The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-15
THE SPECIAL SESSION" PRIMARILY A LEGIS-
 IATIvE SESSION

One of the pamphlets of the A. F. W. C. Committee on Legislation was mailed to a professor of Washington and Lee College by a member of that committee, to whom he wrote in reply:
 T congratulate the Alabama Fedora tiono Women's Clubs upon the fairness and completeness with which they have presented all the pros and cons concern ing the child labor law. and hope that they may be gratified by seeing just leg islation concerning this vital question en- acted by the State for which they have done so much"
 During the reading of the legislative report in the convention on Wednesday when the section was reached relating to child labor, Mrs Erwin Craighead sug- gested the advisability of adjournment of the sitting at Il o'clock on Thursday. the hour set for the calling of the child labor bill in the House, in order that the con- vention might attend in a body. Fear was expressed that the press of business would be too great to admit of this recess. Thursday morning, when the meeting was called to order, Mrs. A. T. Goodwin asked permission to interrupt the busi- ness of the meeting to put an important motion before the convention. Permission being granted, the spoke as follows: Madam President: In view of the fact that the special session of the Federation was called in the interest of the child la borbor bill I move that the convention take a recess at Il o'clock, the hour ap- pointed for the calling of the bill, and at- tend that body. This action on the part of the convention will be a compliment to the mill men and to the Central Com mittee, who have united to give us child labor bill.'
 The motion was carried with enthusi- asm, many rising to express their hearty concurrence The chairman of the Legis- lative Committee, Mrs. James Hardaway, let nothing interfere with her devotion to the duties her position imposed. and amid serious illness at home kept place warm in her heart for the factory children. a mind which even domestic sorrow could not blind to their sufferings, and carried her work to a splendid consummation. Indeed, the February meting Of the wo- men of Alabama in the Capital City, while the Legislature was here to pass measures to regulate government for four years under the .'estrictions and latitude of the new Constitution, may be called interchangeably Special" and 'legisla- tive" The two great issues before the men and the women were how to protect the factory children and safeguard the future citizenship of the State; and how much to spend in arresting the increase or criminals on the Boys Reformatory ap- propriation. There were other measures like unto these only somewhat less III degree of importance, such as securing the elimination of politics from schoois py an educational and moral Qualihcauon for Superintendents, and the pure eiec- tions aimed at by the new Constitution.
 In the first three mentioned the women of the State would have been more or less than human to have taken no part. Mrs. T. M. Owen, of the Board or Directors, was specially charged by the President of the Board, Mrs. R. D. Johnston. with the duty of getting before the public the truth about the value of the Boys Re- formatory and of creating strong public sentiment to support a measure for gen. erous appropriations. That the accom- plished her task so well Is easily under stood by all acquainted with her forceful and attractive personality which wins tm- mediate sympathy and confidence and eyokes enthusiasm. Her associates, Mrs. Stonewan Jackson Cole. a charming young Birmingham woman; Mrs. T. G. Bush, a Montgomery belle of the seventies, now a fine influence In the social world of Bir- mingham; Mrs. J. G. Converse of Selma, so well known and beloved through her fine eficiencies at home and in the Feder- ation; Mrs. Charles Henderson of Troy. whose grace and charm make an immedi- ate delightful impression; Mrs Erwin Craighead of Mobile, a royal soul and queen among women, and Mrs R. D. Johnston, who possesses herself of every heart to which she speaks of 'her boys"- all these won friends. for the Reforma- tory on ways known to good women, and convincing to good men, The Legislature which confides to their care wayward boys of the State and trusts them, with the assistance of the fine superintendent, MT. Griffin, to finance the State funds for the Reformatory, does credit to its own sense and chivalry, and each by his action pays a tribute to his own mother.
 If indeed, the ideal society be one where men and women are comrades and con- panions in advancing the good of all, there are signs that such society will soon be ours-for rarely have existed anywhere such unanimity of purpose, such agree ment on methods, such correspondence in time of action. as were in evidence in Montgomery when the women of the Fed eration and the men of the Legislature thought and felt alike as to the States duty to her boys and girls. If men were always as wise in translating into, laws the love and loyalty of the mothers of a country which go out to protect its child hood, no further "woman's right need ever be whispered. When mothers are all they should be the next generation of men will me as near perfect as is allowed on this earth by human conditions.
 The latest effort of the members of the Legislative Committee was made when two of them with two more lady friends attended the meeting called Fri day evening in the Council chamber, to inaugurate effective opposition to legisla- ton by which 1t is proposed to undo in part the anti-pool laws won at such cost of life's best energies a few years ago by men like pr. Eager and those who
 Show sufficient of Gods light
 For us I the dark to rise by"
 At the beautiful entertainment of the Magazine Club Friday afternoon, notice was given that Rev. Neal Anderson hoped fifty women would be present Had tha