Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (May 13, 1899)
THE COURIER. J? Imvo associations of women which, in tnoro restricted Bphores, are laboring M qUito as successfully for tho general good. When narrow-mindnd poreonB wax contomptuoufl over tho shortcom itiBS of 'women's clubs,' it is woll to recall tbeso things' Tho Nntional Association of Colored Womon will hold itB annual mooting in the city of Chicago, July 18th, 19th, and 20th. Cluba should now elect tho dolo- tfato3. Tho art department of tho Woman's club mot with Mrs. F. M. Hall Thurs day aftornoon. Tho subject, "Holland una Belgian Art" was preBontod in a very interesting mannor by Mrs. Hall. Tho Interest in this department has boon woll sustained during tho year, there be ing a full attendance at each meeting with an increasing enthusiasm. Tho Century club met with Mrs. J. K. Hill Inst Thursday, Mrs. tiindman gave an interesting description of "Princeton College" and Mrs. I. N. Bakor an instructive talk on "Margaret Doland." Tin responses to roll call woro in tho form of brief notices of now books. This club will study Holland hor government and people, next year. Tho neat programs containing the out lines for tho yoar's work wore ready for distribution. Nebraska also has a pioneer club woman in the person of Mrs. J. E. Holmes of Kearney, who was u charter member of the Kearney Century club which wbb organized about ten years ago. Mrs. Holmes is now in her seventy eighth year but is an active, enthuBias tic member of her club, preparing her paper in turn,"and bearing her full re sponsibilities as a club member. Mrs. Holmes lived in Lincoln at an early day and is now visiting with old friends in tho city. At tho national convention of tho American Woman's Suffrage Associa tion which mot at Grand RapidB, Mich., tho past week, action was taken to carry into effect a unique way of co-operating with tho Peace Com miesion which meets on May 15 in Holland. Arrangements were made for the transmission of a groat "thought wave" to the "Czar's peace convention" at The Hague on May 15. Women's clubs in every state in the union, representing 250,000 members, will cable their ap proval of the peace movement simultan eously. This convention of suffragists is report ed as having been unusually pleasant and successful free from friction and disagreement and as having aroused in terost in tho work among women of that city who have not heretofore been eB pocinlly interested in tho subject. Tho mooting of the association noxt 4 year will beheld in Washington. BidB from Donver, St. Louis aud Milwaukee for tho convention in 1001 and from Portland, Ore., in 1903 wore referred to tho business committee. Mrs. May Wright Sowell, as a member of tho international peaco arbitration committee, has officially called upon all the womon'a clubs of tho Unitod States, to observe May 15 as a special day to meet and express themselves in tavor of tho Czara' peace policy. The committee suggests that the clubs observe tho day with prayers, hymns and speeches. It further suggoBta that the speeches should bo by both men and women, since it would eoom that the deBire to reduce bloodBhed, the awful immorality that al ways attends and follows war, and to ro duce tho oxpenso of war should make " common appeal to all boarte. "Loug ago UuBkin told tho English speaking world that war would bo im possible did not women dooiro it; that if womon realized itB cost, its horrors, tho Bufferings involved in it and tho spiritual deterioration of it, tho work of Blaying ono anothor would cohbo to bo u recog nized occupation of tnon." Mrs. May Wright Sowall wlllspoak for ono million, two hundred and iifty thou sand of women and tho resolutions will bo engraved upon parchment and sont to tho czar at tho Hague. Sorosis mot Tuesday aftornoon with Mrs. T. C. Mungor. The leador for tho afternoon, Mrs. W. S. Summers gavo a moFt interesting account of tho national and international Rod Cros9 movomont from tho following outline: Mrs. Mun gor had invitod several guests for tho ufternoon and all expressed themBolvos as much pleased to learn of thb dotails of this work. Mrs. Summers also gavo a short account of the Whito CroBg movement. Dainty refreshments woro Borvod and anothor pleasant afternoon recorded. Origion of the Rod Cross. Conference. Geneva Treaty. Growth of tho Rod Cross movomont it Europe. Clara Barton and hor relation to tho Red Cross in America. Signing of tho treaty by the United States. Aid rendered by tho American Rod Cross in times of groat need. Tho work of tho Red Cross during the war with Spain. Tho White Cross. The last meeting of the year will be held with Mrs. Welch who will present the subject of -'Our Dietary." In self culture for May we find an ac count of an article by Ellen M.Richards, a professor in the Massachusetts Insti tute of Technology, on tho servant ques tion. It clearly puts one phase of this much mooted subject before mistresses, and is woll worthy of careful considera tion: She says that a change in the liv ing quarters of the maid is most urgent ly demanded. Tho present plan in most small houses, she says, is based on the old idea of "help," ono who shares tho family life. With the modern condi tions of separate interests, something is needed which shall correspoLd with the "servants' ball" as it is known in Eng land and other European countries. There should be a. room so isolated that the maid can run a sewing-machine or receive a talkative friend without die turbing the family. "A place where a cup of tea may be served, where Illus trated papeis and magazines may find tbeir way," is what Professor Richards desires. "How many of you," she asks, "will give up an effective porch, when designing your new home, in order that the maid may have a sitting room?" One is fain to answer: "A great many would cheerfully do it if only they thought of it, but tho truth of the mat tor is that America has never become used to service. At tlrst it was confus ed by its ideals of democracy. The ser vants were supposed to enjoy liberty and equality, and therefore nothing was done for thorn. Now that these phrases have proved themselves to be more or less of the sounding brass and tinkling cymbal order, and very poor substitutes indeed for the comfort and the attitude of self respect enjoyed by servants in other countries, it may be that mistresses will become aware of their responsibilities, and look after their servants as members of their households who deserve and are entitled to their care." as the Association song at the roccnt con vention hold in Washington. Reports showed this chapter to bo in a thriving condition with u memborBhipof Boventy six. Mrs. Hay ward wife of Sonator Huy wurd is u D. A. R. and it was decided to tondor her a rocoption. Mrs. Rudolph Rholaondor gavo a short history of tho Hog of our country, tho army and navy regulations govorning it, accompanying thin with a gift to tho chapter of a bouu tiful lithograph of "old glory." Tho address of tho aftornoon was by Mrs. Sawyor on "Tho Evonts of 1799,' which sho mado vory intorosting und varied by first giving a systematic state ment of tho condition of tho world, espe cially tho United States, u contury ago. In this your Washington died. Presi dent Adams and Alexander Hamilton wore at outs, tho 11 rot convontion of teach ers waB hold. Nupoloon was at tho height of his powor. Tho United StatoB had only four million inhabitants. Our re lations with Franco wore strained, etc This roviow was followed by a graphic comparieon of tho conditions of 1898 with thoso of 1899. Tno election ot olll cere will occur at tho next meeting ut tho homo of Mrs. Henry, Through tho kindness of Mrs. II. H. Wheeler tho Courier b in recoiot of tho program of tho third biennial of Iowa's federation of women's clubB, which was hold at Burlington, Iowa.May 3, i, and 5 by invitation of tho B. F.W. C. From tho program tho mooting was full of intoreBt and profit. The topics under discussion were timely and practical viz: Limited and unlimited clubs. University exten sion, original work. An hour with our press women, houBehold economics, etc Among tho guests of honor, we notico tho name of Mrs. Belle Stoutonborough of Nebraska, who addressed the conven tion on "A Mother's Influence" Mrs. Henrotin was advertised to deliver an address on "Tho Economic Position of Women in the Home," but was unable to be presont. Iowa's federation differs from most state federations in holding itB biennial in the spring rather than in the fall. The Deborah Avery Chapter of the D. A. R. mot with Mrs. N. S. Harwood, Fri day aftornoon, and were entertained with a very interesting address by Mrs. A. J. 8awyer, Tho program'openod with the new song, "The Old Thirteen", Adopted . The general trend of recent legisla tion is to amend and create laws favor able to women. There is do doubt that this is largely duo to tho club move ment. "Legal Status of Womon," "Women before tho Law" and "Some of the Absurdities of tho Law as applied to Women and Children," have been favorite topics among club women. Many of these laws have been so obsolete as not to attract attention and were sure to be wiped out as soon as any attempt was made to apply them. Discussion of these topics has called attention to many absurdities which in many states are being rectified. At least sixteen states, says tho Sun, during tho past twelve montbB have enacted laws regarding property, busi ness enterprises, insurance, schools, marriage, divorce, etc., all making con ditions somewhat better for women, It is only withiu the last fifty years that tho links in the old common law have begun to fall apart, and tho chainB have been partly lifted which bavo held woman a legal captive for centuries. Much yet remains to be done before sho can stand a free woman in tho eyes of the law. By no means have all tho dis abilities been removed, as many seem to think, but even had tho last one been wiped out, the chance of woman to obtain justice would not be equal to that ot man so long as she has no power to elect the officers of tho law or to demand a jury of her peers. A letter just received from a woman lawyer eays: "If 1 could but describe Bome of the cases within my personal knowl edge where women, in their attempt to secure justice from the courts, not only have been frustrated by every legal hindrance, bnt have been brow-oeaten, insulted, impeached as to character, it Booms to mo thoro would bo a rovolt by all onlightonod pooplo." Tho groat majority of womon aro not so situated us to feel tho weight of tho law. A short timo ago, ut ono of tho clubs composed of tho favored womon, tho protectod and pjmporod, thoro soomod to bo a goneial sontimont that womon had Butllciont rights. Finally a lady wearing u widow's voil oxclaimod in u choking voico, but with flashing oyos: "Aftor all of you havo boon through tho Probuto Court you will undorstund what your rights are!" Sovorul rocont court decisions may bo of intorost in showing a tondoncy on tho part of courts to givo woman an equal chanc3 in construing tho luw. A man not yot of ago, in consideration of a promise to marry him, agrood to assign tho girl ?5,000, then in bunk, to bo paid him whon ho bocamo of ago. Tho timo hav ing arrived he did so, but Lis numorous creditors attomptod to sot aside tho assignment. Although tho girl had not yot fulfilled her part of tho contract, the Supremo Court of Now York held that tho assignment wbb valid, and rofuEod tosot it asido. A man in Indiana lent a largo amount of monoy to a widow, which sho usod to reliovo hor proporty of incumbrances, giving him hor noto for the monoy. Subsequently ho married hor and aftor hor death ho ondeavorod to collect tho amount of tho note from her estate. Tho Supromo Court hold that sho had discharged all hor indebtedness to him whon she married him. Anothor man in Indiana kept a shoe store and employed bis wife as clerk. When his business declined he borrowed what monoy she had aud failed to pay hor wages. He became bankrupt and she presented her claim bb one of the creditors for the borrowed money and a year's unpaid wages. The Supreme Court of that state held her claim good and stated in its decision that an agree ment to pay for services ot a domestic nature would not stand, but that as a saleswoman he would pay hor only what he would havo to pay another, and therefore bis creditors were not injured. Under tho common law tho wife could not even have brought the suit; there could be no valid cantract between husband and wife and all her wages belonged to him. If this decision do. predates the value of domestic service the blame must be credited to the masculine minds of the Supreme Court. It never has been considered wage earning work when done by the women of the household. OUR CLUB. We're going to have the mostett fun! It's going to be a club, And no one can belong to it But Dot and me and Bub. We thought we'd have a reading club. But couldn't, cause you tee, Not one of us knows how to read Not Dot nor Bub nor me. And then we said a sewing club, But thought we'd better not; 'Cause none of us knows how to sew Not me nor Bub nor Dot. And so it's just a playfrg dub; We play till time for tea; And oh, we have the bestest timesl Just Dot and Bub and me. It is always pleasing to see older peo. pie keeping in touch with the active trend of life, and one of the good results of clubs has been" the opening thus made for women who have largely laid aside or been relieved of the active duties of life, to become actively interested in all that pertains to club life. Ono remarkable instance was the late Mrs. M. W. Howard, of Lansing, Mich, who recently passed away at the ripe age of ninety-four. For the past eleven years she bad held consecutively the