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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 17, 1896)
. . .VOtfllT.XOJUOayi " 3 JfeS "M 5?ita -Hfi v2& Say,' t. - i?'-; ,', Afr V-j . . ESTABLISHED IN 1886 i. , , PRICEtFIVB CBNTi- ..3 - i,j. r r r5 - - ,U Jt uS 1 3W a is at LINCOLN NEB., SATURDAY. OUIOHER 17. I&XJ. mUtZD IK THK POiT OITICB AT MVCOL AS COXD-CLA83 XATTXX PUBLISHED EVEBY 8ATUBDAT ' bt TIE COURIER PRINTING AND POBLISHIH Gt Offic 1132 N street, Up Stairs. Telephone 384. SARAH B. HARRIS Editor Subscription Rates In Advance. Per annum 92.00 Biz months 1.00 Three months 60 One month !0 Single copies 6 1 OBSERVATIONS t The former editor of this paper, Mr. W.Morton Smith, has gone to New fork where he wiU work on The Times. He leaves a great many friends, personal ;and journalistic, who will be glad to know that he will contribute a weekly letter to The Courier. Believing that the republican party represents prin ciples the application of which makes a nation healthy, "wealthy and wise. The .Courier will continue to uphold them as zealously in the future as in the past. "The Editor." - The third annual meeting of the Ne braska Federation of Woman's Clubs met at Fremont on Thureday and Fri day October 8th and 9th, 1896. The president. Mrs. A. W. Field, of Lincoln -was in the chair. About eighty-eight delegates wero present and thirty-five visitors. At eleven o'clock when the 'dolegates had nearly all arrived Mrs. Field presided at a meeting of the board of directors which is composed of presidents of clubs or their alternates. It was decided that all resolutions presented to the federation must first be approved by the committee on resolutions to be appointed by the p"es ident and it was voted to rec jmmend to the executive committee, which consists of the officers of the federation, a change in the constitution in regard to the ad mission of new clubs. As it stands at present tho constitution provides that no club can be considered a member of the federation unless accepted by the board of directors which meets only once a year at the time of the meeting of the state federation. The dues of a club are accepted at any time although it mjy be nearly twelve months beforo the club can become a member of the feder ation. The directors then adjourned. The women assembled at 2 p. m., to listen to a musical and literary program. Mrs. Frawley and Miss Blanche Turner played a duet tho first two numbers of Beethoven's septet. They played in per fect time and with more musical feel ing than the conditions of a duet gen erally allow. After very satisfactory re ports from Miss J. S. Haskell of Stroma burg, secretary. Mrs. Amoret Roso man of Fremont, treasurer, Mrs. F. B. Harrison of Fremont sang a love song. She has a sweet voice and dramatic feeling, and both were much appreciated. Western audiences have tho reputation among actors and musicians of being cold and unsympathetic, and unrespon sive to the most impassioned appeals. They might change their mind if they could play to the federation of women's clubs of Nebraska. Their responsive is immediate and spontaneous. After the president of the Fremont women's club, Mrs. T. F. Reynolds, had delivered a hospitable welcome to tho federation. Mrs. A. W. Field replied with a gracious recognition of Fremont hospitality. Her address, which fol lowed was a statement of the objects, functions and benefits of federation, with a reference to what other federa tions are doing in the way of practical benefit to the places they live in. For instance in some small towns in Min nesota the woman's club has become a village improvement seciety. The mem bers have planted trees, induced drink ing fountains, discouraged the weeds and above all created a love of neatness in the children which prevents them from throwing banana peels, paper or any refuse in the street or on the side walk. When those village boys are men tho habit cf tidyness may keep them from expectorating where women's skirts are apt to be soiled by it and overy-body's health endangered. The effects of the village improvement so cieties in Minnesota is apparent in beauty and neatness where ever the women have taken up the work. Liter ary culture is good but social useful ness is better, and women's clubs are the first to accept it. Federation also gives to the whole association the bene fit of the best papers written during the year by any member. 0Mrs. Field said that she found the bitnnial meeting at Louisville "inspiring, disappointing and cn3oltng." The adJresses and the SDuthern hospitality were inspiring. Not to be able to hear all the speeches was disappointing. The meetings were held in ditlerent halls at the samo time because there was no auditorium large enough to accominodato all of ihe dele gates and visitors. In consequence there was an embarrassment of riches making it difficult to decide which meeting to attend. Another anniversary tho ses sion will be longer, tho voices and halls stronger so that there will be no tantal izing necessity of missing two toirds while listening to one-third. Mrs. Field, in closing, recommended the federation to make an appropriation for the presi dent's travelling expenses during the coming year so that she may be enabled to visit the clubs of the state. It was consoling to find that Ncbratka women were as brilliant as cultured, as elo quent as the eastern women. Mrs. Elia W. Peattio read her report as trea'surer of theMibrary fund.and Mrs. G. M. Lambsrtson, who was appointed custodian and distributor of books read her report. The num ber of books bought, given to the circulating library and loaned to the clubs of tho state. Her report also included-the names of the books. These reports were preceded by a few remarks from Mrs. Keysor of Omaha, who pre sented the offer of the art department of the Omaha Woman's club to loan a collection of three hundred small photo grafs in tne name of art and frater nity. Mrs. Frances M. Ford of Omaha, member of the board of directors of the general feceratiou, delivered the next address on the "Responsibility of tho Woman's Club Toward Public Ques tions." She said that the woman's clubs were a developemont and continuation of the Soldier's Aid Society which was the first woman's club in this country. The Christian soldier is now represented by his wife. In regard to politics a club in order to retain its usefulness and unity must de very careful, careful as tho pulpit should be. There are certain principles that every woman individ ually and in club assembled should stand for. But the various party ways of expressing these principles should be ignored by tho various members who may.as individuals stand on any platform their interest or preference may select. For instance, as in Omaha if the school board dismiss a teacher for political reasons and if her withdrawal from the teaching force seem a distinct loss to the educational energy of the city it is within the functions of the club to ad dress a remonstanco to the board and to use any further means which use is likely to reinstate that teacher. The differ ence between party enthusiasm and the love of justice, truth, purity and honesty is hard for any one to decide and es pecially hard for women who are nat urally more ardent partisans than men; but upon such discrimination rests the future of women's clubs. No woman is a good club woman until the public weal is above everything elao. Tho club is no place to grind axes. And it must not be used as a weapon to punish political opponents, nor used as a cats paw in any way. On the other hand when an occasion arises in which the influence of tho club, in the opinion of a majority of tho members, will aid a good cause it should bo used without fear of tho word "cat's paw.' The club neod not beware of politics if politics'mean public health and public morality. Dr. (Junsaulus in a recent sermon on the text "Thino enemies are disappointed by tho hand of a woman'' said that the regenerating forces love and pity were essentially feminine That women knew the right and that it was her mission to make tho world ready for it. The Daper by Miss Shuman of No braska City on "Significant Phases of tho Club," is published herewith. The Lorelei quartet, composed of Mini Lilian Terry, Mrs. A. G. Edwards, Miss Maud Oakley and Mrs.D. A Campbell, sung several times before the federation. They are getting into more perfect tune each time they sing. Mrs. Campbell's rare alto gives a body and depth not often heard in a woman's quartette. She is supported by Mrs. Edwards, and Miss Terry's and Miss Oakley's sopranos chord with the other two voices liko tho treble of an instrument in perfect tune. The discussion. "Woman Before the Law," was opened by Miss Vesta Gray, a practicing lawyer in Fremont and an alumnus of the state university. She discussed the subject of the personal rights of woman, with the apparent conclusion that in Nebraska they were the same as men's. Mrs. Elizabeth J. Travis of the Plattsmouth Woman's club, unravelled the tangle.which some times becomes a snarl, of woman's prop erty rights, and Mrs. Archibald A. Scott, president of tho Lincoln Woman's club, talked about woman's personal and property rights in Nebraska. Her paper concluded with the clever rhyme which follows: If jou Nebraska laws will can You'll find they all were mails by man. Yet, woman's taxed, yoa will admit. Without a voice or hand in it. Justice to all we would see done. At least to her, tho weaker one. Wo ask club women, in this state. The soman's 9phere to elevate. Knowledge is power, use it with murht ; Teach her to know what is her right. Help her in any way you cant Consult with her, as man. to man. She, too, loves the stripes and start. And loves this noble state of our. Let us, as women, plead this causa. "Equality Before the Laws." After the foregoing apotheosis of wo man under seven different heads, Mr O. C. Holmes Secretary of the Nebraska J U 3 I
