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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 19, 1899)
THE COURIER. uso and abuee of liquors ie tho only Bafo instruction. Tho good and devoted members of the Rod Ribbon club and of the W. C. T. U. doubtless believe all that they say and teach. They would make the world over but the people of the world will cot be converted. Moreover a larger and larger number ot temperate pooplo are being offended by such state, ments ae were lately made by W. C. T. U. members in attendance at tho Ep worth League, that tho president was a saloon keeper, because in accordance with the advice ot al! but six of the officers of the regular army he refused to aboliBh the canteen. The remarks of theuo speakers besides being very impolite were untrue and silly and die gusted many who have hitherto ad mitted the usefulness ot the Union. Unwelcome Advice. The writer of theqp observations has been perhaps justly criticised for ad dressing a few remarks to wives and pre senting an example of a model wife in a late number of this paper. The critics have urged that advice from the outside is of little value and that its unsolicited tender by one who has had no personal experience is indication of a self pos session that would be called nerve, on the street. These worthies forget that in order to appreciate the truth concerning the relation and harmony of parts it is necessary to stand afar off. A soldier in the thick of battle does not know how the lighting goes. But a little un important newspaper reporter up a tree a mile away can Bee platoons of men forming to strengthen this or that line or to hurl itself on this redoubt at an unexpected point. Indifferent, fre quently, as to which way the battle turn, he Ib nevertheless in a point of vantage and with bis field glass at bis eye might councel the young lieutenant, a much braver and better man who rides at the head of his troops and leads the charge. He may be an old corre spondent who has seen France and Russia fighting, who has seen England in Zululand and who was with the Greeks and Turks. Yet he haB never worn a sword nor carried anything heavier at his belt than a lunch basket. If he picked up a musket, he would handle it like a trained monkey, though if he saw troops making such motiouB ho would make them the laughing stock of the world. Yet such Is the un reasonableness ot newspaper readers that they reject advice which would transform their unhappy and tempest tosBbd little homes into peaceful sooth ing oases in the desert of days, because it is offered by a spectator of many matrimonial battles rather than a vet. eran 9urvivor of any herself. In the particular case under discus aion the writer has had an opportunity to try herself the distracting struggle in which men uncomplainingly engage day after day, and can testify that if the struggle have its victories, the strain, the dust and, above all, the fact of conflict conquers the nerves, his op. ponentB have considered indomitable. When this beaten man returns to his home it is one ot the cruelties that God Boeras to have forgotten, when it is pre sided over by a woman with sharp tongue and an eye which notes not the dull eye and the shrunken muscles of the face. But the woman might be cured and made sympathetic, if she could feel but for a week herself, tho strain and the conflict that the bread winner feels. From my position up a tree therefore, I concluded to write a war correspon dent's letter and advise a maneuvre which had succeeded before and might succeed, if universally adopted, in se curing universal peace. Subscribe for The CouiurR $1 a year, MMIIMMMMIIIMIIIIMI eLEBs. LOUISA h RIOKRTTS. M UIMMMMMMMJ Treasurer, Mrs. Phillip N. Moore, St. Louis, Mo. Auditor Mrs. O. P. Barnes, Louis ville, Ky. State Chairman Mrs. Louisa L. Rick etts, Lincoln, Nebr, Offlcors of tho State Federation of Women's clubs; President Mrs. 8. C. Langworthy, Seward. Vice President Mrs. Anna L. Appnr eon, Tecumseh. Recording Secretary Mrs.F. II. Sack ett, Weeping Water. Corresponding Secretary Mrs. D. G. McKillip, Seward. Treasurer Mrs. H. F. Doane, Crete, Librarian Mrs. G. M. Lambertson, Lincoln. Mrs. A. B. Fuller, Auditor, Ashland. The article of Mre. Sawyer's in last week's Courier affirms tho most practi cal solution of the difficulties presented to the general federation which I have seen. I would go a little farther even than she does and limit all biennial business to election of officers and direc tors and to amendments to the constitu tion which pertains to taxation and rep resentation only. All who were at the Louisville biennial will recall the weari some hours spent in fruitless endeavors to change the constitution and by-laws. It is an almoBt hopeless task for a large body, and all amendments except those relating to taxation and representation could profitably and satisfactorily be left to the council. The two biennials which I have attended have seemed too large only when we tried to attend to the minutiae of business which might be left to a much Btnaller body. But for the general meetings and for the de partment programs the large numbers are an inspiration and a help. The pro posed change of membership in the gen eral federation from club delegates to state federation delegates exclusively, would, of course, mean that taxation aleo would follow along this same line. Any great increase in state federation dues would mean an embarrasing and distressful reorganization of state feder ations and also of the individual clubs in these state federations. I believe nothing but barrenness would result from an immediate change in the status of the general federation. I also bolieve that experience will demonstrate the fact that the per capita tax will work to the detriment of the general federation, as many large clubs will feel that it does not pay to give so large a propor tion ot their annual iucome to the gen eral federation when there are no many calls for money nearer home calls which come from practical philanthropy. If Mrs. Sawyer would explain now fully the financial plans of the Educational Association she would enlighten many of us to our profit. May B. Field. Mrs. Ellen M. Henrotin, ex-president of the G. F. W. C, has just contributed to the bulletin of the department of labor No. 23 a statistical sketch of those organizations. The most remarkable feature ot her statement is the great number of clubs in the federation ot which she was the honored president for four years. The proeent head ot this organization is Mrs. Rebecca D. Lowe of Atlanta, Ga. In the thirty states represented in the general federa tion there were last year 2,110 clubs with 132,023 mem bars, New York is the first with 100 clubs, followed by Illinois with 185, Iowa 181, Ohio with 180, Kan sas 124, MasBachusatts 123 and Colorado 104. These seven states havo tho high est number of clubs in tho list and it is certainly gratifying to Western club women to know that four woBtorn statos exceed Massachusetts which has a!r ways been so active and interested in ro tor m work. Not that wo exult bocauso MaBpachuBotts has a smaller numbor of organized clubs, but that tho west has moro. Thus positively demonstrating that you must "go wost young woman" if you would koop up with proroesivo movemonts. In addition to tho thirty state fedora tiouB with their 2.110 clubs thoro aro 595 independent clubs in tho general federation, and this number 1ibb boon constantly increased, The number ot clubs in the largo citios is also of much comparative interest. Chicago and tho old city of New York each have thirty-two, but Brooklyn has twenty-eight which gives Greater New York sixty as compared with Chicago's thirty-two. Boston has twonty-two, Cincinnatti fourteen, St. Louis eleven, Philadelphia eleven, Denver olovon, Washington ton, Sin Francisco and Lit tle Rock, Ark., six each, Cedar Rapids, Dos Moines, and Lewiston niue each, Portland eleven, Minneapolis ten, St. Paul five, Kansas City and Buffalo twelve each, Lincoln, Nob., eight and Milwaukee six. But woman's clubs are not monopolized by the large cities, hundreds of email cities boaBt their clubs .and city federations; Aspen, Boulder, Canon City, Cripple Creek, Grand Junc tion, La Junta, Leadville. Ouray, Pueblo, and other little places in Colorado; Barnesville and Cartersvillo in Georgia, Boise City, Moscow, Pocptello, and Wal lace in Idaho, Chauute, Cottonwood Falls, and Olathe in Kansas; Bozeman, Butte, and Kalispell in Montana; Grand Island, Tecumseh, Weeping Water, and Seward in Nebraska; Roe well and Santa Fe in New Mexico; Dead wood and Lead in South Dakota; Ogden,Provo,und Salt Lake in Utah; Whatcom, Yakuna, and Hagmani in Washington; and far away Oklahoma boast their clubs as well as other little towns almost unknown by name. These clubs were first organized to se cure fuller social life and enlarged op portunities for study. They are vari ously engaged in the study of literature and the arts, the founding of libraries, promotion ot sociability, temperance work, charitable work, sociology, care of working women and girls, improving the environments of the poor, household economics, city improvement, civics and science. As time has gone on and knowledge and opportunity has broadened, women are showing the practical side of their nature by endeavoring to apply this knowledge and experience to the practi cal affairs of life. They have already done much to raise civic standards, to im prove sanitary conditions, to remedy abuses, and to improve industrial con ditions as they pertain to .women and children. this cannot bo Bald of all men's clubs, many of which havo no highor objoct than eating, drinking, and card playing. It may bo that whon tho womon's clubB havo bocomo older thoy may gradually dotoriorato, and follow thu examplos ot mens' clubs, but at proeent thoro Ih no moro UBoful factor in any community than tho women's club, you can count upon its hearty co-oporation in all offortB to raise tho standard of morals and intelligence." When we consider thoughtfully a statistical report like this, and then bear in mind the large number ot women's clubs not yet in the federation, and the still greater number ot women's organi zations, useful and helpful, which are not classed under the bead of clubs, we are encouraged at the extent women are co-operating with each other and fitting themselves to become intelligent leaders in the affairs of the world. One gentleman justly remarked last week, "It is an object lesson for men. All these women's clubs are organized for the best and noblest purposes, and "What will bo tho offoct If roproson tation in tho G. F. W. O. bo restricted to Btato federation?" My opinion would bo that tho offoct would bo good if tho modo of represen tation bo proporly adjusted. If, as horotoforo, tho representation bo entire ly from tho largo clubs, it would suro ly effect the strength of tho Btato feder ation, bocauso small clubs throughout tho state would tiro of paying duos to the st'tto fodoration and not have an op portunity to send anyone from their own locality. It seems to mo if dolegatos wero chosen, Bay one to roprosont a cer tain number of clubs in bo many dis tricts, allowing a propor number of dole- gatoB to tho propor numbor of clubs or club women representing that district or districts. In fact sorao way which would give tho women of the state n fair and practical representation. Wo want deiegatoj from the north, south, oast, and west of our state. Of course everyone that attended tho biennial at Denver last yoar wbb fully convinced that the number must be cut down in some way, and the proper way to do it is through our state federation; and 1 also realized what a benefit it was to come in contact with that body of women which constitute the G. F. W C. Now one trip suffices to open ones eyes to the enormity of the club movement the real earnestness of the movement and the force which it can bring to bear upon any question which comee under its notice, and realizing this, it impresses one with tho importance of being indi vidually responsible. That to be a part of that grand aggregation of women we must bring our work, our ideas, our club up higher, aiming more at our motto "Unity in Diversity." (Mrs.) Josophino Frawley, Stromsburg, Nebr. Tho sudden death in London of one of the delegates to the international coun cil of women, Mrs. Ellen O. Johnson of Boston, was a great shock not only to that delegated body, but to her friends abroad and her compatriots at home. Her death at the home of the Bishop ot Rochester occurred shortly after she had read her paper before the council on "Penal Reformatories for Women" which had been received with that pro found attention which is the most compli montary of all. Mrs. Johnson was about seveuty-five years young and eminently fitted to discuss this subject. For fif teen years she bad been the superintend ent of the Massachusetts reformatory for womon and was the only woman warden in the world. The following little sketch of her life by Lucy Elliot Koeler reads like fiction and shows what ono good woman endowed with a strong will, a charitable heart, and a willing ness to do for others can accomplish in the uplifting of the unfortunate and in imparting that courage which enables them to make another start: For seven years Mrs. Johnson and other influential Boston women went an nually before the Massachusetts legisla ture, praying that the women convicts might be separated from the men, and more effectual efforts be made toward their moral salvation. In J 877 this was granted. Arter five years tho Governor sent this message to Mrs. Johnson: 'You have got your prison. Three superintendents have tailed utterly
