The evening times., 1898-11-02
HONAN'S Wit AND Wisdom
Little Talks by the Ladies OF
New York Clubs.
OPENING DAY ADDRESSES
Miss keyser Objects t. the Making
OF Wearing Apparel in SSventshops
and UncIcnn Tenements. and Mrs.
Backus Diintes on CoiieGe-Hred
GirIs-tIindergarten Libraries.

New York. Nov. 2.-Elections OF Off
GERS by the delegates in the convent
of the State Confederation of Clubs,
which assembled here yesterday, will oc-
cur tomorrow and at that time thee
must be settled the much-discussed ques-
ton whether Mrs William Tod Helmuth.
the present president, who was elected
last year, will stlu renaih in Office.
This question is a parliamentary mud
die. Mrs. Helmuth, was elected for one
year. and Il few hours later Il new con-
sttution was adopted which made the
presidents term twp years, with no sec
ond term Does Mrs. Helmuth serve for
one year. with chance for reelection.
as under the old constitution, or does
she take the two-year term, under the
new rule? This Is the point 10 be set
tied.
OF serving another year. as, though there
are other candidates, the feeling for her
is strong among the members.
Mrs. II. I. 5. Denison, president IF So
rosis. welcomed the delegates for the New
York city clubs. after tur Rev Pnebe
Hanaford's Invocation. Mrs Denison
spoke of the CONSERVATION of modest
Mother knickerbocker, wnen her
chickens first went swimming in the
pond Of clubdom a quarter of sen
tury ago Now, she ad2ed. there Is
a wonan's club in every room of the
house. from the basement on Staten Isl
and. to the attic. up in the Bronx. She
opens her arms, her house. to these
guests.
Mrs. Helmuth. in responding. spoke par
uculariy Of the work of women in The
var Sne said women had made few mis-
takes, while the men, even in high Of
hces, had made many. The women had
done their work unpaid yet had done
from their hearts what had made their
work of inestimabie value, even though
they did not wear knapsack and shout
der a musket.''
Miss Harriette Keyser spoke a good
word for the striking ladies' tailors, en-
phasizing the necessity for sociological
discussion and study.
This question of our clothes being
made in sweat shops and unsanitary ten
ements can only be settled by the wo-
mems clubs, Miss Keyser said; IF this
Federation of WOmen's CLUBS could crush
out the sweating system throughout the
laho, II could sit down and rest in the
knowledge of a mission fulfilled" This
remark received more applause than any
thing else in the two sessions of the dav
The next thing in point of popularity
was the appearance of Mrs. Helen IL
Backus, of Brooklyn, when she rose to
speak on the subject OF the college-bred
woman.
Il am amused" Mrs. Backus said. by
the logical sequence of the questions | am
10 answer. What is the influence of the
coilege-bred girl in her community? Is
she happy? Does she marry?' 1t is get
ting to be understood now more and more
that woman is sometimes happy be-
cause she does not marry. The blessed
fact is that the college-bred girl remains
woman in spite of her education, and If
she does marry it is likely to be more W Sc
ly than the girl who did not go to col
lege."
kindergartens and their influence on
children's minds, free libraries and pic
lures were other subjects of short ad-
dresses. Miss Adelaide r. Hasse, of the
Astor Library, told of the great stores of
valuable information in Government publi-
cations, and Miss Myrtilla Avery, of the
Albany State Library, explained about the
public libraries
An informal reception for the delega tes
was held at the Hotel Majestic in the
evening. Today, ati1 o'clock Mrs. Jacob
tess entertained attain informal luncheon
ut her home No eS West Sixty eighth
Street, the State officers and chairmen
and local chairman. The guests numbered
about thirty-five.