The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-05-06
os ANGELES. Cal, May 5.-Aft

7 OS ANGELES, Cal, May 5.-After
a two years discussion OF the ad-
mission Of colored women to the
general federation, the anti-cOlorists
won today, when the sixth convention
voted Overwhelmingly to accept what
is known as the compromise amend
ments agreed upon in New York sew
eral weeks ago.
Upon the opening day Of the conven-
ton il was evident the spirit Of toler-
ance would rule. There was absolutely
no bitterness in the preliminary talk
outside the convention hall. This
morning there was suppressed excite
ment during the consideration Of the
charter, which came up first, and when
Mrs. A. o. Granger. president of the
Georgia federation, moved that sec
tions 2 and OF article IL, parts OF
the proposed amendments, be cOnsid-
cred FIRST, every one knew the battle
was on.
Mrs. Lowe retired from the chair,
and Mrs. Denison presided. Points Of
order started thick and fast. Section
which was adopted, reads as fo!-
lows:
From a state where a club is a
member Of the state federation, it
would also be eligible TO the gen
ersI federation, # recommended
by the executive board of the state
federation, the power Of admission
to remain as given in article ii Of
the bylaws.
Admission of Clubs.
Section 3 Of article II, which was
also brought up by Mrs. Changers mo-
ton, was not taken up today but will
be considered tomorrow morning. IL
reads as follows:
The president shall refer all appli-
cations for membership TO the COM
mittee on mem bership appointed by
the board of directors. for its action
upon the same. The action of the COM
mittee on membership shall be in writ
ing. and a unanimous vote of the COM
mittee shall be required to elect. In
case the committee fails to agree, the
application shall be referred to the
whole board. the written vote Of two
thirds of which shall be necessary TO
elect to membership"
When discussion was fully started
on section ?, Mrs. Shields of Missouri,
who spoke as an individual woman,
who was born a slave-owner. rather
than for the state. offered a substitute
amendment which, though finally
turned down. called out heated de-
bate. 1t reads as follows:
THAT clubs containing cOlOred
women shall be eligible to the general
federation in those states and terri
tories i'm which they are eligible To
membership In their state and terri
tories. and in other organizations race
eligibility shall be declared by the two
thirds vote"
In the course of the debate, which,
though intense. was at all times col
iected and clear. three speeches seemed
To- make a marked impression on the
audience. The first one was by Mrs.
Gallagher Of Ohio. who ended by say
ing:
Not Strong Enough Yet.
when colored women are strong
enough to stand on an equal footing
with the whites, let US consider their
admission but, in Gods name, let Us
not stop their progress by admitting
them at this time.
Another was by Miss Jane Adams
Of Hull House. Chicago, who paid
tribute TO the magnanim0Us position OF
Georgia i'm the controversy, but de-
Clared race integrity could best be OBJ
t8ined through equality.
one Of the last speeches was by Mrs
Alice Bradford Mills OF Chicago. who
made strong plea for the continued
union Of women Of the north and the
south, and for the acceptance Of the
compromise.
Mrs. May Alden Ward of Boston
president Of the Massachusetts feder-
alton. said tonight there were two
small points on which the state was
rot satisfied one was that the con-
vention suspended the rules for a viva
voce vote. instead of by ballot. il be-
ing uncertain under the circumstances
there was the necessary two-thirds
vote. The other point reverts TO & no
tice given by Miss Adams that she
wished to amend section 3 tomorrow
morning at the continued business
meeting in order 20 make two instead
or one dissenting voices on the mem
bership committee necessary to reject
an application Tor membership. The
convention decided that sixty days no.
70