New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-15
WOMEN IN CONCLAVE.
THE BIENNIAL COUNCIL OF woMEN'S CLUBS
AT CHICAGO.
ITS OBJECTS AND HOW THEY ARE TO DE AT.
TAINED-sOME OF ITS MEMBERS.


sixty womcns clubs met together in New-iork City ut
the call Of Soross and organized the Federation Of
WOmen's Clubs. Last week delegates from 1872 clubs,
representing 10000 women, met together In Chicago
in the first biennial council Of the federation. People
who have seen the large audiences Of earnest and
enthusiastic women, gathering daily and thrice daily to
listen to reports and speeches. hearing not only
patiently but with evident interest. dry business do
tails as we'll as eloquent speeches: people who have
seen all this somewhat puzzled and say to one an
other, " What does 1t all mean9'
One part Of its meaning is very clear. The move
ment has proved itself serious and earnest ono
1t IS not passing fad fancy. In certain sense
we may call it national feminine movement, since
includes thrty-one States The growth and Increase
OF womens clubs during the last decade has been very
rapid. They have sprung up not only In the large
cities but In quiet country villages and remote places
They outcome of the universal desire Tor educa
ton and intellectual improvement, which Is Increasing
every day among the people OF our broad land, ana
especially among the women. The wonan's literary
club Is to mddle-aged women the best substitute which
she procure in many cases for college education
OF course It is an Inadequate substitute, but the eager
ness with which II IS sought shows how keen are the
Intellectual cravings of the American woman OF tho
present day Hence the womans club movement has
kept pace with that for granting women increased
opportunities for college education, since both are due
to the same general tendency Of our time.
But tne NOTlinS cluD uOtS sOH'thuis moic t"oA
furnish field for intellectual activity among Its men,
bers. 1t affords an opportunity for social intercourse
on a new plane-we may say on a higher plane than
that for which women have usually met together In
the past. The is now rapidly learning by means
Of practical experience the pleasure and profit OF In
tellectual communion and the advantages Of sound
organization. Hence large organizations Of women are
spHnging up all over the country. The National
Womens Press Association, the w. c. T. T." Woman's
Christian Temperance Unon), the National Council OF
Women Womans National Suffrage Association, and
many others all bear witness to this fact.
Hence when the womens clubs grew in strength and
power, their determination to form federation was
quite in line with the feminine tendency TO oreaniza-
ton. which is OF the principal features Of the hour
II must be borne strictly in mind however, that tho
federation has connection whatever with the suffrage
movement. Its constitution expressly declares that
club OF n POLITICAL sectarian, technical primarily
phIlanthropc character Is eligible to membership. only
clubs whose chief object is literary, artistic scientific
culture allowed to enter the federation fold. II
goes without saying that many of the clubs engage in
philanhroplc works, either directly by means Of
committees. 1t is also superuous to say that many Of
the most noted cub women are ardent believers In
suffrage and, If they keep quiet about it
at the federation meetings. they may do all the morn
thinking. because, like Brer Rabbit, they amt sayn'
nothin.'
Here we have body OF 10000 women,
me'lliS tOgctiPr NJ
communion, ehlivened by discussion and debate In
many The clubs to which they belong all have
constitutions and hold formal elections Of officers All
meetings conducted according to the forms OF par
lamentary law The women are trained TO think
logically, and the results Of that logical thinking,
John Stuart Mill is right, must be in one direction
Therefore, while the question Of woman suffrage does
not in the federation programme. and indeed has
no business there. by express agreement Of all con-
hai 4. visible EanauO'S ghost
10 Macbeth. We may certainly say that the fedora
ton Of clubs, like all the other great organizations OF
is teaching them think intelligently tho
subject OF sufrageand that is, after all, the great
point to be gained.
The averred objects OF the federation are mutual
assistance and good fellowship. These pursued
sincerely and with hearty good WILL The comparison
Of methods Of work is the principal feature OF this
meeting Of the council-and 1t is surprising to note
what zeal the delegates bring to their task and with
what patience they listen to the reports Of club
CARNATIONS from other states. As ii manifesfIy
impossible TO allow nearly 200 associations each to
present report. matter how brief. it decided
year ago to have each state represented by CORE
spending secretary. These officers compiled the rc-
ports Of the various organizations and read them ut
the council This representation by states adds another
senatorial feature to body which is in itself Of
senate-as most Of the delegates themselves pres
dents ex-presidents Of clubs. am afraid it must
be confessed that like ofcehOding-at least in
their clubs Englshmen say our men are all colonels
and any one who visited the meeting, Of the Fedora
zion would certainly carry away the impression that
al our women We're presidents.
What sort Of women are prominent in this move
mentl Literary women. as might be expected. are
we'll 10 the front IN the federation. and the women %
the press. with their ready tongues and pens occupy
the high place which IS gladly accorded TO them. Mrs.
Julia Ward Howe has been called the Queen Of Gibbs
because she has Organized 50 many and inspired the
organization Of more, both in the East and West
the North and the South. The club Of which she is
president. the New-EngIand Women's Club. does not
believe in what is shibbolcth among club women-
rotation in office. The for their want Of belief
i sufficiently obvious. and is Of universal APP
pication in the club world. The president Of the
federation, Mrs. Charlotte Emerson Brown, is a fine
looking woman. perhaps forty years old. she has
proved an excellent president, and has worked in
cessany TO promote the growth and welfare Of the
organization under her charge. She has been able to
devote her whole time to the movement. and the fact
that she j. identified with other causes has been
good thing for the federation, since she has been
tempted unite with other isnls,' rs women pledged
to a great variety of interests might have BEEN she
is an accomplished lngrst. and Possesses the en-
thusasm and optimistic spirit important in leader
The secretary Of the federation Mrs. J. C. Croy
Jennie june is well known 10 NEWCOMERS that
any description of her is perhaps sIperiluou, Her
mental and physical characteristics are 70 thoroughly
American, what We accustomed to consider
American, that is apt to forget that Mrs. Croy
Is by birth an EnglishwOman Her 1.-THE and slender
figure. and face, whose every line expresses energy
and intellectual activity, offer n proof were any
needed, that teamwork does not make women old, a.
II does not make old. Mrs. Croy still looks
young and vigorous. She is still in her prime as
worker and thinker. she is essentially an organizer
and was one OF the tgst to advocate the formation Of
the fcderataon il she not the originator of the
scheme As Of the first members Of SorOsiS. and
its president for many years she is familiar figure
among clubwomen and both receives and deserves
honor in her untrng efforts To improve the condition
Of her She is not, believe. in favor OF
suffrage.
Mrs. Edwin ID. Cheney, the bographer OF Louisa
Acot, and well known rs writer on plilanhropc
subjects Is Of the veterans of the club movement
It's she is of the general movement for the political
and Intellectual advancement OF her sex. MIA