Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-21
WOMAN IN CLUB AND CHARITY

When the Louisiana Purchase exposition |
reached the stage Of appointing committees, |
President Francis and the rest were con-
fronted with the problem OF "disposing OF |
the women" and after much council the |
plan for the Board Of Lady Managers was
evolved. OF all the plans made for the
success OF the exposition. this one was
looked upon-by the men-as the triumph, |
and, in truth, IT was clever, for with the
most enterprisng Of all the enterprising
women Of st. Louis Mrs. James Blair, as
Its president. II certainly looked as though
the board" was likely to accomplish the
most dificult problem that had yet been
presented-the management Of the dear
women themselves But alas. like many
another promise. 1t did not turn out just
as It had been planned.
In the FIRST place, the name was not sug-
gestive Of the sort Of activity that the
women anticipated - that word lady"
looked suspicious-and before long the
board began to inquire what Il was TO
manage. For several months the women
were put of with excuses, but It finally
developed that their office was just what
their name implied, lady managers" and
IL they got to manage anything It would
probably be ladies, for certainly the exposi-
tAon duNuOEllleh nAu no lnIenllOn Oh dllOW-
ing them to manage anything else. Things
looked bit upset for a time and after
learning that the men proposed to make
no concessions the women began looking
about to see what else might be done. In
these days OF woman's activity 1t did not
| take long to decide upon a plan. and be-
fore the unsuspeoting though temporarily
victorious exposition managers knew what
was up, new womans Grub had been
orgsnized-the st. Louis woman's club by
name. This did not look embarrassing
| until IL was announced that Mrs James
| Blair was to be the president Of the club
| and that Mrs. Francis was vice president.
The club includes a selected membership
of 200 of st. Louis wealthiest and most in
fuential women. and at once secured one Of
the finest old mansions in town as a club
house. Even this equipment was not SUM-
cient, and an addition is to be made in
the form OF a ball room that is to cost
| $4,000 and which when completed will be
| one Of the finest ball rooms in st. Louis,
not even barring those Of the fashionable
mems clubs and the hotels. Now 1t hap
pens that II was the appointment of COM
mittees for entertaining purposes that the
national committee had particularly denied
the Board Of Lady Managers, and when the
full facts regarding the st. Louis woman's
| club came out the shoe was all on the
| other foot. The women say they will be
able to make out" without an appropria-
ton, thanks to their business experience,
and the fact that the cluD dues will be
$50 year and the initiation fee 800. II
any Of the authority-granting powers had
any doubts before regarding the ability of
the St. Louis women to manage things 1t
Is safe TO say that they have outgrown it
or will have done SO, for with the i'm
pressive title of Board of Lady Managers.
backed up with all of the authority Of a
woman's club. It is safe to predict that
the women will cut considerable figure dur
ing the exposition year after all.
At the closing meeting OF the Federation
of the District of Columbia a report was
made Of the salaries paid the school teach
ers Of the city of Washington which, II
appears. are not as large as in other cities
! OF its size. A committee was appointed
TO investigate the condition with a view OF
remedying It II possible.
number OF Boston clubs have united In
another effort to keep the city streets clean
? The assistance of the school children has
been enlisted and a circular issued request.
ing that they write essays on the subject.
Eastern suffrage organizations are begin.
r ming to site the Nebraska Suffrage associ
alton as one of which wonderland men
{ too-may we'll be proud. 1t is the educa.
I tive feature OF the Nebraska work that 4,
. attracting attention and the liberal man.
n ner with which men are disposed to lister
: to the argument seems surprising as vel
as gratifying TO the fasteners. Not only
in Nebraska, but in Montana and othe
!, states where Miss Gail Laughlin has inter
n ested the members OF the labor unions II
e woman suffrage. the same demand 70
e further explanation is being made, and 1
Is felt by many suffragists that the ma
tional organization might probably retail
d, her to continue this work among the union
of the eastern cities.
: The governor OF Washington has vetoe
the bill appropriating 5000 for travelin
libraries and the womens clubs of >tha
state will have to continue their work I
Al supply this need. Two years ago the fed
:, GRAFTON turned over twelve of these coIlec
!. tions to the state, when an Appropriate
!, of 1900 was made for their maIntenanc,
- and general Disappointment is expressed tina
- the hard work of the women for the prope
= support OF such a work is denied by tn
source that should rightfully supply It.
tx The Daughters or the American RevolJ
N ton Of Pennsylvania have sent Secretar
n Root $4,000. TO be used for a building
Iv Manila for the use of the enlisted men
"A the army there. The building will includ
~ reading, writing and billiard rooms and the
equipment for the amusement of the mel
The gift has been accepted by special a,
; OF congress-
The Ladies' Auxiliary TO Omaha typ,
! graphical union lso will give a "Unio
Label card party Tuesday evening, Jun
so, at Royal Arcanum hall. They announC
that there will be prizes for ell and thu
every prize will bear the union label Tn
will close the social AFFAIRS of the auxiliaI
for the summer. The influence OF tn
organization OF women is beginning to ha,
its effect in the demand for union-mac
goods and their closing social is admirab
consistent with an effort that has won Z,
them the interest OF all who know OF the
work