The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-30
DELEGATES BEGIN TO RETURN

i p, 49, - rs. ~ rs @attl4 - ~
Minncnpolis' Chances for the Next
Biennial Reported to Be stS
of the Best.
The returning delegates from, the. Los
Angeles biennial OF the General Federa-
ton Of Women's Clubs have begun to ar
rive. Their coming has been eagerly
awaited, for the. large. number OF :clun
women who were unable to attend the
convention have been very deslrous OF
getting information upon many points OF
special local interest not mentioned IN
the general reports of the convention. ::
1t was taken for granted In Mime
sofa that Miss Margaret j. Evans would
be reelected second vice president un-
less the way should open to make Mrs.
Lydia Phillips Williams prominent can
didate, for the presidency, and It was +
great surprise that Miss Evans name ap~S
parently was never mentioned. Mime
sofa women recognized the fact that Miss
Evans was not in harmony with the past
administration on account Of her view.
on reorganization and the color questions
but it was supposed that 1t would hardly
be regarded as good politics toSpillory
her on that account so long as the adj
ministration had had everything it's owl,
! way and was certain to continue in con-
troll with its policyA. Apparently, how
ever, that was just what happened, for the
returning delegates&are agreed that the
situation in the nomfnating committee
J.; was such that there was not a ghost of a
chance for her denomination. This was
| the way things looked to Mrs. Graves.
; the Minnesota member of the committee,
who found her. suggestion that Mis-:
Evans be reRominated, entirely disre
garded This oHinion was confirmed by
other members of the committee, Swho as
sured the state delegates, that, any, eff
forts in her behalf IN the committee
would have been useless. =. - =.
On account Of Miss Evans well-known
ahhorrence Of political scheming and
Wire pulling, no campaigning was. done
In her behalf, and, indeed, it was not
supposed that 1t would be necessary. At
meeting of the Minnesota, delegates an
expression of opinion was given indoors
Ing Miss Evans for reelection, but il
was thought best not to give the com
mittee member definite instructions. The
deleI alton favored asking for a place for
; Mrs Williams on the board in. case Miss
Evan was not renominated
Mention of Mrs. Williams.
This latter action would seem to indi
cate that there was some uncertainty OF
the situation in the minds of some of
was much complicated by the feeling that
there was a strong possibility of an out
side candidate for the presidency. In the
opinion of one. of the +best-informed
women from the state there was one day
in which there was a strong tendency In
favor of an: entirely new candidate ano
Mrs. Williams was the woman mentioned
most prominently. 4..- - 80
The delegates explain the reason for
the administration slate in this way:
Mrs. Burdette dropped out of. the race
for the presidency with the tacit under
standing that California must be recog-
nized and that it should be: done by max
Ing her first vice president: Mrs. Emma
A. Fox seems in some. manner unob
served by the lay members to have laid
the organization under deep obligations
that could only be repaid by promoting
her, after heretwo terms of service in
the office of-4recording. secretarysa Obs
viously, in that situation, she must be
made the second vice president, and this
was done strictly according to- schedule:
1t. was then argued that it would be un-
becoming to7offer Miss Evans place on
the board so her name: was dropped, and
instead of her e-election, Minnesota was
rendered a place on the board for Mrs
Williams. = '... ' -
A place on the board is an honor and
as such Is appreciated and the club
women are pleased that Mrs. Williams
should be chosen for position that she
will fill with great ability, but they re-
greet to discover the hostile attitude Of an
element in the general federation towards
Miss Evans; whom they felt was entitled
to the honor of re- reelection. It has been
and remains the custom of the organiza
tion to re-elect its officers for a second
term and, with the exception of Miss
Evans this was done, for the only officers
retiring besides herself, were those whose
second terms had expired. Even incon-
petent officers have been retained for a
SECOND term and Miss Evans is acknowl-
edged to be one of the ablest women in
the federation and one who has given to it
her very best effort -. .Ts -, -
One of the strangest circumstances is
that the excuse was given for Miss Evans
retirement that she had served ION the
board for eight years The Minnesota
delegates who have returned opened their
eyes in amazenent when they were as
surd that the last two years made Miss
Evans first and only term the board :;
that previously her only official position
had been as the handwriting chairman OF
the first standing committee of the feder-
alton, the committee on education, the
work of which she pushed so energetica1-
ly and intelligently during four years that
1t is and will remain the great working
committee of the organization Va 7'af- 49,
Minnesota proudly acknowledges that
Miss Evans has been a leader and prom
inent figure in the federation ever since
the Minnesota federation was organized,
but it was by reason Of distinguished a bill
ity and a Willingness to work and such a
record is not satisfactory reason for the
retirement Of an officer, but quite the re-
verse.
Chances for Next Biennial. =.
The delegates unite in the belief that
MinneaOOliS a oh III
getting the next biennial; its only formid-
able rival being New York. The city
that really wants lit most will get IT
There was a little doubt in the minds OF
some whether Minneapolis was really
eager for, it, = Mrs. Denison questioned
some of the delegates upon that point
and was given answers that cleared UP
her doubts and the impression was gained
that she favored its coming here, rather
than to New York. Both Mrs: Williams
and Mrs. LaPenotiere made fine inn
preston in delivering their invitations
This Invitation brought the Minnesota
people into prominence and they were
active in the business proceedings, Mrs
Williams made the motion leaving the
disposition of the Louisiana Purchase
memorial to the executive board and Mrs
Hamlin's motion to appoint a special com.
mittee to revise the election methods o
the federation won her the. deep gratitude
OF suffering thousands whom the Aloni
e drawn out election had almost exhausted
Just before the close OF the convention
Mrs Lowe appointed this committee will