The National tribune., 1900-08-16

throughout Europe and America a COM
prehensive programme was prepared.
During these months of preparation !
received a letter from Miss Anthony re-
Questing me to see the trustees of the Con-
gregational Church and open negotiations
for holding the council there, probably at
q cost of some 5000. The application was
made in the usual way by letter. A meet
ing of the trustees was called. Late one
evening / was waited upon by two of the
trustees. who favored the proposition with
the answer that three of them were op-
posed to opening the church for political
purposes, Political, forsooth. Missionary
societies, temperance societies, industrial
and educational societies were dubbed with
q new name. And yet these wise men of
the Capital-wise, no doubt, in church
and state-opencd these doors soon after
to a temperance rally with a Prohibition
candidate for President-a political club
with a new name!
The managers of the Council were not
dismayed. Miss Anthony came TO Wash
ington. We could have Albaugh's Opera
House for S1,S00!
The question uppermost was, should
the risk be taken? In case of a deficit
of receipts, could friends be relied on to
come to the relicfi
Necessity knows no law: the Opera
House was engaged with some misgiyings,
but not much trembling.
UT ud.S DelOFe inc DpcllIIp Iue coui-
mittee on Entertainment, with headquar-
ters at the Riggs House, had provided &C.
commodations for over 1000 visitors.
The Council guests were many from
over the sea-England, Scotland, ireland,
France, Denmark, Norway, Finland, In
Ola, Canada and every part of the United
States.
The faces Of those earnest, thinking
women come up before me as they looked
that March morning, 1883, when they
walked into the headquarters and were
taken in charge and became the guests of
ebe women Of America.
The first meeting OF the Council was
q religious service. Long before the hour
Of opening the Opera House was crowded
snd the aisles filled with persons standing
There was 10 charge for admission, and
could this he any criterion for future at.
tendance was the inquiry.
The services were in harmony with the
day and the occasion. The Rev. Phebe A
Hanaford made invocation. Rev. Ada c.
Bowies read the lesson. The great con
gregatiOn joined in singing Nearer, Ny
God, TO Thee" after which Rev. Annie
NJ. Shaw preached sermon abOunding IL
logic and in spirituality, which made Q
lasting impression upon those who were
fortunate enough TO hear il. Take thi!
sentence: 'Ali down through the centurie.
God has been revealing in visions th'
great truths which have lifted the race
step by step, until today womanhood il
this sunset hour Of the 18th century, i!
gathered here from the East and the
West, the North and the South, womer
Of every land. Of every race, of all relig
ious beliefs.
But diverse and varied as are oul
races, diverse and varied us are our theo
ries, diverse as are our religious beliefs
yet we come together here with one har
monious purpose-that of lifting humanit.
into higher, purcr, truer life"
Is this the politics the church was afrait
Oft Ii SO, we believe il is the politics tha
suits God!
The formal opening Of the Council wa
Monday morning at 10 o'clock. Victo
Hugos prophecy that the nineteenth cen
as one gazcd upon the scene that morn
ing. Under the shadow of the Capitol
made historic by the elOquence OF Ion
line OF patriots like jefferson, Calhoun
Clay, Webster, Lincoln, Seward, Sumner
who have led the advance guard Of tn
worlds onward march to liberty, were MS
sembled an immense audience OF equal
patriotic women from all parts Of tn
United States. whose faithful service t
their country in peace and war entitle
them to recognition as citizens of Reput
lie In the parliaments of the world.
comes over me this moment as passin
strange that 1t Is only Republics, whic
boast Of freedom and inalienabls right
that do not allow citizenship to It
women. The great nations of earth hav
always recognized women, whether gov
erned by Monarchs. Empcrors or King.
What Is there in rcpublicanism this
should change the status2
The women Of the world gathered tha