April 10th
177 Lake View Avenue
My dear Miss Addams:
I am going to send Mr McCormick's letter over to you by Miss Bowen on Wednesday. I really hate to let it go even for a short time, as I carry it around with me as a kind of armor, so that I may bring it out if the reason should arise. You [page 2] will be interested to know that Mrs McCormick asked me herself to read it to a number of women at a luncheon yesterday. And said she hoped I would circulate it as much as I could, and I certainly shall. I hope you know, when all this disagreeable newspaper talk and misunderstanding is going on, that there are hosts [page 3] of people who believe in what you are doing, and who would always be loyal to you. The truth of the situation to me is, that you are too far ahead of the procession, in your vision, in your ideals, in your spiritual development for most people to understand. They believe theoretically in Christ's doctrines, but woe to the person who tries to live them! That is set down at once as fanatical & unbalanced. They are only meant [page 4] for the inside of church not the outside, and every one who has ever stood, as you are standing, for a higher ideal of truth, is surely persecuted. I know you don't think this of yourself or your work, but I want you to know that I think it of you. And if I cannot give, as I would love to, materially to Hull House, I shall always give in sympathy and loyalty.
Yours most affectionately
Harriet Smith
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