The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-14
ROOSEVELT
 TO MOTHERS President Addresses Na-
 tiOnal Council. FEATURE OF EVENING Chief Executives Versatility
 Illustrated. In Introducing Distinguished Speaker of Occasion, Mrs. Schon of Phila- delphia Makes nm Interes-

Washington March 13.--An address by President Roosevelt was the feature or the evening session of the National council of Mothers now holding its tri- ennial convention at the Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal Church.
 Anticipating the Presidents appear ance there was an immense crowd at the church, composed largely of wo- men, and when MT. Roosevelt, accom- panied by Secretary Loeb. arrived he was given a cordial reception.
 The President was formally introduce ed to the audience by Mrs Frederick Schoff of Philadelphia. He read his speech from copy which he held in his hand. but now and then departed from the text when he wished to em- phasize point.
 Preceding the Presidents speech Mrs. Schoff delivered an address in which she spoke of the children of the nation. In beginning her remarks Mrs. Schoff said:
 Tt is a significant and hopeful sign that In an age when materialism and commercfalism seem to be the dominant forces that bring men together into the organization of great trusts, that the greatest trust of all should have had It's birth here in Washington eight years ago when the national Congress of Mothers was organized. may well say the greatest trust. for 1t was given by God himself. and the partners in that trust are the mothers and the fathers of the children
 She spoke of the beneficent results which have followed the organization of the Congress and said foreign lands have been impressed with the work and are adopting 1t. She declared that organization Is the machinery which is necessary to carry far and wide the spirit and purpose of the Congress. That no work is more needed than the elevation of the standards of home life is only too evident to any one who stiudies conditions az they exist today.
 Unfted States Problem.
 The problem that tho United States has to meet. she said. Is that of anal gamating the vast number of foreign CTS who come to this country every year. To educate the children whose parents are un-American to become good American citizens Is of the great est importance if we are to hold the country up to the standards get by its founders.
 The differences of sectarianism have driven the Bible from the schools in many States, yet all sects recognize the importance of moral training. It should be possible by conference among the leaders of all sects to come to an agreement satisfactory to all and that would put into every public school the clear and definite training in the moral qualities which are the basis of every character that Is of value to the world. Regarding conditions in Utah she had this to say:
 The Superintendent of Public In- struction of Utah testified under oath that he had investigated the schools of Utah to learn whether the Mormon re- ligion, including polygamy, was taught in them. He said that reports have not come from all of them, but that in over 300 of the 606 schools of Utah, the Nor mon religion was taught.
 Some of the teachers in these schools showed letters bearing the seal of the | President of the Mormon Church, re- questing them to teach this in the schools. The life of Mormon poIygam- ists were studied by the pupils. The life of Washington, Lincoln. and other great men in the worlds history, were entirely omitted. These conditions ex- tended also into the States adjoining Utah. In the Brigham Young Acad- . emy. where from 1,2O0 to 1900 young | men and young women attend, infor- nation has come to us that polygamy l Is taught there and the head of the school is a polygamist."
 President Roosevelts speech was as | follows:
 In our modern industrial civilization l there are many and grave dangers to counterbalance the splendors and the triumphs. It is not a good thing to see cities grow at disproportionate speed relatively to the country; for the small land owners, the men who own their little homes. and therefore to l IRW farms. the men of the soil, have hither- to made the foundation of lasting na- tional life in every State; and, if the foundation becomes either too weak or too narrow. the superstructure no matter how attractive, is in imminent danger of falling.
 But far more important than the question of the occupation of our citi- zens Is the question of how their family life Is conducted. No matter what there Is real home and as long as those who make up that home do their duty to one another. to their neigh bOrs and to the State. it is of minor is piled in the country or the city. whether 1t calls for the work of the hands or for the work of the head
 But the nation is in bad way if there is no real home, if the family Is not of the right kind; If the man is not a good husband and father, if he is brutal or cowardly or selfish. If the woman has lost her sense of duty. if she is sunk in vapid self-lndulgence or has let her nature be twisted so that she prefers a sterile pseudo intellec- tuality to that great and beautiful development of character which comes only to those whose lives know the illness of duty done. of effort made and self-sacrifice undergone.
 Tn the last analysis the welfare of the State depends absolutely upon whether or not the average family the average man and woman and their children, represent the kind of citizen- ship fit for the foundation of a great nation; and if we fall to appreciate this we fail to appreciate the root morality upon which all healthy civilization is based.
 No piled-up wealth. no spIendor of material growth. no brillianc6 of artistic development will permanently avail any people unless its home life Is healthy, unless the average man possesses honesty. courage, common sense, and decency, unless he works hard and is willing at need to fight hard; and unless the average woman is a good wife, good mother. able and willing to perform the first and