The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-06
MRS. GREENE SPEAKS.

clinton, Feb. 5.-Mrs. Edward l..
Greene told the reasons of her opposi-
ton TO a dance in connection with the
Clinton hospital bazaar, to the cores
pondent of The Spy tonight. The fact
that Mrs. Greene refused to permit Col
John e. Thayer of the committee, to
give dance in Bigelow Hall while the
bazaar was in progress, has already been
printed in The Spy.
Mrs. Greene's statement is interest
ing because 1t shows the firmness with
which she stood for her conscience sake
when a trying and delicate po-
sition, as she herself says, would have
been much less trying if she could have
brought herself to wink at and COM
placently pretend ignorance of what
was going on.
Until they read her statement, few
people will realize how consistent and
determined Mrs. Greene was in main
tanning her conviction of right.
Mrs. Greene spoke at her home, this
afternoon, in reply to the question:
DO you believe the success of the
bazaar is a justification of your stand
against giving dance in connection
with it?''
Mrs. Greene said: Il do not know
whether it is a justification, because I
DO not know what would have been if
a dance had been held.
me matter of dance was preached
IN the committee of seven, some three
months ago. The committee, as you per-
maps know, was the original committee
designed to make the ARRANGEMENTS for
the bazaar | had been named as chair
man OF the committee. 1 said then and
there that If there was to be dancing
could not consent to have charge of
the enterprise. l asked the committee
not 70 vote on my account, but to de-
eide the case on It's merits, The com
mittee declared that there should be no
uahce. AS long ago as last October it
was announced in the newspapers that
there would be no dancing in connection
with the pazar
MY position was clear in my own
MIND. l would have nothing to do with
tne oazar if there was to be dancing
had business reasons, as we'll as rea-
sons OF conscience for opposing a dance.
l mad consulted the representatives of
the cnurches, several of whom were
a a. with me that the support from
TINS source would not be as hearty if
dancing was to be permitted. To have
dancing would offend some: not to have
dancing. ought not, in reason, offend
anybody. iiO
The matter rested for nearly three
months until the bazaar had received
the benefit of my thought and labor.
ana the arrangements for it We're al
most complete. Then / was astonished
TO learn that there was a movement in
the committee to undo the well under
stood fair agreement of three months
before. g.,
was informed the "a dance was 70
hao peen hlEefIaVe some reason to be-
!, re = that it was intended to keep this
from me. I think / could
say what persons were in the plan, if
any possible good could come from
names.
1t would have been easy for me to
wink at the matter, to pretend that I
knew nothing of it. But I could not
do that and be honorable. l would not
/ did not know that Bigelow Hall had
been hired for dance until last Sat-
urday. As soon as l received the in
formation, / sent my resignation to the
executive committee of the hospital.
from which my committee proceeded.
was not informed officially until the
following night. / am inclined to
think that | would not have been in
formed if | had not already informed
myself. | am almost certain that Mr..
Thayer was not a party to the attempt
to break faith with me. When he
learned my position, he did all that
a gentleman could do--he rearranged
his plans entirely
"Of course a dance was given in the
armory, but I had no objection to that.
because it was entirely separate from
the bazaar. and the bazaar derived no
revenue from it,"