The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-14
WOMEN IN MEMS CLUBS.
barriers That Excluded the Fair Sex
Are Fast Breaking Down.
Julian Ralph in Providence Journal.

Julian Ralph in Providence Journal.
Although ii is only in the downtown
clubs that one may dine and absorb the
beautiful views above the city, the treat
is not reserved for men exclusively. The
merchants clubs, which have topside
dining rooms all admit women who are
introduced by the members. The Law
yers' Club. not yet on the roof or us
building. the Equitable Life-was the FIRST
to extend it's benefits TO the wives and
lady friends OF its members. but the
others have followed suit and the men
must now withdraw to a single smoking
room in each club in order to hold stag
parties and to be free of the gentler sex
But though the dining clubs are so lib-
eral. the regular uptown social clubs are
still for masculines only, with very Few
exceptions. How very backward New
York is in this respect one easily discov-
ers by travelling around the country.
Very little travelling win yield the dis
covery.
In Brooklyn, for instance. almost every
one of the great club houses is now the
nightly resort of women, who have at
tractive quarters, as well as frequent
days for enjoying the entire buildings. In
Cleveland the solid old Union Club has
fine quarters for ladies. In Detroit the
Detroit Club has been at great pains and
expense to make the women feel at home
under its roof And while Chicago Is
little more backward, yet even in the
conservative AM Old Union League Club
YOU may find a side entrance for women
and you may see a maid in cap and apron
ever ready to receive them and to show
them TO the section of the great club
house that is reserved for their use. AS
far away as San Francisco. also, l found
that the women Were welcomed TO one
OF the big club houses at least, so that
from ocean to ocean, and lake to gulf, L
have everywhere found women admitted
TO mems clubs. / refer to the Pichwick
Club in New Orleans in speaking of the
extension of the custom TO the Gulf.
II may be- that the multiplicity of
clubs in most of the cities has led 10 this
breaking down of the old barriers that ex-
cluded women from these stag meeting
places as religiously as all OF them, ex-
cspt, perhaps. Mrs. Lease, have been kept
out of the Masonic lodges. i should not
wonder II It has been done as much to
make the clubs more attractive as 10 fol-
low our national adherence TO great gall
lantry towards the lovelier sex. But what
ever the reason, IL must have helped tbs
clubs In capturing and subduing their
strongest opponents. 1t has robbed wo-
man Of her sting, and domesticity has
been shorn OF the armor with which IL
fought those men who dared to find pleas
ure away from their f1reside. Perhaps the
present innovation foreshadows the glad
time which an old clubman in New York
insists is coming to destroy the old club
life altogether.
He is very gallant to them when he en-
counters any ladies in the clubs OF which
he is a member. but In his secret heart Of
hearts he views them with alarm" He
sees the devil in them as truly as did the
monks OF the Middle Ages, who taught
that women were the evil ones. He says
that the exactions OF society which de-
mand after-dinner calls. and calls in re-
Spouse TO calls, and calls OF many sorts.
are already so numerous and monopoliz-
ing Of time that men have given up max
ing them, and even the women complain
that for one who Is IN society no time Is
left for anything but society. on account
of the merely formal calls that are ex-
acted of society's votaries SO he says he
foresses that the clubs will be utilized by
the women. He says 10 great degree
each club represents a set or social cir
Gle and that presently the women VIII
hold their receptions in the clubs on GER
tain DAYS. either all agreeing on the
same days, or at least a large number
coming TO such an agreement Then, he
SAYS, the men and women VIII be able TO
pay OF dozen debts of pohteness al one
stroke by going TO the clubs and meeting
a dozen, maybe twenty. women at once
At that time. my friend SAYS, he tevoutly
hopes that we will be under the sod. for
the best use OF a mans club viii have de-
parted from IL.