; they
did not all escape the ravages Of dis
ease and the horrors of the prison pen
and the hours of care and devotion be-
slowed upon them by the loving wife
will be recalled for generations yet to
come.
8
Within the ranks of the w. r. C. is
! the gentle nurse. She who takes the
place of sister, wife and mother at the
bedside of the soldier when life GIBBS
low and silence and dark
ness hang over them. She moistens
the lips, she cools the fevered brow
and when the final summons comes,he
gentle tones are like requiem from
some ethereal sphere. The sister of
the soldier is within the ranks of this
organization and the patriotic woman
is also there, she who places country
above all and with the. united efforts
of so noble band, by loyalty and pa
triotism will find an abiding place in
every heart. So long as the principles
advocated by the w. r. c. are adhered
to the stars and stripes will forever
float TRANQUILITY over this land from
shore to shore and liberty will be the
watchword.
| thank you for your attention and
hope to meet you all again.
| Morning Session.
The convention was called to order
at 0 o'clock. After the registration
OF the delegates and visiting members
Mrs. Louise Adler, secretary of Clout-
man corps, No. 1874, delivered the adj
dress of welcome. Responses were
made by Mrs. May Simpson, of Milton;
Miss Ida Van Hon, OF Mt. Pleasant
land Mrs. Gantz, Of Fairfield.
The following committees were ap.
pointed:
| Committee ON Revolutions.
1nez L. Weaver, Burlington; Ida Var
Hon, Mt. Pleasant, and Carrie Bacon
Fairfield.
Press Work Committee.
Lconora Bell, Fairfield; Mary Simp
son, Milton, and Lizzie Stanton, Keo
lsuk.
The remainder of the morning SEES
Sion was devoted to hearing reports
rand discussing the work Of the corn.
reported, after which the conyentio,
:, filio,l-upl ,ntiI 4 .90 tb;e 80