The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-05-19

away To be in the least affected. The
first question suggested to the average
club woman by Mr.. Cleveland's article
is, Who revealed to him what is the
sphere of woman's appointed minis
trationS'o"
Mr.. Cleveland generously admits tina
If a woman wishes to engage in philan-
thropic work or social life she may
probably be trusted to do so, but woe
to that woman who Graves and works
for Intellectual life and development.
such an one is a %perversion of Gods
gift TO humanity. She is responsible
for marted happiness in the home. and
Is INJECTING an injury upon domestic
life.
We will eheerfully join hands with
any one who declares that what the,
worl1 most OF all needs is better MOTH
ers. but the ways of the woman's clubs
part from the ways of Grover
when it comes to a discussion of how
better mothers are to be brought about
rowness. more prejudices that arc.
needed among mothers, but less of
these things. Even so beautiful "a
thing as a mothers love may be mis-
applied through lack of an educated
Judgment and cultivated perception
OF the physical needs of the child. of
the mental needs, of the social condi-
I, tions into which 1t must enter at an
early age. OF the evils and temptations
INTO which it will enter in the life out
side of the home. There are hundreds
of Women for whom the best resource
and indeed the only resource which Is
available is the club. That the club
habit" so obnoxious 10 MIR Cleveland.
is not allowed to go to an extreme, as
amy good thing may be allowed to do.
and so defeat its own good ends. must
be left to the individual conscience of
each individual woman. And / am
confident that this may be safely DONE.
| Women nave long ago recognized and
accepted the TACT that whatever chill
aren are born into this world must be
born by women, and that there is ev-
cry probability that a majority OF
women vii! be called to the office of
motherhood. 1t is for this reason that
women have from the very beginning
been studying the club movements, and
watching its effect upon nome life and
the life and development of the chill
dren in the home. Can a mother for
get her child? Do not ever fear it,
but hail her seeming devotion to her
club as a prophecy of q renewed and
more intelligent devotion to those of her
w flesh and blood. Mr.. Cleveland
makes the statement that no woman
who estimates motherhood as less than
her highest and hottest function and
4 y - u - - = w " Il "a
woman's tness TO become q mother
depends upon her illness physical,
mental and moral to become a good
mother. 1t is every woman's right to,
prove that motherhood is her highest
and hottest right and privilege, but it
is wrong to take it for granted. The
assumption of motherhood by the IN
fit is a constant menace to the good of
the world.
What the club is t. the individual
woman, federation is to the individual
clubs. 1t draws them out of their mar
rowness. IL uplifts them by an inter-
change of thought; it brings Inspiration
and enthusiasm Which can come only
through numbers. Iowa women be-
heVe in clubs and in their federation,
The state federation was organized
twelve years g at Des Moines, and
since that time has grow steadily. The
first state president was Mrs. James
G.. Berryhill of Des Moines.
There are at the present time 900 fed
Grated clubs in l73 towns. The num-
Der of members in these federated
clubs is 1000.
The efficient president of the state
federation is Mrs. Alice G. Fletcher OF
Marshalltown. The work of the state
federation is divided into departments,
which are in charge of committees Sc
lected from different parts of the state.
The dues of the club TO the federation
are small and the work and assistance
of the committees is always available
for amy club in the federation at nc
cost at all, or merely q nominal one,
The departments of the federation work
are the reciprocity bureau "a classified
collection of club papers upon different
subjects), library work, educational
village Improvement, art, household
economics, child study, child labor, cluE
program and industrial. A state meet.
ing is held nee in two years, alternat.
ing with the meeting of the general
federation. May 10, II and 70 are the
dates to which Iowa women are look.
ing forward. as the 1905 biennial oc.
ours at thai time at Waterloo.
The federation idea is applied locally
in all the larger cities of Iowa, the yari.
Gus clubs of ZACH locality uniting 70,
mutual fellowship, acquaintance anG
good work.
of course" says Mrs. Decker, 1.-THE
great advantage of federation is the
union for good work and the acuuain
ance with each other. No club has al
excuse for being unless it is doing pooC
to some II beside it's Individual mem.
bers. Think a splendid Gordon OF
wise and sensible women a state FEEDER.
alton of 1900 members mean to am
commonwealth. i ask you to increase
your clubs and your federation. I'll.
more club women there are the create,
will be the advance of the state anC
the community. spiritually, PHYSICAL,
and intellectually. because they are Tho
home women, the happy women, tht
hopeful women n the helpful WON,
en-"