The Minneapolis journal., 1902-05-06
CONTEST AMICABLE
Mrs. Denison and Mrs. Decker Lead
Presidential Race.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE MEETS
Many Elements of Uncertainty In
troduced-NIinnesota Is support
ing Mrs. Lydia p. Williams.

Los Angeles. Cal, May 6.-The political
outlook this morning at the general fed
GRAFTON convention was that Mrs. Decker
and Mrs. Denison are. making very close
race for the presidency. Mrs. Decker's
reiterated determination not to interfere
with the chances of the New York woman
has apparently had no effect on her fol-
lowing and state after state has offered
her allegiance. Mrs. Denison is not at all
perturbed over the change and would
throw her influence to Mrs. Decker If to
anyone and her still loyal friends are in
every way trying to advance the interest
of their candidates
The possibility of the presidency coming
west, which was so marked at the open
ing of the convention, has unsettled the
promoters Of candidates for the second
ary Offices and the Burdette forces seem
to have scattered somewhat since Cali
fornia women have not been a unit for
her candidacy for the chief Office though
many continue to believe that she will
catch whatever plum is thrown'to the hos
tess state. '..
In this eleventh hour there is unsettle-
ment, for the nominating committee meets
at o'clock this afternoon and all sorts
of booms are being started. Minnesota is
announcing Mrs. Lydia Phillips Williams
for the presidency, Kansas is pushing Mrs.
Mary Vance Humphrey for first vice presi
dent, while delegates mentioned for minor
offices are numerous. ....
The second business session met this
morning with the house crowded. ~
In her address before the federation
this afternoon on Civil Service Re-"
form, Mrs. T. P. Stanwood, president OF
the Illinois Federation of Womens Clubs
maintained that the work of the school
teachers is as truly civil service as that
Of the collector of the port or the service
nf ha that
way to make the work of the public
schools as effective as possible was to
establish permanency of position and
adequacy of pay. -
Mrs. Stanwood argued that the teach
ing of civics in the high schools should
the pupils the dignity and honor of civil
service and should leave in their minds
a practical and genuine desire to further
the work Of civil service reform.
Mrs. A. H. Thompson of Topeka, Kan,
chairman of the session, on "The Value
of Subordinate Federations,' said IN her
Introductory address: ~. = -
The growth of local, or subordinate fedora
tions Of swomen's clubs has been phenomenal
during the pastfew years. The report OF the
last biennial shows that only six states had
district federations at that time and nine
reported city federations as among the activ-
tiles of the club women. Recent inquiry
proves ladL III dlLOSC every SldIS CASi Oh LIZ"
subordinate federations, either district, county
or city organizations and that they are Of
value not only in the promotion OF unity OF
thought and social cooperation but they mark
a distinct advance in the progress Of the club
movement. ... ~.
The developm ent Of enthusiac N and insplr-
alton resulting from these meetings as Well
as the training OF the club women in organiza-
ton, makes the district federations a strong
support to any work undertaken by either the
state or the general federation, In the small
er cities there seems to be special opportun-
ty for the establishment of a subordinate fed
GRAFTON. In many towns they take the place
Of the department club and serve also a
broader purpose in banding together all the
study clubs into an organization which may
undertake. some work of value to. the COM
muntty.- The value of the local federation to
the local community is in proportion to the
value of study clubs to the individual; the one
builds up the character, the other diftiuses
the influence of that character. The trend of
the club movement is no longer personal, but
altruistic. It seeks not to gain, but to give.
: There is already marked tendency toward
making the federation the center Of the va
rous lines Of publ effort among club women.
Individual members as we'll as clubs are in
cluded in some city federations and It IS thus
possible to enlist the influence of another ele-
ment of strength to the organization, namely
the business and professional women of the
community who may be too busy to be mem
bers- Of study clubs, but would be; glad to CO.
operate in a local federation and would be q
force in it's work, - =