The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-03-27
FufOIe Among Women at New
 Orleans Ducts Down
FEW ATTENDED RECEPTION
Fearing Presence of colored Delegates a Number of Women Kept Away. Organizations Will Meet at
 Different Places in Future.

New Orleans, March 26.-The threat ened trouble over the color question hav- ing simmered down, the National Council of Women of the United States opened their executive session here today and the general officers held their public re- ception tonight No negroes were pres ent on either occasion. Mrs May Wright Sewarl, president of the International council said there had never been any probability of the attendance of a col- ored woman at the social function. Simi- lar receptions had always been given at tie north but on no occasion had ne- gro woman attended. There are only two colored women in the world entitled to be present at the business sessions here, Mrs Sewall said. One was Mrs. Yates of Missouri and the other was Mrs. Will Hams of this city. Mrs. Yates could not come, and sent her proxy.
 Never Was Any Danger.
 But Mrs. Williams. to whom the proxy was forwarded, has written me that she never ha any intention of par ticipating in the meeting' continued Mrs Sewall, and so there has never been any danger of a mingling of the whites and blacks during our stay in New Orleans.H
 Mrs. Mary Wood Swift, vice president and acting president, presided over the meeting today which was executive. Mrs. Sewall, president of the Internation- al Council. and Miss Susan B. Anthony, honorary president of the National Womans Suffrage association, were the guests of honor. Mrs Flo Jamison Mill- CT, corresponding secretary. presented report reviewing the work of the council during the year and calling special at tention to the serious blow which 1t had sustained in thu death of it's president, Mrs. Helmuth
 There will be an open business session of the convention tomorrow At the af- ternoon business session the National Press bureaus report showed that not only had many more secretaries been ap- pointed, but that many more newspapers throughout the country had consented to publish items concerning the work The report on peace and international arb- tration committee presented its most inn portant report of the convention, show ing the spread of the movement.
 Constitution Amended.
 Another important action was the pas sage of an amendment to the constitution concerning the admission of members. In the future the executive board will pass upon qualifications of applying bodies, and all affiliated bodies will then vote upon the question of admission.
 The unfortunate announcement of the possibility of colored delegates which impelled local women to withdraw from the reception arrangements, not only made tonight's reception by the national officers a slimly attended affair but will probably result in the future separation of the conventions of the National Suf- frage association and the National Coun- cil of Women, which have heretofore always been held in the same city at the same time. The Suffragists had a mag nificent meeting tonight under Progress sive Union auspices, Mrs Carrie Chap man-Catt delivering an address on "Women in Municipal Government"