The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-11-11

the fun waved fast and furious, frequent
ly interspersed with solid information
from the leader, SO that much was
learned in and through the fun. Every
one entered into the spirit of the occasion
and the wittlest little impromptu speech
es were made, quite convulsing theA au-
diem ce with laughter.
Mrs. Mumford, at first signe of the call
Tor the meeting, called the meeting TO
order and Mrs. Etta H. Osgood was'made
the chairman of the temporary sorganiza-
ton. She thanked the ladies for the
chair. Mrs. Estelle M. II. Merrill was
then made secretary and at the sugges-
t1on OF Mrs. Mccain, of California,
committee on credentials was appointed.
Mrs. Yardley, of New Jersey. made the
motion that the society be formed, and
the motion was fairly launched for dis
cussion.
Mrs. Florence Howe Hall made very
funny speech, in which she expressed the
hope that the troublesome hooks and vol
luminous sleeves now MARRYING women
might be reformed.
Mrs. Cora Stuart Wheeler, of Boston,
aroused a storm of witty suggestions
when she arose to object to the further
discussion of international dress reform
Tor woman alone, unless The exclusion of
the male sex was distinctly stated in the
question before the house. If woman's
dress was to be reformed and universal
costume adopted, why not mans? And
as our husbands and brothers object to
the stout and the thin woman dressing
in boomers, why should not We who
have fat or lean husbands and brothers
object to their wearing dress so I'M
becomingly accentuating their defect of
grace as their present accommodating
garb?
Mrs. Henrotin, of Chicago, quoted the
De- IL f4rx ttn
bloomer fcostume of the day Mrs
Cheney thought men might be invited TO
come into the movement, and later in
very witty little speech advocated more
strongly their coming as they seemed to
have conquered the question of pockets
and they might help women to have
pockets which could be located. could be
found, could be filed and emptied.
Miss Nobells, of New Orleans; Mrs.
Yadley, Mrs. Milligtop, of Chattanooga;
Mrs. Berryhill and Mrs. Boland, OF lIli-
nois, all spoke wittily and the motion
to insert the word woman being car
ried the movement was left open for men
to share in also.
Mr.. Yardley made quite sensation by
his speech on this point, pleading that
men should not be shut out from such
inestimable benefits.
Then in rapid succession came motions
to postpone indefinitely, to amend, to
commit, to postpone till next week, for
the previous question, to table, to adj
Journ, to suspend the rules, to Withdraw
the motion, to read papers together with
objections to consideration of the ques-
ton, appeals from decisions of the chair,
guest ions of privileges, etc. These, some
sixteen in number, were all kept straight,
considered and disposed of in due, order,
and what lookeda.like terrible parlia-
mentary tangle was all unsnarled at the
end.
The climax of the fun was reached per-
haps when Mrs Yardley. rising to a
question of privilege, asked if her bonnet
was on straight. "a
The secretary, Mrs. Merrill, amid
shouts of laughter, opined that the lady's |
bonnet was not straight, owing to ner
having bee in it, and moved that
committee be appointed 1to take Mrs. /
Yardley apart and remove the bee.
Another droll thing was the report of
the committee on credentials, read by |
the chairman, Miss Mary B. Temple, |
of Tennessee, which was as follows:
Madame President-We, your COM
present representatives from twenty seven |
countries and forty-ive states. We have
examined the credentials of all the dele
gates and have found them correct. We
find that every state of the union has sent |
from its state federation five delegates, |
making 1875 delegates from the United
States. The Japanese and Chinese
branches of the General Federation of
Womens Clubs have each sent 200 dele.
gates, as they are particularly interested
in the question Of dress reform. We also
have from each of the following countries
100 delegates, namely: India, Rus
STA, Australia, New Zealand. Egypt,
England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Por-
tugal, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Bel
GUM, Holland, Italy, Greece, Norway,
Sweden, Switzerland. Brazil, Mexico, |
Chilli and Cape Colony, making $780, a
mittee considers this very encouraging |
to the call. Respectfully sub
mitted. etc"