The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-13
Mrs. A. II. Thompson Talks to
Commercial Club.
FOR THE CITY.
Patronize Home Industries is
the Key to Success.
Business Session Closes Last
Regular Meeting of Summer.

An unusually successful meeting,
from every point of view, was held last
evening by the members of the Topeka
Commercial club in the Knights and
Ladies of Security hall, on the fourth
floor of the new lodge building at Sew
enth street and Kansas avenue
1t was the last N Getting of the club
until after the summer vacation, and
was made a special manufacturers
meeting. Interesting papers were real
by Mrs. A. H. Thompson, president Of
the local federation of clubs, and by
Judge J. G. Wood. The meeting was
unusual because the women We're rep
resented, about fifty being present
A large representation of the MEM
bers Of the club was present, and there
was much enthusiasm over the plans
suggested in the paper read by MIS-
thompson. A special committee is to
be named by the president of the club,
Mr.. John E Frost, to investigate some
of the Sugges lions made and adopt
plans to have the same carried out
we have in Topeka said Mrs
Thon pson, "a federation of clubs, a
body of five hundred women, not ag-
gressive, but progressive, who, in years
devoted to the study of literature, art,
music and history, have developed high
ideals of life and who greatly desire to
have the civic conditions in Topeka cor
respond more nearly to those ideals.
They believe in good homes and they
are home makers, mothers who look
we'll to the ways of their households.
That ancient joke about the neglected
family of the club woman has begun
to give place to a confidence in her
judgment and a reliance upon her train
ing which makes many a father feel
justified in turning over to her the en-
tire supervision of the education and
upbringing of the family response
bility which truly he ought to share
with her. She it is who investigates
schools, and studies sanitation and
hygiene; who marks the effect of beau
of the high ideals, and strives for them
in the home; and the best expression
of mother love is given by the thought
full, cultured woman, the modern Cor
nelia, whose sons and daughters are in
deed her jewels.
CULTIVATING THE AESTHETICS.
Women all over the country are
awakening to the fact that not alone
within the home walls are to be found
the influences which form the character
of our future citizens. but that the city,
the town, the village is almost as in
huential as the home circle. and so the
mothers are reaching out to help i'll
civic affairs. They are interested in
beautifying school rooms and school
grounds; in founding libraries; in
parks and fountains and beautiful
buildings; in providing clean and
healthful aInusements; in the sanitation
of streets and alleys, and the general
good housekeeping of the community,
and more than all in promoting loyalty
and true patriotism.
The fact that parks and beautiful
surroundings are a financial benefit to
a town is susceptible of proof, but there
is a higher than a. money value in these
things. They help to mi axe character.
The civilizing and uplifting power of
beauty and cleanliness has been proven
over and over again in countless towns
and cities. Women understand this
perhaps better than men, for no mother
has failed to note the influence of
bath and pretty clothing upon the
or
households do not furnish the best citi-
zens to the body polite. The people
whose town is beautiful will be proud
of it and loyal to it and the influence
of any community is in proportion to
the love and loyalty of its citizens.
If we can make Topeka beautiful, both
in a moral and a material sense, we will
make it an influence for good all over
Kansas
'sAll these civic improvements which
we desire are, however, dependent upon
the financial ability of our citizens.
They can not be had without money
Everybody in the world is dependent
upon everybody else, and every good
wax must be sustained by other agen-
cies just as important, although their
bearing upon the ideal civic life is per-
haps not at once apparent
TAX THE ILLUSTRATED Gaia
LOGUES.
"a few days ago in a newspaper let
ter a country merchant said that what
his town needed was tax on illustrated
catalogues from department stores,
which ruin the business Of the country
merchant You may smile at his suggeS-
ton, but there is something wrong in
the thoughtless building up of great cen
ters of business at the expense of our
neighbours prosperity and our own I
venture to say that the women who pur-
chase the supplies for their families
from grOcers' drummers and dry goods
catalogues are not only doing an in
justice to their neighbors, but actually
n ING Themselves husbands
their children. They are neglecting an