The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-17
WOMEN'S DEMANDS.
Mrs. Charl otte Stetson Lectures Upon
the Responsibility of the Purchaser.


ST. Louis, Jan. 1.-THE beautiful day
brought out. a throng of gayly dressed
women to the Wednesday club meeting,
the occasion being a lecture by Mrs.
Charlotte Stetson upon the subject,
THE Responsibility of the Purchaser"
1.-The industries of the world depend
on women'S demands, for they are the
consumers. Working off energy is not
the only thing in the world. The joy
of work is in making good, necessary
things" said Mrs. Stetson. The trend
of Mrs. Stetson'S argument was to
prove that with unrestrained taste
there is a tendency to riotous luxury,
and as women become more cultured
there will be a refinement of taste, and
in satisfying their wants their fellow.
men and women will take real pleasure.
She paid glowing tribute to the con-
consumers leagues, which, in their own
way, are trying to solve the question.
Mrs. Stetson is a woman of striking
personality, rather tall, dark, and, al
though decidedly thin, she is not at all
fragile looking. Her piercing eyes and
nervous movements are outward signs
of the immense amount of energy of
which she is capable. Before the lee
ture she talked about her work in a
general way.
1.-The principal thing I am trying to
show people," she said, "is that they
are better off than they think they are.
The social conditions are far healthier
and nearer to progressive solution than
ever before. am trying to show people
what conditions of life today really are,
what most needs to be done, and how
easiest to do it, Mrs. Stetson does not
believe in domestic service at all. The
private servant" she said, sis a relic
of barbarism. From serfdom to the
wage Garner is an evolution. Domestic
service belongs to an earlier period. All
our troubles come from this fact. 'tHow
are we to get along without domestic
service ?" was asked. make it profess
siona1. We now have our laundries,
bakers, taiIors and other trades and
craftsmen, and when we have profess
sional cooks we will have better cook
ing, and no onus will attach to the
work. College girls will gladly follow
their inclinations and become profess
siona1 cooks. All labor used to be done
at home. Baking, sewing, soapmaking,
pickle-making, and now it is done gen.
orally by professionals. Sewing ma
chimes are still found in the homes, but
the day is coming when all work Will be
done by an employee who has home Of
her own.
"A friend of mine tried to engage a SER
want in New York a general servant, and
she was told that it was almost impossible
to find such a servant"
Mrs Stetson has great faith in the &C.. club.
first just a female relation. When she
joins club she bef6mes Just fo Lish she
domesticbred woman is narrow, but she
Screaming Sc eG0h ystercai Creature has no place
in the affairs of the twentieth century, tqy e.
el eGld Of abor hePe is no IN
@ eenntry Of for ch WORK. are 6ad
and it is racial suicide she said. Mrs.
stetson viii remain in St: LOUIS G about a
Heights Congregational church.
AT. the close of the. lecture the members
gentlemen friends generally, repaired to
the parlors and discussed cup of tea,
consumers leagues.