The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-27
HER FINE CLOTHES.
Mrs Leases Dresses Provoke a Criti-
cism BY a ST. Louis Woman.

cism BY st. Louis Woman.
Fred vandegrift. at the ST. Louis
convention, writes:
Mrs Lease spoke in response to
call from South Dakota, whose time
was given to her. She presented her
self before the cheering multitude
wearing an easy fitting travelling suit
of gray material, and, of course, her
usual daring black hat with its nod
ding ostrich plumes. Senator Allen in
troduced her as delegate" at large
from the United States, which pleased
her greatly AS she smiled in acknoWl-
edgment of the compliment, she look
ed in triumph upon the Kansas dele
cation, who sat few feet in front of
her
The limit of such speeches as pre-
scribed by the committee was five min
utes, but the limit was taken off when
Mrs. Lease spoke and she was given
her own time. She spoke Is minutes
and her voice could be heard to the re-
hottest corners of the galleries.
Once Mrs. Lease had some of her
hearers in tears. That was when she
pleaded for union. She referred to re-
lief ships fitted out by James Gordon
Bennett to carry food to the starving
people in Europe. The men charged
with carrying out the will of Mr.. Ben
nett, she said, had gotten into a quar-
rel as to questions of precedence of
authority and while they were inactive
a wall came across the water, I'VE are
starving
"Oh, men of America" she exclaimed
in her imprisoned way, while you
are Quarreling over the trif1ing spoils
Of politics, men and women are starry
ing, hearts are broken and homes are
being destroyed Even Cyclone Da-
Wis Of Texas, the most implacable of
the middle of the road crowd, wept,
and Branch of Georgia shouted:
That's the stuff. If she had sat
with this convention "a hours ago we
feelings"
Mrs. Lease bowed herself away and
out Of sight, and while the convention
was yet cheering, she left the hall with
her son, Charley, went to the Linden
hotel, where, an hour later, enthusiast
tic POpulists from the south sought her
out and paid homage.
Afterward a correspondent for the
Star engaged Mrs. Lease in an inter
view.
Il don't know what I am to talk
about she said. II am about talked
out"
kansas politics. of course" was sug-
gested.
Have you seen this contemplate in
terview published in one of the papers
today about me?'' Mrs. Lease said, tax
ing no notice of the reporters sugges-
ton. It's by Mrs. F. H. ingalls, of
this town, president of a suffrage So
ciety or something of that sort, and
don't know why she hates me. I am
sure have never injured her. Why, if
she were to sit in convention "a
weeks nobody would think to look
what she had on
Nobody cares" Mrs. Lease added,
with a sheer and a toss of her head,
which sent the ostrich plumes into a
spasm. Here is what she says: Char
ley, read it,
Charley demurred, but obeyed and
read Mrs. Ingalls, criticism of the Kan
saS woman as follows:
Mrs. Leases costumes are the talk
OF the convention. The remarkable
thing is not that she is so we'll dress
ed, for we'll dressed women are often
seen in St. Louis, but the contrast is
noticeable. I have seen the
lady several times before, and I al
ways thought her capability for use
fulness in procuring recognition for her
sex in matter of fact, prosaic Kan
sas was greatly augmented by alb
sence of anything like feminine adorn-
cult to imagine a woman more plainly |
or more commonly dressed. Whether
Mrs. Leases change of mode minimizes
her usefulness to women in general. and |
to Kansas women in particular, I do |
not care to say. 1t is a. matter of opin- |
ion, and 1 am not a Kansan.'
THAT was not inspired by malice |
Mrs. Lease said after her son had con- |
Guided the reading, for Mrs. ingalls, |
has no reason to dislike me. It was |
like the woman in her. The narrow !
ness of women impels them to abuse |
and scOld about other women. When |
we had slaves in this country they |
were the hardest taskmasters set to |
watch over slaves, and so women are |
the most cruel and unreasonable critics |
Of women. That is why their organi- |
cations are not successful. Women are |
too narrow, too jealous of each other, |
too envious to run anything that re- !
4uires organization and judgment. |
That's why the proposed national sill |
yer organization of women in this hotel |
5razzled out. Only u women came to |
attend the meeting Think of it, only |
II out of the great number of women |
who are in this town to attend the |
convention. Mrs. Cougar went home |
today in disgust. I tell them that 1 |
have no time to go into such things. I |
prefer to keep my bank balance on the /
eferhf side ri the Iadaa1.1 -