The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1898-12-24

make careful study Of what to say and
what not to say. The reaction from
this system OF repression and suppression
is strikingly illustrated in a paper read
before the recent convention of the Ohio
State Federation by Josephine Wood
ward of the Cincinnati Commercial
Tribune. Her paper on "Womans
Clubs from Reporters Point Of View"
is printed in The Club Woman. In the
opening sentences she congratulates her
self upon the prospect Of being permit
ted to speak the truth for twenty min
utes," and n the following breath, as
sures her audience that malice has no
place in her heart 1t is difficult to &C
cept this last statement. as We read on
and on, and find the scathing, bitter.
almost vicious denunciations tumbling
over each other for utterance as she
warns to her subject Of arraigning WON.
ems clubs. She says, ''once long time
ago, before club women taught me how
to lie cheerfully and glibly, aud before l
taught myself the value of silence, l
undertook to give in print my honest
opinion Of some club proceedings. or
other. have never tried it since. The
truth crushed to earth that day. now
rises for the first time" She aide.
"since that tragic day I bave made it
my practice in reporting club proceed
ings to find out what the president OF
the club or the chairman OF the de
partment would like to have said, and
then say it."
If tie lady who reads the paper for
the day has an account OF it already pre-
pared for publication, l gladly accept
her contribution to club literature. 1t
usually reads something after this fash
ion: Mrs. BIS review OF Tolstoi and his
works was the most brilliantly compre-
hensive essay 1t has been our good for
tune to hear in many day. This gifted
woman is probably better qualified to
speak OF the great Russian author and
what he has written, than any other
critic in this vicinity, since she has the
most beautiful silver samovar in town,
and invariably takes lemon in her tea,
even when she is alone IL the same
acrid strain she shows how women ed
courage club sisters who need encour-
agement; for instance, Mrs. c. delivers
a paper. The encourager says, Poor
Mrs. G! So unfortunate you know;
lust look at her clothes! I'm going to
encourage her So without the form
atty Of an introduction, she pats poor
Mrs. G.. on the back saying, Good for
YOU. I'm glad you belong to our club;
I'm glad | know you. I'm coming to
cal on you" Miss Woodward scores
another against clubs by declaring there
are not very many poor little Mrs. Cs.
in the club. They can't get in Our
reporter here shows her ignorance OF
the democratic influence OF womens'
clubs. especially of the western clubs OF
whom we can speak intelligently, and
We have reasons to believe that the same
influence prevails among eastern clubs.
They are not aristocratc In their ten
denotes and they have been the greatest
Jewelers. and most broadening influence
among women OF the past decade. Mrs.
Woodward's experience must have
been unfortunate when she imagines
that 1.-The average club woman goes into
a club for the sole purpose of keeping
some one else OUT" that clubs claim to
he democratic but have b-ilt up arts
tocracies; that they pose before the