The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-12-01

to settling the matter or seriously con-
sidering it. The meeting was opened
as usual by the president. After the
reading of the minutes by the secre-
tary the president announced the
work for the afternoon, and made
some preliminary remarks. She said:
parliamentary law, as indicated by
its name, is the method of transacting
the business of the English houses Of
parliament. American legislators fol-
lowed the usage of the mother coun-
try in the early years of our countrys
history. But many English customs
proved to be unsuited to our needs,
and American rules of order are now
somewhat different from English ones.
The rules as now eXtant are the result
of centuries of experience in the trans
action of business. Ali organizations
which have business to transact per-
ceived the adViSability of conforming
to these rules. Women at the present
time are quite generally taking an IN
terest in the study of parliamentary
rules. The daily classes at Atlanta
demonstrate the fact that women gen.
orally are seeking to inform them
selves upon this subject. There is a
reason for this beyond a within or a
mere fancy for a new interest Wo-
men are now organizing into societies
for the furtherance of charitable and
philanthropic objects. These organ
izations having to transact much bust
ness and handle large sums of money
have required officers skilled in rules
of order. In club work we do not re-
| quire a very extended knowledge of
parliamentary usage for the ordinary
routine of our regular sessions The
most of the time is consumed in she
presentations of literary programm IS.
and but little business is transacted
| during the year. But although we do
not need to put into practice a great
deal of parliamentary law in our club
work, we should study it as a subject
entitled to our interest as much as
abstruse points of art or science 1t is
q subject peculiarly fitted for study
in club. for it can only be mastered
when put into practice The majority
of the federated clubs are studying
! and enforcing correct rules of order in
| their proceedings. Such usage has be-
come the etiquette of club life. IF a.
club does not conform to parliamen-
tary law. - must seem ignorant to
| chance visitors and its members will
be at a loss when visiting other clubs
The women of Salt Lake are keeping
! step with their sisters in other cities
The drill given this afternoon is ar
ranged in response to "a general request
from club members. We shall bring
| forward fictitious matter of business;
! upon which to base verious forms of
| procedure. 1t is hoped the subject will
prove interesting enough to excite dis
| cuSSion. but not of so intense a nature
as to divert attention from the main
object of the afternoon exercises"
After these remarks by the presi-
dent. this resolution was offered:
Resolved. That in view of the cha
otto state of social customs in Salt
Lake City. a convention of women
Should be called to consider the matter
| in detail and adopt a code of rules
for the use of Salt Lake society"
This resolution was offered by Mrs.
La Rarthe. who said in support of it:
Western communities are less tram
melled by social letters than those of
the east; they are cosmopolitan rather
than metropolitan. Salt Lake City is
| especially peculiar in this respect. an
anomaly, as it were-whose diversities
as to social requirements are supple
mented by local influences of former
! homes and places, and these again
varied by perfect liberty and license
! to all sorts of individual action and ca
| price. We are unlike staid, settled
eastern cities, whose social code is as
unalterable as the laws of the Modes
and Persians. and where ignorance of
! the law excuses no one. This very
| characteristic of the cosmopolftanism
among us has its advantag es: there
is more freedom of action. latitude Of
| department. regardless of restraint
than is common to societies in eastern
! cities. The mind of the animated needs
some guide or rule to govern and pre-
vent personal humiliation or public
modification: and on the supposition