tH courier.
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Tho following are tho olllcors of tho
General Fodoration of Womon's clubB:
President MrB. Robocca D. Lowe
Atlanta, Oa.
Vico President Mrs. Sarah S. Piatt,
Donvor, Colo.
Recording Secretary Mrs. Emma A.
Fox, Detroit, Mich.
Corresponding Socrotary Mrs.Goorge
W. Kondrick, Philadelphia, Pa.
TreaBuror, Mre. Phillip N. Mooro, St.
Lou id, Mo.
Auditor Mrs. C. P. Barnes, Louis
villo, Ky.
Stato Chairman Mrs. Louisa L. Rick
etta, Lincoln, Nobr.
OIHcorB of tho Stato Federation of
Women's clubs;
President Mrs. S. 0. Langworthy,
Seward.
Vico President Mrs. Anna L. Apppr
son, Tecumsoh.
Recording Socrotary Mrs.F. H. Sack,
ott, Weeping Wator.
Corresponding Socrotary Mrs D. G.
McKillip, Soward.
Treasurer Mrs. II. P. Doano, Crote,
Librarian Mrs. G. M. Lambertson,
Lincoln.
Mrs. A. B. Fuller, Auditor, Ashland.
We are pleased to present our readerB
with the personal opinions of prominent
club women of Nebraska upou the ques
tion of reorganization which is being so
generally discussed by those interested
in club work. Both sides of the ques
tion are represented in these communi
cations and we shall be glad to give
space to further expression on this sub
ject, or any other subject that wilt pro
mote tbe club interests of Nebraska:
Tho discussion relative to tho reor
ganization of tho General Federation of
Women's Clubs, indicates an increased
interest among club women in the use
fulness and perpetuity of that organiza
tion, and also in the advantages of com
bination in club work.
As a means of uniting the women of
our country in all laudable and noble
ondeavor, it staods without a parallel.
Its superstructure is based not only
upon the membership of thirty Stats
Foderations, but also upon more than
bx hundred independent clubs. It also
has a foreign representation in Africa,
Austral! , South America, England and
India, and I very much doubt the wis
dom of any attempt to curtail the privi
leges and benefits which theBP clubs en
joy. The result would be to lesson tbe
enthusiasm and efficiency of this earnest
and intelligent body of women, who by
their unity of effort, are lending their
aid in favor of all educational, sociologi
cal and industrial reforms. Surely tbe
exigencies of tho situation do not de
mand tho restriction of membership to
state federations. Ono of the grandest
features of tho general federation of
Women's clubB is "to encourage and
promote clubs among women of tho busi
ness world, on tbe principle of co opera
tion, eelf government and self support,
and to limit its membership would bo to
destroy its general usefulness and effec
tive methods of work.
Elizabeth C. Langworthy.
President N. F. W. C
Seward, Nebr.
Shall tho G. F. W. C. bo reorganized
so that its representation shall bo con
fined to delegates from tho state federa
tions only? I answer yos. First, be
cause order and system are desirable in
all things and these would reeult from a
smaller representation. Second, under
tho prosont syttnm there is no means of
determining in advanco tho numbor of
roproBontativos that may attend a bien
nial mooting, and a difficulty exists in
forecasting for thoir accomodation and
ontertainmont. Third, a parliamentary
body is only useful whon conilned to
reusonablo limits. Whon membership
in any body becomes too largo it becomes
unwieldy and unmanagablo. It may bo
euid that tho ofllcioncy and roeults ac
complished by a parliamentary body, ull
other things boi"g equal, are in tho in
verse ratio to the numbor of its member
ship. Fourth, tho purposo of tho G. P.
W. C. is doubtloss, to bring together tbo
bout and brightest women in club work
for conforonco, for interchange of views,
and goneral promotion of tho work.
Fifth, if roproiontation is confined to
tho stuto federations, those organiz ltions
will sift from thoir representation, the
strongest and brightest, as delegates to
tho biennial meetings, the result will be
a much higher grade of representation,
with correspondingly better work. Sixth
tho state federation does and will voice
the sentiment of the club women of
that state, hence tho sontimonts or
wants of the state will be carried to the
G. P. W. C. by its delegates, and their
work'much simplified by a sifting of
numborB. In short it seems to be tho
natural order of thugs that tbe Btatf
federation should select the delegates.
It would be after the precedent estab
lished by political organizations, which
as they now exist are the residuum of a
century's agitation, growth and develop
ment. The individual clubs are the
unite, the state organizations the tens,
and the general federations the hundreds
To recapitulate, it would giv better
system, a definite knowledge of the
number of representatives, a good work
ing body and a higher grade of represen
tation. The work for each state could
be largely accomplished by the state
federation, thus leaving time and leisure
for hotter work at the biennials. -
July 27, 1899.
Dear Mrs. Ricketts:
While I do not know that I have any
thing new to offer, I do know that my
opinion on this subject is strongly up
held by the members of the Fairbury
club.
I have been much interested in read
ing the different views on this question
of representation to our national organ
ization and sincerely hope that such a
contemplated reorganization of the
General Federation will not be made for
some time to come, it ever.
Some one nas said that the object of
the general federation is, primarily, con
ference and mutual helpfulness, and
with this object standing first before us,
it certaioly can be better and more
easily attained by the presont method of
representation than by Btate represen
tation only. The general body is now
based on broad and democratic princi
ples and is most serviceable fo the
greatest number, so why change this
most successful way for one that would
bo an experiment?
Individual club representation brings
to theBO general club gatherings the
brightest club women from tho north,
south, east and west of theso United
States as well as from abroad, and this
confederation is especially beneficial to
the smaller club, for here it is that it
learns of the great and good work that
is being accomplished bv the larger
clubs in cities and can compare its own
lino of work with tho course being pur
sued by other clubs of its own sizo and
in this way may not only bo holpful but
is more probably helped in learning of
greater possibilities for its own members
and so becomes broadoned for good.
This same club n.ay belong to its state
federation but will not derive the same
amount of advantage and inspiration
from tbo nntional ordbr owing to its far
away position from that body, provided
tho representation is from tho state
federation only, as if it had individual
representation.
I know that our club was boneflttod
and its ideas broadened by the reports
brought back from the Denver mooting
last summer by the delegates and visit
ors who were there, while if our knowl
edge of what was done and said at that
bi-onnial had been derived from roports
rendered at or by tho Stato mooting
alono wo should have received absolute
ly no good and should have taken no
interest whatever in the work of tho G.
P. W. 0. Consequently I am firmly of
tho opinion that if tha representation
to tho G. P. W. C. bo from tho stato
federations only, t jat the goneral effect
will be detrimental to the interests of
club work and the Btnall club that now
receives its greatest inspiration from
this great body will be the one to suffer
most. And when we think of the many
small clubs as compared with the few
large ones we should certainly give
much thought to the question will the
reorganization be just to the many.
1 wish to thank you for the privilege
of expressing my opinion. While I am
not a delegate I hope and plan to at
tend the meeting at York.
Yours sincerely.
Athora H. Letton,
Fairbury, Nobr.
Dear Mrs. Ricketts:
In response to your request in the
Courier of July 1 for the women of
Nebraska to express their opinions on
tho queetion of reorganizing the G. F.
W. C. so that representation in that
body shall be from the State Federa
tion only. I wish to say that I thank
you for the privilege of voicing the
sentiment of the club women of Wood
River Valley. I have not heard one
word in favor of such action. Oa the
contrary the women of this eection of
Nebraska feel that it would be a calam
ity to take such a step as it would greatly
leBsen the attendance at tbo the bi
ennial and thus lessen the enthusiasm
always attendant on large gatherings.
A small attendance would naturally re
sult in a lack of interest, with a further
result of slow but sure extinction.
I plead with the women of Nebraska
to, be loyal to the general federation.
We do not wish to criticise or impugn
the motives of our sister club of Wor
cester, Massachusetts, but would it not
have been in better taste if it had wait
ed for tbe genet al federation to dis
cover its own unwieldiness rather than
point out to its mater a possible clumsi
ness? Kindly sympathy is the moral force
more needed today than aught else in
the world. If we have it in large meas
ure, heaped up, running over, there will
be no room for tho untimely criticism
that resolves itself into a stumbling
block, Cut off all representation except
through state federations and you cut
off sympathy, interest, support and
activity. Remove thesa from any or
ganization and you remove the life
giving principle. Nebraska will certain
ly go on record as a unit as opposed to
this scheme of disintegration. I wish to
thank tho Courier that tbe club women
of far awuy Custer county (often called
tho state of Custer on account of its
sizo) have this privilege of entering a
discussion so vitil to the interests of
club life.
Sincerely yours,
Emma A. Cornish.
Tho reason assigned for reorganizing
the General Federation is, "such an im
menso size as to make it burdensome,
awkward and difficult to conduct busi
ness in a proper manner," and tbe
remedy suggested is, to restrict member
Bhip to representatives from state fed
erations only. In other words, assum
ing that in all cases tho presidents of
State Federations are tho representa
tives of their states, what now is called
the "Council" will be the entire General
Federation.
Suppose instead of severing tbe trunk
and calling the head and arms the whole
body, it wore decided to refer all busi
ness to the head and arms and make
the body as large and strong as possible
to give financial support; that no busi
ness except the election of general
officers and directors, and amendments
to tbe constitution, bo brought before
the biennial meetings, that instead of
depending on a per capita tax for
revenue, arrangements similar to those
of the National Educational Association
bo made with railroad companies where
by the General Federation shall receive
a certain amount nn every ticket sold;
that all feasible measures and arrange
ments bo used to encourage as large an
attendance of club wjmen as possible;
that ideas whic'i may be carried home
and utilized, be esteemed paramount to
costumes and jewel?; that discussions
("two minutes apiece") relating to the
problems of citizenship, industrial
reform, public schools, social and eco
nomic questions, problems which women,
mothers and teach "re, must solve, be
substituted for "stand-up receptions"
and "social functions."
An organized force is the greatest
power in the world, but let it be organ
ized "to a purpose," and on a scale
large enough to include all who crave
its benefits, thus reaching the ones in
need, without percoliting benefits from
general federation to state federation,
from Btate federation to federated
clubs and froti clubs to individuals.
Cut off and retrench in entertainment
anl display, in red-tape, in useless
verbiage, but do not abridge the privi
leges, curtail the pleasures or lessen the
opportunities for diffusing that inspira
tion, enthusiasm, energy and vigor
which comes by contact with giftad
persons.
The National Educational Association
which has just clossd its 38th session,
does not complain of a membership of
twelve to fifteen thousand as being
"burdensome'' or "awkward," it does not
want for invitations, and it has "a snug
little permanent fund."
Instead of adopting a "tabernacles-for-three"
plan, let the watchword of
the General Federation be "United we
stand, divided we fall."
Winona Sawyer.
The greatest wrong in reorganizing
the G. F. W. 0. as suggested by the
Worcester (Mass.) club would be in cut
ting off the 600 small clubs that now be
long to the general federation, from rep
resentation in that body.
How much enthuBiasm from the Den
ver biennial could have been disseminat
ed among Nebraska clubs had they been
dependant on the reports made at the
State convention held four months later?
"The greatest good to the greatest num
ber" can never be obtainel by narrow
ing "the greatest ,number" down until it
meanB the "select few."
Representation from state federations
only, would inevitably defeat the demo
cratic principles underlying the woman's
club movement. A few would obtain
and manaBo to hold control of the bien
nials, slowly but surely forming an aris
tocracy. An aristocracy has never yet
boon recorded as a broadening uplifting
element in society. Personal interest in
any work is largely the result of person
al contact with those interested in said
work, and personal activity. You re
move the greatest possible stimulus to
tbe club movement when you say to
200,000 women, "In the future it will
not be possible for you to have a voice
in the councils of the G, F. W. O. That
will all be cared for by a selected few
who can vary easily manipulate matten
to retain control for indefinite periods.
Tho reason urged viz: "The unwieldi-
i m
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