New-York tribune., 1900-11-26
ERA CLUB TAKES A STAND.
1T CLAIMS IT'S RIGHT TO MEMBERSHIP
IN THE GENERAL FEDERATION
LETTER FROM MRS. LOWE.


In an official statement just issued by the Wom-
ans Era Club of Boston, and signed by Florida
Ruffin Ridley, Josephine St P. Ruffln. Aranna
Sparrow and Hannah P. Smith. detailed explana-
tion is given from the colored women's standpoint
OF the episode known the "Ruff1n case" at the
Milwaukee biennial The following points, the
document states have been brought forward
Gently by the critics:
Ftrst-That Massachusetts and the Womans Era
Club are to be condemned for attempting force
the color question upon the biennial when least
second-That the action OF the president of the
E Club was neer III Ry ing RarS hs here
fore Ts,I6 the Boards Boar action Vas perfectly legal
compromise. should have been willing to forego the
privilege OF representing the club of which she
gate from Massachusetts,. which privilege was Of
Fourth-That colored women should conf1ne them
selves to their own clubs and the large held or
work open to them there.
In reply to these criticisms the document con-
tains the following statements regarding the OBJ
jects and aims of the woman's Era Club:
The club was organized in the interest OF the ad-
Vancement OF women, and of COlored women In par
ticuar, and 1t entered upon its work with those
aims and views supposed to be the raison etIe
Of the club woman movement. the broadening and
deepening of womans sphere and opportunities,
9 spneTG Gf moral Of and sthec influence "e
In allying Itself with the. general movement for
taking advantage of every opportunity possible 10
help or be helped. 1t sought spread the club
called together in Boston the first convention OF
colored women ever held in America. the conyen-
GRAFTON of Colored Womens Clubs
WHEN THE CLUB JOINED.
Believing the women of the club movement rep,
the country. we have never hesitated to confer
with or accept association With what are spoken p%oxea
women's clubs held ourselves and the women
of America represented by the federation as above
Massachusetts State Federation. and club in
it than we our association m With Mas
sachusetts club had been such that the
sight of--our delegates had been received at meet
ana mt %rh tdWard tnSa all
with whom they come In contact; nothing less was
With this explains ton it can be readily under
stood that when invited to join the General FED
GRAFTON the Womans Era Club accepted the @ oIer
In all sincerity as free from any thought OF 1orG
es o the as rpe
chairman of correspondence for Massachusetts.
making its Application for membership into the
General Federation; copy Of its constitution was as
color in the constitution. but work for our race
f Thf Gt oT into the
reply was Immediately received from MIS- Lowe
in which she said:
office of the President of the General Federation
OF Women's Clubs , ~ All, On 1000
Dear Madam President hope you have by this
time received your certificate of membership IN the
1T is with great pride that I write to extend ext to
club concentrations, ana at the same
time to assure them of my desire to be helpful
to them in any way possible ;, ~
There is a great work for US all to do, women
everywhere need the practical training. In large
sense which the federation gives, and the fedora
ton needs the cooperation of every club TO
do the work which life to-day re-
uuires of such an organization .
Extend club greetings from me. ano tel
them to call upon for all that they need ana
10 send me all they spare for encouragement
and strengthening the union of our work Believe
me- fraternally yours, REBECCA D. LOWE
The dues were forwarded, receipt and certih-
cate OF membership received and a ratiho atom
of the action of the president Mrs. Lowe, was re-
ceyed by Mrs West, dated May A. 1900, as follows:
ut gives great pleasure to inform you that the
aDplica lion of the WOman's Era club for member,
ship in the General Federation has been accepted
by the Executive Committee Congratu!atlnB you
on the success of your work, am, sincerely yours
MINNIE NJ kENDRICF<, .
"CorresnondIng Secretary, General Fedora ton. "
Acting upon this situation the Woman's Era club
at once began consider the question Of sending
a delegate to Milwaukee. With pressing financial
obligations it was a question whether the club
could afford be represented However. the view
that membership in the federation was an honor
which brought obligations well as opportunities.
that club could afford TO miss opportunities
OF exchange Of thought with liberal minded women:
prevailed and 1t voted to send to the biennial
ed a delegate by the Massachusetts State Fedora
ton and an alternate from the New-England Nom-
ans Press Association.