The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-11-27
Whaf the Women Think J4bout.
LOCAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN
OF RHODE ISLAND MEETS.

The annual melting of the local Council
OF Women Of Rhode Island was held at
three O'Clock yesterday afternoon I'm the
Bell street chapel
IT was unfortunate that the weather
was such az 70 prevent the attendance OF
"a very large number who would undoubt-
edly have been present had conditions In
the material world been reversed.
AZ IL was. however there was a good
sized audience present and an unusual
degree OF interest and enthusiasm was
manifested. The meeting was presided
over by the president of the local coun-
cil Rev. Anna Garlin Spencer. After the
formal opening of the meeting by the
president the several yearly reports were
read.
Mrs. Lester s. Hin, the recording secre-
tary presented her report which was fol-
lowed by that OF the corresponding sec
retary, Miss Elizabeth II. Nichols The
latter report gave a summary OF the
work of the year which showed progress
all along the line.
The treasurer's report by Mrs. Thorn
ton gave detailed account of the ex-
penses and receipts or the year, showing
a balance Ia the treasury of sSlsl.
Al this point the president gave a brief
address which was, I'm the main an inter
esting account of the convention of the
National Council of Women. held I'm
Minneapolis on the 18th, lith and 18th of
the present month.
AT this time there were two new or
ganizations admitted 10 the National;
Council each OF special importance and
each representing thousands of women.
They were the National Association OF
Colored Women, represented by Mrs.
Tyrrel and also the Business Woman's
Association.
Mrs. Spencer explained the scope and
significance OF each OF these organiza-
tions and, in passing, spoke OF the differ
ent fraternal bodies of women represent
ed at the National Council. together with
the Council OF Jewish women and many
other organizations. THE most import
ant thing done by the council at Mime
apoiis," declared Mrs Spencer, was the
distinct reorganization OF the internal
work of the National Council ITSELF
AT the conclusion OF Mrs. Spencer's ad-
dress she called attention 10 the subject
of the afternoon. viz. THE Department
Store and the Purchasing Public" Mrs.
Spencer spoke Of the criticism directed
against the department store and of the
futility OF all such criticism. adding, that
''the department store is here and here
ditions of the present age and what
chiefly concerns us is the question as TO
what the department store is: It's work
and conditions"
At tf1is point Mrs. Florence -Stnxell of
Wanamakers store. New York, was i'm
troduced and spoke most interestingly
OF the evolution OF the department store,
and the life OF the women employed in
these stores.
Mrs. Stowell took a decidedly optimistic
view of the department store, regarding
IL as a distinct convenience TO the mass
es and of general benefit TO its thousands
OF employees.
'"The department store of today" she
said. means simply a collection OF stores
brought together for your convenience
Each OF these separate stores has "a head
and at the end OF a week the heads OF
these stores have just as much, II not
more money, than they would have in
small stores OF their own. Moreover the
department store gives employment to