The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-03-14
MOTHERHOOD
LAUDED.
The President Speaks IN Plain
Terms Before Congress Of
Mothers al Capital.
IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY LIFE.

Washington. March 14-An address
BY President Roosevelt was the fea-
ture of the evening session Of the Ma
tional Congress Of Mothers, now hold
ing its triennial convention here in
the Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal
church. There was an immense audi
ence, composed largely of women, and
when Mr.. Roosevelt, accompanied By
Secretary Loeb arrived at about
quarter past 8, he got a cordial recep-
ton. The president was introduced
by Mrs. Frederic Schoff of Phlladel-
phia, president of the congress.
The president spoke in his incisive
way and did not hesitate to employ
plain speech to emphasize and illus
trate what he believes to be the duties
of wifehood and motherhood. He
maintained that the important ques-
ton for the nation to consider was
the family life of the units that went
to make up the great whole
"The nation is in q bad way said
he, "if there is no real home, if the
family is not Of the right kind, If the
man is not good husband and father.
if the woman has lost her sense OF
duty, If she is sunk in vapid self IN
dulgence or has let her nature be twist
ed so that she prefers a sterile pseudo
intellectually to that great aud beau
tiful development of character which
comes only to those whose lives know
the fullness of duty done, of effort
made, of self sacrifice undergone"
Touching upon his fayorite topic the
president said with Intense earnestness
that no people could look for perma
nent prosperity unless the average
mother is a good wife, a good mother,
able and willing to perform the FIRST
and greatest duty of womanh0od"
Speaking Of the relation borne by
husband to wife in the home the presi-
dent said:
"On the whole, | think the duty Of
the woman the more important, the
more difficult and the more honorable
of the two; on the whole, / respect the
woman who does her duty even more
than respect the man who does his.
The birth pangs make all men the debt;
ors Of all women. Above all, our sym
pathy and regard are due to the strug
Cling wives among those whom Abra-
ham Lincoln called the plain people,.
| and whom he so loved and trusted I.
for the lives Of these women are ofteu'
led on the lonely heights Of quiet, self
sacrificing heroism."
The president said the divorce statise
tics were fairly appalling and that
| easy divorce is "a bane to any nations
a curse to society, menace to the
home, an incitement to married unhap-
| piness and to immortality"
Continuing President Roosevelt said
into the womans keeping is committed
| the destiny of the generations to come
after us. In bringing up your children
| you mothers must remember that while 1t
is essential to be loving and tender It Is
| no less essential to be wise and firms
| Foolishness and affection must not be
| treated as interchangeable terms. and be-
| sides training your sons and daughters
| In the softer and mllder virtues you must
| seek to give them those stern and hardy
! qualities which in after life they will
| surely need. Some children will go wrong
| in spite OF the best training, and somt
| will go right even when their surround
| ings are most unfortunate; nevertheless
1
| family training.
II you mothers through weakness bring
up your sons to be selfish and to think
! only. of themselves you will be responi
! slble for much sadness among the womeu
| who are to be their wives in the future,
If you let your daughters grow up idle,
perhaps under the mistaken impression
| that as you yourselves have had to work
| hard they shall know only enjoyment,
you are preparing them to be useless td
others and burdens to themselves. TeacH
| boys and girls alike that they are not IA
look forward to lives spent In avoiding
difficulties, but to lives spent In overcom.
ing difficulties.
Teach them that work for themselves
and also for others is not a curse, but
blessing; seek to make them happy IA
make them enjoy life, but seek also to
make them face life with the steadfasi
resolution to wrest success from labor
! and adversity and to do their whole duty
before God and to man. Surely she WHO
can thus train her sons and her daugh.
ters is thrice fortunate among women.
There are many good people who ar4
denied the supreme blessing of children,
and for these we have the respect and
sympathy always due to those who, from
no fault of their own, are denied any oi
the other great blessings of life. But tho
man or woman who deliberately foregoes
these blessings whether from vicious
ness coldness, shallow heartedness, Sell
Indulgence or mere failure to appreciate
Alright the difference between the all i'm.
portant and the unimportant-why such
a creature merits contempt as hearty as
any visited upon the soldier who runs
away In battle or upon the man who res
fuses to work for the support Of those de-
pendent upon him and who. though able.
bodied is vet content to eat in idlencss
the bread which others provide
-Four hundred members Of the con
gress were received in the White House
at o'clock this Afternoon by Mrs.
Roosevelt The reception lasted about
an hour Tea was served to the as
sembIed guests in the state dining
room.
The fifth meeting of the Mems Club
of the First Presbyterian Church will
ha held On M0ndaV nvaninU March Cn