The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-11-10
NEWSPAPER WOMEN.
A History Of Their Long Struggle
for Recognition.
The Woman's National Press Association
OF MISUNDERSTANDING About
the Ladies Who Organized It
Mrs. Briggs Enterprise.
Especial Washington Letter.1

An infant was born here in 1881, but
1t was so obscure that very little atten-
tiQn was paid to it, save passing notice
in one of our daily papers. That infant
has grown quite rapidly, and is already
taking its rank among the men of the
world, and commanding recognition.
Its parents were Necessity and Ambi-
ton. 1t was christened the Ladies'
Press club" but its name has since
been changed, las all ladies' names are
or should be changed), and is now
known as the ''Woman's National Press
association"
In former days all ladies who aspired
to journalistic honors, with bread and
butter on the side, were obliged to work
singly against the terrible odds of pref
udice and adverse criticisms concerning
their real aims and ends. Young men
who are compelled to struggle with the
world for existence and recognition,
without paternal aid, soon find them
selves surrounded not by helpful be-
ings of their own race and sex, but
rather by a mob of wolves, tigers,
sharks, boa constructors, lizards and
hyenas. They learn that this life is in
deed terrific struggle of selishness ana
that the survival of the fittest results.
But if young men find themselves in a
maelstrom which engulfs their fellow
men by the tens of thousands, how
must the young lady feel who clings
helplessly to the gunwales of rickety
sympathy in that surging, seething
nf ht1r -
Gus to the year 1881. Young ladies who
dared to lift their heads in the sea of
journalism Immediately became the tar
gets for the envenomed shafts of small
men. Their abilities were questioned,
their intentions suspected, their reputa-
lions banded from sneering lip to care
less tongue, and on every hand thew
were met with discouragements, until
the waves of disappointment and all
the pillows of despair rolled over them.
A few sturdy women, of stronger
hber than the rest, kept their heads
above water and compelled respect;
while Others went down to the bottom
OF the sea, and their bodies were often
found sunken in the slough of despond.
This, you will understand, was previ-
GUS to the birth of the infant press
club.
This organization resulted from the
suggestions of the lady correspondents
who had survived in the struggle of the
preceding decade. The organization
was made, not for the benefits which
might accrue to those ladies who had
succeeded in their fight for existence,
but in order to give aid and comfort to
the young ladies who were then coming
upon the stage of active newspaper
life and engaging in the same single
handed battle which their elder sisters
mad fought before them. Mary Glenn
mer Hudson, OLIVIA" Briggs, Mrs M.
d. Lincoln, Rose P. Breandle, ('Pips'),
and others of like standing got to-
gether, not for themselves, but for the
welfare of the coming generation of
lady workers. and organized the press
club. which, as stated above, has
grown into the Woman's National
Press association. The first president
OF the club was Mrs. Briggs; and her
hrst action was to secure recognition
in the gallery for women workers. A
long seat was set apart for the ladies,
and to each OF them was given a key to
its little gate, while upon the front rail,
overlooking the speakers desk in the
house and the vice presidents place in
the senate, smooth, desk-like board
was arranged for the ladies to do their
writing. These ladies' galleries adjoin
the regular press galleries occupied by
the gentlemen and are separated from
them by wire screen.
The state of Iowa is entitled to credit
for this organization which has grown
and is growing SO rapidly. Mrs. Briggs
is an Iowa lady, and it was she, more
than any other one, except Mrs Nettie
Sanford, who infused life and strength