The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-18
ADELpH| is BARRED
STATE FEDERATION'S BACK
YARD
MISS EVANS PLEADS IN VAIN
Former Idol of Minnesota Club
Women Makes Eloquent and
FOrceful Appeal, but Dele
gates Can't Hear Her.
From a Staff Correspondent.

From a Staff Correspondent.
OWATONNA, Mimi, Oct. 1.-THE
Adelphi Colored Club of the Twin Cities
will not this year be admitted to the
Minnesota State Federation of Women S
clubs.
The delegates from the state fedora
ton to the general federation, which
meets next May in San Francisco, will
go instructed to vote for the best
compromise of the color question that the
federation has to offer.
When Mrs. Williams announced to the
convention this morning that the report
of the committee on membership would
be read by the secretary, the rustic that
+ swept over the convention and the
tense silence that followed it showed that
every delegate present appreciated the
Importance of the announcement. The
first part of the report had nothing 10
do with the all-important color question,
and while it was being read leaders of
the opposing forces measured the
strength of opponents.
For the plucky little colored club there
stood first of all Miss Margaret j.
Evans, of Mortified. The idol of the
federation, when she served two years
ago as it's presiding officer, her sudden
appearance for the first time in the con-
vention hall yesterday morning. made
many of the opposition fear that she
might stampede the convention and win
her cause. About Miss Evans rallied
many of the most prominent women or
the federation, Mrs. George G. Squires
and Mrs. Henry James, members of st.
Paul's New Century club, which voted
for the admittance of the Adelphio club;
Mrs. Washburn, of Duluth; Mrs. Akers,
of the Hamline club and many others.
But pitted against these there were other
club women equally as prominent and
equally as determined. There were
Mrs William Ely Bramhall, of the New
Century club; Miss Caroline Beaumont,
of the Thursday club, ST. Paul; Mrs E.
N. La Penotere and Mrs. Buchanan, of
Minneapolis; Mrs. Tuelle, of Newport,
and Mrs. Fair, of Spring Valley.
"Your committee asks instructions"
read the secretary, 'in regard to the ad-
mission of the Adelphi Colored club. On
March q this club called for an applica-
tion blank. Oct. 10 this blank was fill
ed out. Your committee recommends
that action in regard to the admission
of colored clubs be deferred until afte:
the general federation meeting
COLoRED WOMEN PRESENT.
Following the reading of the report
there was a little pause. It was as If
no one had quite the courage to begin
discussion that must have momentous
results During that pause a dramatic
touch was given to the convention when
one of the doors in the rear of the
convention hall opened softly and there
glided in two dark-skinned, earnest-faced
women. They were Mrs Porter and Mrs.
Turner, members of the Adelphi club
Mrs. James, of ST. Paul, was the first
to speak. 81 oppose the adoption of that
report, Madame Chairman" she said.
"for l think the question should be set
tied now Mrs James told of the
visit to the Adelphi club made by sew
eral white club women last June and
said that the visitors found the members
of that club bright, modest, earnest wom-
en-, fitted in every way to enter the fed
Grafton.
Mrs. Buchanan, of Minneapolis. thought
the club should be refused admittance
on the ground that it would disturb the
harmony of the federation. She thought
that the feelings of the white club wonl-
en- were entitled to some consideration
Mrs. Ray, of Merriam Park said that
if the Adelphi club was admitted to the
white federation it would be excluded
from it's own colored federation, for there
was clause in the colored federation
depriving any club of membership that
already belonged to another federation.
Miss Trevette, of Minneapolis, thought
it too bad to disturb the harmony that
now existed between the North and the
South. The admission of colored clubs
would open old wounds.
Mrs. Newcomb, of Minneapolis, begged
the convention to consider the attitude
that Booker T. Washington had taken
in regard to the social intercourse of
white and colored people Amalgama-
tfen with any white organization he de-
c1ared a bad thing for a colored club
Mrs. Gooding, of Minneapolis. ex-
planned that the fact that the negro was
black and the Caucasian was white was
proof positive that Providence meant
/. them always to be apart.
Mrs. ]. S. Kearney. of Minneapolis.
thought separation was not discrimina-
ton. That the white clubs refused to
Cnn4iu-ad TTSffT.