Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-05-24
MOTHERS. CONGRESS OPENS.
Ex.Govcrnor Jackson, yrhyor Hnr
enbowAr. Welcome Delegates.


Il enbower Welcome Delegates.
Des Moines, Ia, May s4.-The open
ing session of the National Congress
of Mothers: held at the Auditorium
last evening, drew to the big hall one
of the largest and by far most at
t,sctivc audiences ever seen i'm the
building. The evening program was
devoted to greetings. Ex-Governor
jackson and Mayor Ilartenbower, on
behalf of the state and the city; Mrs.
Mabel ID. Hutchinson, on behalf of the
Iowa Federation of Women's clubs;
Mrs. II. NJ. Walker, of Des Moines, for
the Woman's club, which is the official
hostess of the congress, and Mrs.
Isaac l.. Hills. chairman of the Des
Moines committee which induced the
congress to come to Iowa for this
years session--all these delivered adj
dresses of welcome. Then there were
responses by Mrs. ID. o. Mears of New
York. Mrs. Clarence E. Allen OF Salt
Lake City, Miss Harriet \. Marsh of
Michigan, and Mrs. Robert Gotten of
North Carolina.
The forenoon session today was de-
voted to business. The committee on
credentials received the delegates at
a. m. and issued to them their ere
dentials, emitting them to seats in the
convention and to votes in all pro-
ceedings. Mrs. Birney presented the
presidents report on the work of the
year since the last congress. 1t indi-
on cd 1,of
ed more rapidly than i'll any previous
year since, four Years ago, the organ
ization was founded 1t has been ex-
tended especially into the west, large
~ as result of bringing the con
gress to Iowa. Iowa, Nebraska, Mis-
souri,, Illinois, Minnesota and several
OF the fur western states are now we'll
organized: and it is expected that by
the close of this year Iowa will have
the largest number of affiliated clubs
of any state in the union.
Reports and Addresses.
Committees on literature, cducaton,
finance, legislation, domestic science,
all presented eminently practical re-
ports. Indeed, the thoroughly prac-
tical character of the work of the
congress has served to convince those
who were at first inclined to scott at
the congress that it is altogether
good movement and certain to result
in substantial benefits. The aims and
objects of the organization were well
set forth at the afternoon session by
Mrs. Birney In her address on 1.-THE
Power of Organized Motherhood to
Benefit Humanity" Mrs. lsirney first
conceived the idea of great national
organization of mothers, through
which their influence could be exert
ed most effectively. She looks for
ward to the tJne, and believes it not
far distant, Wien the mothers of the
nation will be consulted and will have
so far qualified themselves that they
will be able to advise on all subjects
relating to the training, education
and economic conditions of children;
when women will exert direct influ-
ence in shaping legislation relating to
the home and the relations Of the
child to the community. Professor
Oscar Chrismnn, professor of paidol
ogy in the Emporia, Kan. state nor
NAL school, delivered an address on
the science of child study, which was
followed by most interesting dis
cussion. u
The women from the east are highly
pleased with the outlook for the work
in the west, and are of the opinion
that hereafter it will he concluded to
hold only every alternate convention
in Washington; going to other cities
in different parts of the country, in
the intervening years. In this way the
interest in the missionary work of the
movement may be greatly increased.
1t is rumorcd that Mrss Theodore
w. Birney. who has been president of
the congress from the time of it's or
gnnization down to the present, muy
decline reelection, on account of
delicate health. The position is an ex-
acting one. Mrs. Birney will be re-
elected without doubt, and then ii
she declines to accept there may be
lively contest over the position.