Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-03
AFTER MR.. CLEVELAND
Former President Arraigned
by Local Club Woman.
MRS. LOCKWOOD TALKS
FEDERATION OF WoMEN's CLUBS
IN ANNUAL SESSION.
Mr. Roosevelt Praised for His Opinion
of the Fair Sex-Other Cues
lions Discussed.

At the annual meeting of the District
Federation of Womens Clubs, Mrs. Mary
s. Lockwood, as past president of the
federation, and one of its charter members,
gave a resume of the work accomplished
in the decade since the club women of
Washington decided to cooperate.
Before there were organized state fed
erations," said Mrs. Lockwood, many clubs
were doing excellent specific work-each in
its own line and environment, in accord
ance with local needs. No individual club
is subject to a master. except the master
of it's high purposes for which its life be-
gan; but IL the present purpose has not
outgrown the original purpose in this age
Of progress something is lacking in the
progressive spirit of the club.
Great movements are going forward, and
not to be factor In them is publishing our
inactivity, and, as has been wisely said.
we should show our willingness to stand
aside and to let the world go by If we
have done good in our clubs we shall have
learned the reward of one duty well done
is the power to fulfill another
with federation came the development
Of the clubs. The city club gains from
contact with the vital work of country
clubs-so full of life, energy and push. And
have grasped each others hands until the
great unbroken circle has been formed
that reaches across the continent. Every
link Is welded with a high purpose. and
over 100000 women are marching forward
to new activities in the line of benefcence,
philanthropy and education for the masses.
To be sure, there are some clubs still who
are self-centered and consider only them
selves sufficient unto themselves. But you
know what st. Paul said about those who
measure themselves by themselves and
%ha,, 0tsyaa h,- stny ,cal,r
themselves.
He doe snot say that we must not try
to show them a broader path, and when
they walk in 1t that we cannot w it'll
them, side by side, leading them into the
pastures gree nof a broader life where they
have not grazed.
Power of Cooperation.
1.-The power of cooperation can best be
proved by a review of the work accom-
plished by the District Federation. Who
believes for an instant that the laws here
concerning women and children would ever
have been considered by Congress through
the efforts of a single club? When five
thousand women are back of this question,
said one congressman, ! know it Is just,
and l will vote for the bill So the Mussey
bill became a law.
"Expectoration in the street cars was
next taken up in Pro Re Nata, but it took
the moral force of five thousand fedora
ton women to make it effective. The YES
tibuling of street cars, the striking out of
the age limit of twenty-one for the night
schools and the first appropriation for pub
lie kindergartenS - S15, 600 - was advocated
and probably secured by the women in the
District clubs.
THE bill for the repeal of duty on art
originated in the District Federation Of
Women's Clubs and is now a burning
question In the General Federation of
Womens Clubs.
When the day comes that our artists
can study the methods of the old masters
at home-because the moneyed men of
America stand ready to place these treas
ures before them as soon as the legislators
come to realize there can be no competition
on objects Of art 1000 years old. Then we
as a people will keep our money, our pur-
chased art treasures and out art students
at home.
"a little later on we hope to report that
we, as a federation of 5000 women, have
been in our request for trustee in each
school district, that at least six of these
trustees shall be women, and without rec
ompense.
'4rhe federation gave $50 for prizes at the
Corcoran Art Gallery IN the spring, anu
hopes to make similar donation to encour-
age the students in art during the coming
year it has given $40 toward the fund for
establishing q school for cooking organ
ICED and conducted by colored women.
A Word for Mr.. Cleveland.
Now let lis take Just moment to warm
over the sccrching club women got from
their friend, no. not friend, but brother,
Grover Cleveland, in a magazine. Think of
a man who never knew what a home was
until he had almost reached the scar and
yellow leaf OF life lecturing women who
were making homes beautiful before he had
left the rollicking atmosphere of political
club life. That is not the club life of the
women of the National Federation of Wom-
ems Clubs; but he does not know the diff
ference, though he writes per order on the
subject.
'"There might be essays written In like
order which would show the same supreme
ignorance, but we have been saved from
seeing them in print. AS has been well
said when a. distinguished man undertakes
to write about subject about which he
knows absolutely nothing, the more distin-
guished the man the more ridiculous his
failure.
.One striking statement of his is that he
does not include charitable associations, be-
nevolent religious work. These, he
SAYS. can be left out of the count
Had he known what he was dealing with
he would have realized that each and every
one of the three exceptions are an integral
part of the foundation work of the society
he condemns 1t Is the one womans So
ciety that does stand for the home in its
broadcast and fullest meaning. All that he
has said for the home has been thousand
times better said and better lived by the
women who make up this society than by
him.
What has Mr.. Cleveland to say of the
three million working women and children
for whom this society has stood. as between
them and their greedy oppressors? This So
ciety demands that the home shall mean
something for the poor and downtrodden,
for the weary, the sorroWful, and yes, for
the defenseless.
Wealthy publishers who reach out for
little notoriety and little more money and
ex-Presidents who are helping them in their
love for notoriety and gain are not In the
category of altruists it Is known by the
club women of America.
Work Of Club Women.
rs 1t detrimental to the home that by
years of labor club women have rescued
children of tender years from the horrors of
child labor in the mill and that in many
of the states they have pressed bills through