The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-21
An Association Of
New Women"
The Beginning of 1t and Some of It's Features.

washington, Aug. 20.-Perhaps the
very aueerest thing in the National
C5pital. but one well worth investigat-
ing. is a certain cooperative associa-
ZION of New Women" who have as
serted complete independence of men
end maintained it. too, despite ALI
manner of hardships and opposition.
This unique organization, the only one
Of its kind in the whole world, is a sort
Of religious club. a stock company, a
travel ana study class, a cooperative
earning colony, and several other
things difficult to define: and it is not
valued by any prosaic constitution and
set of bylaws, but simply and solely
nv revelations. In that one respect
they resemble the Latter Day Saints
of Utah, as well as in thrift, and in
dustry; but there ceases all similitude
IA the Mormons. Though only a few
Years old in Washington, the society or
club. or whatever one may call it, was
started a little more than thirty years
ago in the village of Bolton, Tex; and
with true Western grit, it has survived
ytcissitude that would have killed an
ordinary womanS club. From the
smallest and poorest beginnings the
little commune of unlettered, hard
working women has accumulated prop
ertv now worth hard on to half a mil
lion dollars: and the best of it is that
IN this world of disappointment and
"Dead Sea apples" they are perfectly
contented and would not exchange
their peaceful and moderately prosper
Gus lot for that of the most favored
Individual who walks the earth
This was the way it started: Some
thing more than a quarter of a century
ago. a dozen neighbors in the dreary
little Texas village, being entirely dis
satisfied with the conditions of life as
they found them, formed themselves
into a woman's prayer which
met, one afternoon each week in the
homes of the different members. The
Bible was studied and discussed, I'M
der the leadership of Mrs. Martha NJ.
Whittier. (who is still the active lead
er. though past 70 years of age), and
theories, at first timidly advanced
within the sympathetic circle, at length
became convictions to be boldly de-
clared abroad.
Bolton, like many remote rural com
rnunities, is devoutly religious accord
ing to its lights, and the pious citizens
-dCilnR upOl Tie Old principal bildI
heterodoxy is anybody else's doxy,
straightway scented heresy and in or
thodox eyes the hitherto harmless
prayer meeting became a flaming fire.
brand, lighted with sparks from the
lower regions. Had the offending wom-
en- lived in Inquisition times, their re-
naming days would have been short,
but full of torrents. Trials for heresy
were at once held under every little
white-painted church steeple in the
place and twelve women were pub
Ideally disgraced by having their church
letters returned to them and being
turned out among the goats. Still the
''woman's prayer meetings" continued
its sessions undaunted, meeting solely
for study of the Scriptures and obser-
walton along border lines. One step
of independence precipitated another.
The allowance question began to be
the burden of the common prayer.
These primitive new women" resent
ed the fact that instead of being re-
garded as co-partners in the house
hold firm they were required to ask
him" for all the money expended for
household necessities. to be granted
with condescension or not at aoll. ac-
cording to his" mood For example:
Mrs. McWhirter wanted $3.50 one day
to buy pair of house slippers for
herself her feet troubling her greatly
from being on them so much in the
ordinary household tasks. Like a wise
woman she got her husband a good
dinner before preferring her small re-
quest. Then she asked him for the
amount required. He questioned her
closely as to what she wanted to do
with so much money as $150. She re-
piled that it was for a necessity; and
feeling that the joint fund was as
much hers as his-she having for long
years performed fully half the labor
she declined to particularize further.
After asking several times, without
having her request granted. she took
her first step forward and asserted
her independence. She told him from
that day forth he should never put
another penny into the house under
any circumstances, nor should he ever
give the children a cent; that she in
tended to run the house. support the