Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-03-11
The Confessions Of -
- - a Club Woman.
sURBRxDGE
By AGNES sURBRxDGx.

material election that year was mcs6 ex-
citing. Party feeling ran high, and the
election promised to be very close. The
Republican candidate was millionaire,
an aristocrat, an educated, refined, Up
right man. The Democratic aspirant for
the office was imam of the people"
popular with the workingmen, and in the
hands of the machine BOSSES"
Theodore Parsons was a Republican of
the type that votes only on pleasant
days or when dire necessity compels.
Joe Henning was a Democrat who never
neglected an opportunity TO vote, and
attended ward caucuses in season and out
of season. believing that so he served
his country. Like many other wives,
had taken his view of all political ques-
tions up to the present time; and when
Mrs. Parsons sent for me one day and
told me of her plans for the publication
of politics, was aghast.
II would never dare" protested. 1--WE
are Democrats, Joe and l."
"You?" and she raised her eyebrows.
"Tell me, for what does your party plat
form stand this years"
She had me there, and she knew it.
could no more have told her than could
have explained the differential calculus.
Come, we must take hold of these
things. Do you know what machine
politics mean? Do you know the proc
esses by which ward bosses control the
workingman? Do you know that right
here in Chicago there are thousands of
men who dare not vote except as they
are told? No. But know it, And it is
time for us women to take part in the
proceedings"
| She went on TO outline a Good Gov
eminent club" which she had planned, to
be made up of picked members of the
Nota Bene. Before she was through |
was enthusiastic over it, But my con-
science still pricked, and / could not de
eide.
Philip Haven had already formed a
habit of dropping in to our house in
| formally, often remaining to luncheon
and occasionally to dinner, He was there
when l returned from my call at Mrs.
Parsons house.
I'm so glad" l said as | took his
hand. Il want your advice. just wait
till lay off my wraps and I'll make
you my father confessor."
l ran upstairs and down again, deter
mined that he should decide for me- How
easy it is to lay our moral responsible
ties upon some other soul for decision.
When l came down l laid Mrs. Par
sons proposition before him. Shall l
join it?" asked.
"Why not?" was his reply. "The in
| fuence of good women was never more
necessary in Chicago than it is today"
But Joe is Democrat" / answered.
"And-and I've always called myself one
though | really know nothing of the
merits or dement's of either party"
| He smiled indulgently.
81 would not wish to advise anything
that might cause you trouble at home, >
he said But, as / understand it, this
Good Government club is to be neither
Democratic nor Republican; it is to work
for the publication of both parties. AM
right"
| | assented eagerly.
Then why should you hesitate?' he
asked
A sigh of relief escaped me. With the
October air had come the renewal of the
club fever, and the passion for Joining
things had grown strong again. l tele-
phoned Mrs. Parsons that she might put
my name on her new membership list
but that, on no account, was | to be
put in office
The Good Government club was soon
organized, and well advertised in the pa
pers. The more conservative press vel
coined the new society and devoted edi-
| torials to arguments for its existence
but the more sensational journals made
| endless fun of us. These were the pa
pers that Joe read, and he fumed and
ridiculed the club without mercy.
what will these club women do
next?" he would burst forth at the
breakfast table. "Meddling with politics
huh! What do You women know
about such things? They only make
fools of themselves by such perform
ances. I'd like 'em to NEEDLE with my
ward"
\ And would smile sweetly and never
dispute; and perhaps couple of hours
later would be in the midst of an ami
mated discussion at the Good Govern
ment club-a fact he never suspected.
l suppose we really did accomplish
something by keeping the discussion go
ing in the newspapers and by public
and private urging of the educated men
to vote. We held mass meetings, which
1 never attended although l often Sc
| tuItu Liic SpcdhtiS lbA bltIiy ana we
kept editorials going in the leading CON
servative journals, One day Mrs. Parsons
called me up over the telephone, and her
voice betrayed her CONSERVATION.
Jackie, you must come with me to
the Thunderer's office. I'm told they are
going to publish an article about Terhune
that will simply paralyze his chances on
the Republican ticket. We must stop it,"
But how ?" | asked. aghast.
mo more over the line," was the an
swer. BE ready at when 1 call Tor
you"
l was attitred in my most becoming
gown when her carriage stopped at the
door, for the wise woman does not APP
pear among newspaper people in shabby
clothes.
Somebody has raked up lot of stuff
about Terhune's past" she explained as
soon as the carriage door closed st
would make an awful scandal if the