Evening star., 1895-02-18


ference of opinion on one question must
not prevent us from working unltediy in
those on which we agree There is large
mindedness. a sweetness and serenity of
spirit in these words which characterize
the new woman of whom we hear so
much false tiippancy. To work together
with those with whom one does not agree
has been thought to be impossible to
women. and, indeed, even during the era
of organization the central motive of all
organizations has been to bring together
those who do agree. This very fact was
the weakness and the danger of organ1Za-
ton as it was known prior to lSSS.
The clubs organized by women IN all
the leading cities have thus far been 1solat-
ed but it is hoped that convention VIII
be called within year to form national
federation of women's clubs. The influence
of individual clubs would be increased by
coming into such federation and the
federation would be eligible to auxiliary
ship in the national council. The same Is
true of the women's protective agencies
and many other excellent societies that
have been organized locally, but not as yet
generally.
Question of Divorce.
"At the outset the council had no theo-
ries concerning divorce which it wished
to foist upon the public. Certainly through
the organization of the standing committee
it had no intention of expressing a SYM
pathy with what is called easy divorce
1t seemed to the council in 1891. as it seems
to the council in 1895, that masculine arro-
gance could go no further than to organ.
ize league for the aVoWed purpose OF
advocating and securing reform of laws
concerning divorce, from the membership
of which women Were excluded. From
time immemorial the natural interest of
women in marriage has been stimulated
by poet preacher, teacher, eSSdy1St ana
lecturer, and by the prevailing tone of
society. of low and high degree alike.
which it would seem consistent with the
domestic nature. domestic habits domestic
tendency of women to express Itself, II
would seem to be the subject of marriage
and it's counterpart. divorce. What the
council first sought was membership for
women in the National Divorce Reform
League. This was obtained, and all women
| We're honored and the interests of reform
Livermore and Mrs. Fanny Is. Ames MEM
bership within said league
During the sessions of this triennial the
attitude of the council upon the subject
of divorce will undoubtedly be clearly in
dicated by the report of this standing COM
mttee and by the discussions which will
follow the report But 1T is not unfit to
declare here that at the present time the
council is not expressing itself regarding
the propriety or improperly OF divorce per
Sc, but it is on record as demanding that in
every state throughout the Union, that in
the United States whole, wherever a
commission is formed to investigate and
report upon laws relating to marriage and
divorce, said commission shall be COM
posed of an equal number of men and
women.
The Future of the Council.
"The future of the council must like the
future of every institution, depend upon
the future of those who compose it and
correspond with their future. The future
condition of women can be read by those
who read the present condition of women
in connection with their past.
1.-The most distinguished psychologists
row assert that every atom in the human
body is changed once in three months.
though the authorities on this subject
used to teach that such complete change
vas wrought in the human body only once
| in each seven years, However this may
! be- women who are alert to the signs of
| the times must be conscious that within
| the seven years that have elapsed since
| the organization of the permanent Inter
| national Council of Women ard the Ma
| tional Council Of Women of the United
| States an almost complete transformation
| has been wrought. That the impulse to
| this was given by the great occasion out
] of which these two organizations were
torn, no one can doubt; and that this i'm
pulse itself has been strengthened by a
| hundred other new currents of influence
with which it is consistent and harmoni-
! ous must likewise be unqucstioned. In
! enumerating these other currents of influ-
| eI ce one cannot fail to refer with graft
| tude to the work of the board of lady
| managers. VINO, the first to hold such ex-
| alted positions under the auspices of the
United States government, disch harSed their
| duties so we'll that the record Of their
| @~rk seems like final refutation of every
| charge that the f1ippant world has been
| used to bring against women.
| 1T is impossible in this connection and
as unnecessary as it is Impossible, to give
| nf <l,1. ,fin n..t NV fnn