The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-18

Albany Letter in New York Evening Sun.
umns knows, the State Federation invited
itself to Albany. Albany neither invited
it nor wanted it. Albany is, in no sense,
a club city, and it has no desire to become
one. Frankly, it is afraid of women's
clubs. Aristocratic exclusion and conserva-
tism are it's characteristics. and it breads
and it mistrusts organized effort" as
likely to undermine these cardinal prin-
ciples of its social faith. There are num-
Der of women's clubs in Albany, but they
are mostly small and select reading circles,
confined to certain sets" and with holy
horror of publicity well of democracy.
The three large organizations that con-
sented, after months Of coaxing, to become
federated" did with much misgiving.
To-day their worst fears are realized. The
enterprising federalists. seeing that they
were not wanted in Albany, straightway
made up their minds that Albany was
the place to which they wanted to 60.
They call their descent upon the defence
less populace of the capital city mission
airy work and fostering the club spirit
and making two clubs grow where there
was but ONE but for all that, the inter-
esting fact remains that Albany didn't
want them and that she would never have
been guilty of asking them. In Brooklyn,
Syracuse, Buffalo Rochester, New York
and other cities where the Federation has
convened in former years, entertainment
has always been offered the several hun
dred delegates in the homes Of members
of the hostesss clubs. You don't find AL
bany lending itself to any such personal
hospitality as this. If the Federation was
bound TO come, the Albanians let it come,
but they have taken precious good care
to keep it at a safe distance. The
delegates house themselves in hotels and
they pay their own hotel bills; beyond two
or three very general receptions that will
commit them to nothing more than a cup
of tea and handshake, the Albany Club
women VIII not lift a finger in the Fedora
tons behalf. Indeed, these very general
receptions were a second thought, only de-
cided upon after newspapers the State
over had commented upon the. contrast be-
tween the Federation's reception in Albany
and in other cities. Albany's own newspa-
pers are jumping on the municipality for
paying so little attention to the Fed The
Argus stops bowling over the defeat of
Bryan long enough to observe: No pro-
vision has been made by local hospitality
to see that Albany as city makes good
impression upon these 400 women repre-
senting 50,O0o whose tongues might be
utilized as mighty advertising force TO
praise Albany in the gates of many cities.
IL the tactics OF Buffalo were adopted by
the municipality here il would be good
thing. Buffalos authorities chartered cars
for delegates at recent conventions In that
city TO show them the Pan-American expo
sition grounds and other features OF the
town. 1t has been suggested that fifty
carriages would probably accommodate as
many would care to accept the courtesy
OF a drive 10 points of interest, and that
enough public-spirited citizens might be
found I'm some organization like the Cham
Der of Commerce TO lend their private car
riages for the occasion" Evidently the
newspapers recognize what Albany does
not-that the club wOmans capacity for
self-advertisement makes her the best kind
of advertising medium for everything. But
then, Albany hasn't had much experience
with club women. She will have had be-
fore the Fed. gets through with her.