El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-26

received a strong, suggestive letter
from Mrs. Terrell, the president of the
Texas Federation of Women's clubs
The first part of the letter is full of
club spirit and the spirit of united
work and helpfulness, calling atten-
ton to the fact that every department
of the club here can have the benefit OF
the state federation's committee work
in research, study, and program -lnak-
ing in whatever topics. music, history,
household economy, political economy,
and so on.
The second part of the letter speaks
for itself and is herewith quoted:
while it is not the desire of Texas
club women to get into politics there
are matters TO the furtherance of which
the federation stands pledged, that can
only be consummated by legislation.
These are. the creation of state
library commission, for the encourage
ment of the establishment of public
libraries. commissioners to be unsalar-
led; the better protection, not only of
song and game birds. but those that
are slaughtered by the hundreds for
their plumage. used in millinery
law prohibiting the killing of such and
the exposure for sale of plumage which
costs the birds life, coupled with fine
of not less than S5 for every offense,
trial education-some feasible law
making more practical our public ed
ucation, especially for girls. To these
1 feel impelled to add, restrictive legis-
lation controlling the sale of that dead
1y drug, cocaine, the growing and bale
full influence of which can be estab-
1ished in every town of the state.
When it is reflected that the husbands.
fathers, brothers and sons. of the club
~ i'll 80 AL
state, whose names carry weight. it
will be seen that potent influence is
at our command
Not one of the suggested changes or
reforms but that appeals particularly
to the women of Ell Paso. Our public
library is their proudest achievement.
To increase it and build it up to splen-
did proportions is their highest hope.
The library work has been difficult and
any aid the state can give to orr Ii
brary or to younger or older libraries
is boon decidedly to be desired.
The second matter, the protection of
birds, may not appeal to women who
love wings and aigrets in their milf
merry, but every woman loves to have
the song birds about her house, singing
over her dooryards. bringing music for
the children and flashing bright colors
through the green of the leaves. Ell
Paso is now very fortunate in having
SO many song bird residents, but I'M
less the women of the town protect the
birds from the sling shots of the small
boys, and the bird tribes from the
guns of hunters and milliners, the day
of the bright winged. tuneful throated
citizens VIII soon be gone.
Texas has proud record for her !
school advantages, but to Hold her high :
place she must establish industrial
schools, schools of manual training. 1t
is a mistake to educate the mind of
any child and leave his hands neglect
ed and unSkilled. Almost any pro-
fessional man will agree to the state
ment that boy should be taught a
trade even if he proposes studying a
profession; for him as for the multi
tude who do not take. up professional
life, the early lessons in skilful hand
work are guide and profit throughout
life Industrial education will without
doubt be the salvation of the poor and
the criminal. Unskilled labor nova
days has little value in the worlds
work but skilful work is more digni-
fed than ever. To let the children of
the undermost classes grow up in ig-
norance and awkwardness is tax up
on and menace to the state. |
Probably only those who suffer di- |
rectly know how much of an evil the !
cocaine habit is. Other states are
adopting restrictive legislation. Moth |
ers do but make life safer for their |
own sons and daughters when they |
exert their influence for such a law. |
Any time the horror of the thing may
go right home to them.
So the Ell Paso club women can |
heartily place their sympathy and in |
fluence with the efforts of the Texas |
Federation.
Miss Susan B. Anthony and her sis
ter, Miss Mary B. Anthony, are max
ing test of the laws of their country /
and of the rights of women, by a form
al refusal to pay the taxes on their
home in Rochester, on the plea that |,
it is taxation without representation.
In 1872 Aunt Susan along with a score
of other resolute ladies of Rochester
to see what would happen
if they voted. Accordingly they went
to the polls and cast their ballots. They
were indicted for knowingly voting
without having lawful right to vote"
and Susan B. Anthony was found gull
ty and fined 800. She absolutely re-
fused to pay the fine and finally it i
was RENTED by General Grant.
New York has had a queer excite
ment over the discovery that well
known man about town was a woman
who for thirty years had successfully
posed as a man. She was married
twice. but the wives evidently kept the |,
secret, for the woman III mans clothes
was a member of Tammany Hall,
vigorous worker in campaigns and
elections, took her drink as straight 1
as any other fellow and generally did
L.. Il