The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-05
News of Women's Clubs.

News of Women's Clubs.
| Thursday afternoon the Fifth District
Federation of Women'S Clubs at its an
nual session in Clifton voted in favor
ed for by the amendment to the state
federation constitution adopted at EN-
poria last May and elected the follow
| ing officers: President. Mrs. N. I. Nc
Dowell, Salina; first vice president, Mrs
| Mary z. Tyler, Clifton; second vice
president, Mrs. c. N. Trott, Junction
! City; recording secretary, Mrs j. P.
Campbell, Clay Center; treasurer, Mrs.
Leila Munsell, Herington. The meet
| ing was a most successful one. The
state federation's travelling art gallery
exhibited under the charge of Mrs.
| Arlington of Council Grove was very
successful. Chancellor Strong of the
State university gave an address Thurs
day night. Other speakers were Miss
Bertha Rockwell of Junction City, Mrs.
James Lewis of Kinsley, president of
the state federation, who spoke on the
Permanence of Power, Mrs. ]. P. Camp
bell of Clay Center on Child Love, Mrs.
c. A. Hoffman, Enterprise, chairman of
the Forestry committee of the General
Mrs. A. S. Cordry of Salina on the Need
of Club Women in the Home, and Mrs.
James Humphrey of Junction City, A
Parting Admonition to Progress.
Only three district declarations in the
state have yet to hold their annual
meetings: the Second which convenes
in Ottawa and the Fourth in Peabody
next week, and the Third in Parsons
November Is and 16. All the others have
met and, with the exception of the
First at its session in Leavenworth
week before last, adopted without OPP
position the recent amendment of the
state federation constitution providing
for an increased per capita tax for dis
tricts federated with the state fedora
ton. The reports from the First dis
trict now are that the club women, even
some of those who voted against the
amendment, regret their action. and feel
Inundated by the impression of mig
gardliness which their vote created. The
increase eXacted by the amendment is
only five cents per capita, but as is
often the case in club elections the ques-
ton seems not to have been fully I'M
derStOod, even by some of the leaders
of the opposition to the amendment, for
when Mrs. Lewis, the state president
spoke upon the report of the vote de-
Gliding against the increase, regretting
the action of the district organization
in Withdrawing from the state fedora
ton one of the women who had been
prominent in opposing the increase re-
piled that the First district had not
withdrawn from the state federation as
its dues were paid up to next May. In
this however she was mistaken as the
only paid to last May, so the vote
against the increased tax had an effect
not foreseen by the leaders In the move
ment and unless many of the clubs of
the First district not at present indi-
viduaIly federated with the state or
ganization join before the next annual
meeting of the latter in Topeka in May
the vote from this district will be COM
paratively light.
AS usual in any controversy of this
kind the political factions in the fed
Grafton are charged with the trouble
and it is said that the opposition in the
jstr n H.
ment was not a question of economy on
the part of the rank and file of the
but of opposition to Mrs
Lewis, the state president, from a few
leading club women who used their in
fuence to thwart her in this way. On
the other hand, however, the opponents
of the amendment declare that their OPP
position was based on the fact that the
amendment was not adopted in accord
ance with the provisions of the consti
tuition. This, however, is a question
which can't be easily and promptly set
tied. If the amendment was not voted
upon at two successive state federation
the records would of course
show it, It would be strange If an
could be adopted otherwise
than in accordance with the provisions
of the constitution under the eagle eye
of Mrs. l.. B. Kellogg of Emporia, that
strict constitutionalist and parliament
tartan, who was chairman of the COM
nittee which proposed the amendments
town last May.
1t is reported that Mrs. Lewis. the
state president, will write an open let
ter to the club women shortly. ex-
planning the increased per capita tax
and the necessities which called it
forth. The last state administration
the affairs of the federation
with per capita tax of five cents
from the district declarations and left
$500 in the treasury. And while no
body has gone SO far as to whisper the
word doodle in connection with this
the opponents of increas-
ed dues amendment are making a |
good deal of the fact that the present
administration wants twice as much
money to meet the federation expenses
as former presidents have had. Mrs. |
Lewis says this can be explained to |
the satisfaction of any reasonable |
mind, and indeed nobody outside the |
First district seems to doubt her or
has even questioned the increased tax. |
Among the women from out of town |
expected to attend the Equal Suffrage
meeting besides the speakers mention |
ed are Mrs Thomas Gresham of Cot |
Falls, who will be guest of
Mrs. D. c. Nellis. Mrs Garrett and
Miss Garrett of Wichita. Mrs. J. P. st. !
John of Versailles. Mo-, Mrs. Laura
NJ Johns of Salina. who will be with
Mrs. S. S. EStey at the Presbyterian
manse, Mrs. Florence Hopkins of Sa-
lima, whom Mrs. r. A Burch will en-
terrain, Mrs. Fountain of Ell Dorado, |
Mrs. May E. West. Mrs. G. A. Lewis |
and Mrs E L. Martin of Yates Cen
ter. About fifty delegates are expect |
ed. Miss Kimber, the state association
president, will arrive Tuesday. Mrs.
Meyer, who is now a field secretary
of the national association, reports
900 new paid up members of the
state association in Kansas. The Ques-