Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1901-05-19
PURELY A SOCIAL QUESTION.

X Washington telegram announces that several colored women of that fity have made application for mem bership in the Daughters of the Amer ican Revolution. It is also ntimated women are in favor of admitting the eolored applicants to membership. Commenting on the matter the Mem phis Commercial-Appeal says:
 Seriously, the colored women of Washington or elsewhere should not apply for admission to the Daughters of the American Revolution That organization is national. The promi- nent eolored women may be technic- ally entitled to admission, though it IS not easy to see how but the organ ization is not legal but purely social body into which no one may enter or should seek to enter who is not welcomed by all Each member has right to say with whom she will associate. It is so in all social organ iaztions. Southern women will op- pose the admission of colored appli- eants. Northern women will look apon this as a foolish prejudice For the nonce let us admit that it is What then? That prejudice must be respected. The 400 in New York would refuse to receive many emi- nently respectable members of the daughters who live within a stones throw of them This is prejudice, but what of that? It is a potent fact and must be considered The exelud- ed daughters do not care snap. They flock of themselves and find more eongenial company. They are wise and the colored women should emu late their example
 The admission of colored members would mean division in the Jrgani | zation and what should be national | would become sectional One half of the country would be pulling against the other half of the country, neutral 1zing each others efforts and render. ing them futile. Much good can bo accomplished by united efforts. much harm can he done by division.
 It is strange that coored wouen should seek entrance to any organi- aztion where they know there aro members who object to their prese nee 1t is not ereditablc to their =pr;de Why do they not form an organization of their own along similar liuaa. if they choose? This they can do With small effort To bring about a caa dict is unwise.
 1t is puroly IS the eommeraial..t ..tp- peal saYs. social question as the daughters of the=Ameriean Ra4olu= tion. aud all similar or2anizatioaS. are nothing more ua. ie5s taan or ganizations fer social intercourse. and the southern white women will never in the social clubs. or other. wise. submit to anything which has the slightest semblance of social equality with the coIorad women. and there are serious doubts as to whether any Of the sensible women of fine North have any gfeater liking for such social intercourse than do their sisters of the sontb There may be few fanatics in the North who may talk social equality between the white and colored women in the clubs. bu. they are the exceptions. and tAeia raY- lngs are neyel taken seriously hy tlle people North ~ South
 8s an eytdenee of how thu soal hon women stand on this question t5le the action or inc Arkansas Federation of Momen.s clubs at the recent mee5- Ing Il Pine LiHf on the proposition 10 admit the social clubs q coi3rQd
 women to federation mem6ership.
 The vote was emphatically unanimous
 sgainst it.
 It may be added that the eoIored
 women Of the South act more sensibly
 ID this matter than the colored wo.