T-'ifrx.-fgyi; - &tt;iars62-&r-3&cvr-i --
,jf. -
-:
THE COU :c.
The following from the Boston Her- clubs belonging to the general fetlera- bear, but also the accumulated woes chuscrtu held her candidate, proudly
akl will give some inside history of the tion from any one state comes from of those they left at home before the convention; she voted solid-
Dcnter Biennial in words of Eastern Colorado, which two years ago had Writes one prominent club presi- ly for her, and out of the humiliation
Women! but seven, ami now lias seventy-one, dent: "1 am more disappointed than af defeat, she plucked the rose f
The story of the organization of the the largest portion of these being very I can put into words over the results honor, to wear always, because she
General Federation of Women's clubs small clubs, organized after it was at Denver. Too sorely disappointed hud not condescended to any trickery
In May, 18SD, under the auspices of known that the Biennial convention even to hope just now that the of words or means."
New York Sorosis, with but seventeen would be held in Denver. The next 'strengthening of the weak' may 'be Mrs. Eliza It. Whiting of the Spring
clubs as charter members, is a most largest number comes from Massachu- thus accomplished." Held Woman's club, says: "Alice Ives
interesting one. The first Biennial setts, which has sixty-seven clubs in Another club woman writes: "The Breed would have made n good presi
itieeting. held in Chicago in 1892, the national federation; Illinois stands very air of the convention seemed dent. She had been doing work for
showed by the Increase in numbers next with sixty-five, clubs; then comes charged with conspiracy. Had we the general federation from the- hue
and strength that the national asso- Ohio with fifty-seven; New York and have known, could we have known in that it was organized, first on the
elation of clubs was meeting a prae- Pennsylvania with twenty-eigh each; time, what we have paid so dearly for, state committee for Massachusetts,
tlcal wont in club life, and had before Michigan, twenty-two; Iowa, thirty- we might have planned differently, then as its chairman, then as national
it a future of increasing helpfulness, six; Missouri, sixteen; Indiana, six- But interest has by no means died out vice-president. She was in close sym
As yet it was a federation of Individ- teen; Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Mary- in this thing, and the ways of the pathy with the first president, Mrs.
ual ululis, and no one dreamed of the land and Louisiana have each but Denver Biennial will not soon be for- Charlotte Emerson, during all the
federations within the federations three; South Dakota, North Dakota, gotten." years she held office, and she ha al-
which have since developed with amaz- Georgia, New Mexico and Tennessee A prominent club womau, a delegate ways been u zealous and active club
I rig rapidity and strength. have each only four clubs in the great from one of the largest New England woman. The national federation
In Chicago at the memorable con- federation, while North Carolina, Del- 'Clubs, says: "There is no ill-natured has always had her her most seri
gress of representative women held aware, Wyomiug, Nevada and Indian criticism, but there is much frank ex- tw consideration, and the honor of
In May, 1802, as a part of the world's Territory have but one club each. It pression of opinion concerning some the office of president would have
fair, the general "deration held a not- will 'thus be seen that the most pow- features of 'the great Biennial,' as it been most fittingly bestowed upon her
able meeting, at which two states, erfu! states in the federation under has come to be called. In the first suitable acknowledgement of her
Maine and Kansas, reported the forma- a pro rata representation would be, place, there was much dissatisfaction work. Moreover, she knows the dan
tion of state organizations; Massachu- provided the clubs were of uniform with the program. While many of the K"H ahead, and, perhaps more than
setts had already taken the prelimin- size, Colorado. Massachusetts, Illinois sessions were as good as could be ex- " other woman, could have avoided
ary steps for a state organization and Ohio, but the fact is that Mossn- pec'ted, others were far below the the mistakes that the federation is in
which now numbers one hundred and chusetts has more members in one plane that should have lieeu insisted danger of making. She is democratic
twenty-four clubs. The state federa- club than many states have in all. and upon. A much higher standard should in her ideas. She sees the value of the
tion of Maine was a new organization, with a per capita tax Massachusetts be set for papers at the next Biennial, federation for individual clubs, and if
while that of Kansas was an out- will pay one-seventh of the entire tax "Now, about the election, which is he had been made president there
growth of its Social Science Club, to the federtion. the most discussed topic. Opinions as would have been no risk of the state
which since the year 1881 had been With these figures it serins unfair to the methods and the result are us federations assuming too large a place
practically a federation representing that the nominating committee snould varied as the groups discussing them. ' 'he general federation. Mrs. Hen-eighty-two
towns, and containing a be composed of one member from each There is, however, among the Denver rwtin lias leen a popular president,
larger membership than any, except, state, for in this ease, and by the pres- women a pretty gen nil opinion that mit- kat he has not left the federa
possibly, the New York organization, cut methods, Wyoming. Delaware, the Mrs. Breed was not well treated, and tion '" a good shape as she found it
The third Itiennial convention was Carolines and the Indian Territory, much sympathy for her is expressed, 's the opinion of some of the western
held in Louisville, when one of the en- with their one small club each; Mary- though there is no dissatisfaction women. I have not talked with any
grossing topics was that of the rela- land. Louisiana- and Wisconsin, with with Mrs. Lowe, the newly-elected Massachusetts delegate since the close
tions of the state and national federa- three apiece, and Georgia and the Da- president. Two tilings stand out rath- of ",c Biennial. The persistent decki
tions, many club women feeling that kotas, with only four, had exactly as er prominently a lack of courtesy to ration of some of the speakers at the
the growth of the club movement much voice and influence upon the Mrs. Itreed, a candidate for the posi- meeting for election, that there should
would lead eventually to representa- nominating committee and in the con- tion, and the determined opposition ,,e no ,w)rh. no south, no east, no
tion in the national federation by the vention as did the states which have to Mrs. Itreed of Mrs. nenrotin, the west is s'mP'y talk. It is impossible
, state organization only. This argu- have fostered and encouraged the club out-going president. This and that not recojrnize factst though that
ment ciopped out again at the Bien- movement through an altruistic spirit have been put together, and the out- nee not necessarily provoke sectional
nial in Denver last month, for like and not from personal motives. come is the following storv. which is ,eeiing. ine characteristics of the
Banquo's. ghost, it will not down. It It is said that the future of he pretty generally believed:
is, however, disposed or Tor the time great general federatino is to be a fu- "Mrs. Breed was in the line of ad
being, because of the fact that sev- ture of small clubs, owing to the pass- vancemeut at the time of the Louis
eral states have no federations. ing of the per capita tax. as the small ville Biennial, and she should have
The keynote of the Chicago Biennial club is usually engaged in literary stood an even chance for election if
ll'flc nrnflltiffl-t Srtf, finil ttio U-nrl PV. WOrk. fm" Whlfh it np(l llllt litttf alii, lifld rim rwrttnut Afrc tT.n.nttn
tended rapidly over the country. Two money, while the large club, with its She. however, worked in the fnterest Krowmna "twity, taking strength froaa
vears later the Biennial Convention home or hospital to maintain, its kin- of Mrs. Henrotin, and herself took the nounl0S mtory and returning it to
was held in Philadelphia, when the dergarten. its training schools and second place, with the tacit under-
different groups form a natural basis
for distinction."
The Women's club of Columbus, Ne
braska, is in a particularly flourishing
condition, by which I mean of vigorous
the community a hundredfold like the
federation, then five years old, report- other philantropic and altruistic wow standing of all concerned t at thrs ,7 gTea , .,1' , weekBaK
ed three hundred and- sixty-five indi- does not feel like paying so much year Mrs. Henrotin's influence would
vidual clubs and several state federa- money into the federation treasmy, lie used to help elect her to the posi
tions. The movement for state feder- preferring to expend its runds for its dencj-.
ations then- extended rapidly until own work. "It is a fact, however, that there
there are now twenty-nine state feder- Mrs. Tr. L. Blaukenburg, president of was prejudice against Mrs. Breed be-
atiorrs in the national federation, be- the famous New
The Courier published reports from
the department of current events. lbi
week reports from the domestic science
and literary departments of the Colum
bus Woman's club.
Domestic Science We are all familiar
con
imous New York Century Worn- fore she arrived in Denver, and no one -u , .. . . ,an'or
side five hundred individual clubs. an's Guild of five hundred members, knows just how it arose. It was cer- . ,, . ' u ravont
Of the state federations New York declares that her club -will withdraw tainly from no action on her part, w i k t. 4
mtains the largest number of clubs, from the national federation, and affi- Women may not yet have got used rrrnman' i k w t0! t. '
Illinois and Iowa follow, and the Mas- Hate only with the Pennsylvania state to running with the political machine, mother w:fe "'"""""J He
sachusetts state federation stands federation. TJie Woman's Charity club but after this election of officers in gndinranse Mnoeof l?"h h
next, though its roll of individual of Boston, with seven hundred mem- the federation it cannot be said that are neekcted wnome due
club women- outranks that of any hers, has announced its intention of they are. ignorant of political wiles. A me j t bele th f h.
state. A number of states have clubs withdrawing, and many other clubs prominent woman of Denver, who has ,n.jBIPtm,nfn j u- '
j r ......, WUta can ug
a club, least of
rged in regard
which belong to the national federa- are talking of similar action. The fact taken an active part in politics since taken UD in the Wo '
tion'nlone, and are not affiliated with is, the balance of power in the Den- Colorado became a suffrage state, sa'd oil can it be truthfnlTv
the state organization. Many women ver Biennial was in the hands of nevr that the Massachusetts delegation -was l j , . cKru
feel that upon the recognition of the and untrained club women, who not the only one that made a straight, in this deoartment o 1 . . . r
individual club depends the true de- only threw tradition to the winds, but stand-up fight for its candidate. The to the homg ue disratMed" tiD
mocracv of club life, and that to con- had not, apparently, the gift of fore- Massachusetts women presented their jw,.: , ... ,BUC nome
...... -r,. ..-, . ... . aecorauon, ine nutritive DroDertipn nt
fine representation in the Biennial sight. candidate and took only legitimate different foods and the n t"
convention to the state federation on- It has been said, and no doubt with means to elect her." temntine viands. Pration of
ly would be to establish an aristocracy truth, that the true history of .the Says Mrs. Dora M. Goodwin of the ye DeiieTe that all th rf
of chib women, a sort or royal house, Denver Biennial would never be tola Haverhill Literary Union: "It has 0 our cu5 g j,eiDfni j, 6artlnenta
especially where, as in some parts of in print, and for this reason, reports bean said that Mrs. Breed's forces of its members We bl" t ''"'
the club world, rotation in office is of the delegates to tvierr clubs are e- were not well organized or well coun- Btudy of music'and art Vt t
hart! to establish and to maintain. ing awaited with all ie more interest, selled. To this there is but one reply the current tonics of th j T "
A little comparison of the number But so many letters have come to the to make Massachusetts did not in- their place but a few f th k
of clubs in each state which belongs Herald from eastern club women who tend to enter a political campaign, or our dab felt that this v emembereof
to the great general federation is just were unable to attend the Biennial, make use of political methods. She aj ufo 0 fake up someth' th WUld
now especially interesting, Maine has asking for more and fuller informa- relied upon the fitness of her candi- distinctively domestic co " i "
ninety-eigh clubs in her state federa- tion as to "why things went as they date. She rested her case upon merit, domestic science depart-neT11 th
tion, but only four clubs in the gen- did," that perhaps it may be well to In the meetings of her delegation all feed in December WaSor8an
eral federation; New Hampshire has quote a little from what the Massa- idea of bargaining was sternly repndi- Those instrumental in organizing th
forty-three cluls in her state federa- chusetts delegates say, for many of ated. Mrs. Breed herse.t has always department thought that perhaps Sam
tion, and two clubs in the national them are learning that they have not carefully refrained from any action JDDaop was "ght when he said,. "A"
federation. Ihe largest number ot oniy ineir own sense of defeat to savoring of political methods. Massa- Continued on Pagei"?
.'I
11
J
Ml