Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-06
Basis Of the Present Agitation and Attitude Of the Several States or the Question.

you the desired points, which l take pleas
ure in doing.
Georgia Joined the General Federation OF
Woman's Clubs, that Is, its clubs, when
the. general body was an association of in
dividual clubs, before any state declarations
were formed. Seeing our body grow in
beauty and usefulness every year under
the original bylaws, Georgia was the leader
In the reorganization committee against re-
organization, and that II had justice on its
side is proved by its view being taken by
the majority OF the committee and the ma
jority report being carried in Milwaukee
by an immense majority of the delegates
present.
Georgia was for the individual club be-
fore the color line controversy arose and
will be for the individual club after that
discussion has passed into history, because
II Is right. fair and just. They formed the
association; the states found II was a good
thing and followed suit and grew into
grand bodies of which we are all proud.
Because strong 1t is no reason they should
In Georgia we Understood the movement
to be be q grand dem9cratic, altTuistic
together as sisters, therefore we say, let
the woman from the little country club feel
the stimulus that comes from feeling she
belongs to the great body of women Of the
country who are striving for better things.
Let our General Federation of Woman
Clubs stand for the greatest good to the
greatest number.
The Massachusetts reorganization plan
stands for Capitalization of power; Georgia
of power.
Reorganization failed last time and It will
fail next time IL 1t can ever be gotten out
of the heads of the women that it is a
solution of the color line. 1t is not a solu-
ton, but an emphasizing of IL. And so
Georgia has announced by pen and press
since the day the Massachusetts plan was
published. Those who stand as leaders OF
the people should make the rank and file
of club women understand, when they vote,
to remember that II they vote for reor-
ganization they will vote to take forever
all power and representation out of their
own hands.
With the color line erased will come the
resignation Of many declarations, all the
south, we will say. They gone, the clubs
%Ithout power 1T VIII all be vested in New
1t is the individual club vote, with that of
the south, which now holds the balance
Leaving out all color discu ssion, the
Mas~sachusetts generalization plan passed,
power of the association. / use democrats
in its broad, not political, sense.
Pardon so long a letter. but 1 felt the
question was important enough for 1t to
have copious answer. There is much at
stake. All should know the dangers ahead.
ANNIE E. JOHNSON,
Woman's Clubs.
IoWA-The Iowa Federation includes no
colored clubs. and. as, since the Milwaukee
biennial, there has been a preponderance
OF sentiment among the clubs OF the state
to allow the matter to rest. no action was
taken at the biennial state meeting held
In Council Bluffs last May regarding the
admission Of colored clubs to the General
Federation. The Iowa delegation was
among the first and strongest opponents TO
the drawing Of the color line at the MIL
waukee biennial, the following resolu-
lions being drawn up Immediately upon
the announcement of the exclusion Of the
colored delegates:
Resolved. That as Iowa women, We
directors to the General Federation in ex-
GLIDING yesterday the colored delegate
club women, awake to every movement
that Is calculated to advance the general
sseHera dhG T we m6 5ae e stanaar1 S of women 9 zen
consideration of this action to the end that
the color line be not drawn.
There was not a unanimous adoption Of
the resolutions. and the second day after
they were drawn up the delegation recon
sidered the matter and tabled the resolu-
tions In their own delegation. Nothing has
since been done regarding them. Al the
Milwaukee biennial the Iowa delegation
voted eight for and twenty-five against
reorganization.
ILLINoIS-The Illinois Federation in
SAAAS ~ CAuDop II COlOItu CluD
women of the state being federated In a
state federation Of colored women's clubs.
While the Illinois Federation has taken no
action regarding the admission of colored
clubs to the General Federation, the execu-
tive board has approved a plan as outlined
to 1t whereby a committee of three or
hve from each state should pass upon ap-
plications from that state for membership
in the General Federation, that committees
majority recommendation to actually elect
to membership. While at the Milwaukee
biennial the Illinois delegation voted 4 to
/ against reorganization, the present presi-
dent and state chairman of correspondence
have endeavored to secure an expression
from the clubs OF the state for or against
reorganization, they both being friendly to
it. Many Of the clubs did not respond to
the inquiry at all, but, judging from those
replying, the officers feel justified in as
Stunning that Illinois now favors reorganiza-
tion.
KENTUCKY-The Kentucky Federation
includes no colored clubs and at It's an
nusl meeting. held at Bowling Green, May
2, 1901. the following resolutions were
adopted:
whereas, We hold the opinion that the
question of admission of clubs of colored
women to the General Federation is one of
vital importance; and
whereas, We believe the General Fedora
ton has hitherto welded a most powerful
influence in wiping out sectional lines and
through better knowledge of each other
into closer and more fraternal relations;
and
Whereas, We OF the south have the best
means of judging the negro race as a
whole and not by occasional exceptions;
and
Whereas. The result OF unprejudiced OBJ
servation leads 10 the conclusion that they
are not fitted 20 add 20 the working power
OF the general federation; and
Whereas, We also believe that such fore