From Caroline L. Dodge.
Miss Jane [Addams],
This is a morning greeting to the bravest of American Women I know you will not be inhospitable to my warm appreciation of your faction. If no one whose name is closely associated with a non political work may indulge in political activity then <we may as well say> no one who is broadly humanitarian may be allowed to participate in the government of our country. It is like saying that a Minister may not be interested in any live question. But we know that the only chance of a church survival is in the very fact of that certain men break the rule and certain others uphold <those men>. I believe, today, that the unordained preachers are [doing] by far the greatest religious work that is [being] done. I have lately broken away from a religious body just for this reason. I have been an ardent Unitarian & had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Jones at the Anniversary Meetings this spring. But it was pitiful to hear even the "grand old man" attempt to reconcile [page 2] the accepted status of the Christian Minister with any real progress at all. (I hope I'm not give you an idea I'm a minister. No. I am a mother of three [strong] children) I [saw] <him> to speak with afterward, but I only held hands with the dear soul for a moment I smiled my prettiest to keep up his courage for you must know "what is the use of talking". I have been for five years a contributor to that fine paper the "Christian Register," but that too seems inclined to go the way of all the works of a fallible humanity & to be [growing] hopelessly old fashioned. I do not like that term because I love old fashioned things but I mean rather unsympathetic in <to> great movements.
I glory in your [illegible] courage. Col. Roosevelt is a very wonderful product of a most remarkable age and I am glad you could stand for him. Miss. Boardman is most out of date. Nor can she speak of "non political" all politics is life now Municipal Nature. International, and those who fail to see it are blind. The divorce of religion and ethics from politics is the <contributing> cause of much of the disorder in a Natural life today. Don't let them discourage you, my dear, a [continued on top of page 2] dare, for a moment to think that a woman's "good judgement" will desert her when She comes to the political field. I have been a writer of essays so it comes natural for me to write briefly though now I am engaged on a book of reminiscences of my Aunt Gail Hamilton. Yours Fraternally
C.L.D.
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