The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-06-07
Address q Rev. Florence Buck
IS the Feature ofthe Biennial
Held at st. Paul 5.
NEW MOVEMENT FOR WOMEN
The Kenosha Minister Excites Wonder
From the Entire Nation by Her
Demand For Better Condi-
tons Of the Novel

The speech of the. Rev. Florence
Buck, Of this city, before the biennial
Federation of Woman's clubs at st.
Paul on Saturday afternoon proved to
be the most interesting feature of
the sessions thus far Of this very in
teresting body of women. The adj
dress of Miss Buck has attracted
wide spread attention on account of
the unique way in which she dealt
with the quest Of literature and the
best means 70 procure better books.
Miss Buck spoke on the subject:
What we should demand
It was pointed out in the address
that the novel was the most popular
of all mental foods and that it is as
much IN the province of mankind to
protect the mind of the family from
contamination of impure 1iteratur as
to protect the family stomach from
adulterated foods. In making her APP
peal to the club women to work fer
the publication of literature, Miss
Buck declared the problem novel is
here to stay and that women should
not spnrn it.
"There is no reason" declared Miss
Buck, why we should not form our
selves into consumers league and
demand the publication of only the
best things Miss Buck admitted it
might take the women long time to
uplift the literary standards. She
said:
sTfe influence you may exert for
good fiction is like the beam of the
81 Eat traditional musical statue.
Its effect is not immediate, but GER
tain to come in the end, and out of
this prosaic time there shall come a
novel that will live" The convention
loudly app1auded the appeal to women
to take up the work Of purging liter
ature. The Endorsement of the prob
lem novel also was applauded. aThe
realists, declared the speaker, TAX
ing up the subject of the problem
novel, must be careful that their
truth to life be not only truth to the
lower side of life-the fact side. =
She severely condemned the prud-
ish women who scorn the works of
the realist, and said it would be we'll
if the authors Of problem novels put
.on the fly page this inscription;
"This book is published for those who.
think; all others who read it do so at
their own risk.
"The problem novel has come to
stay" she said, sand the highest
type of this kind of novel should re-
veal both cause and effect. The prob
lem novel above all others must do
this. Human passions and sin and
pain are its legitimate field. It is
necessary for us to know of evil if we
are to love good. We must have, it is
Imperative that we have, what has
been called the dark in literature.
The spirit of.life teaches us through
sin. We must demand, however, that
the problem novel does not debauch
the imagination with unworthy
things. Such questions as heredity
and environments are deep questions,
and must be dealt with. Even the
novel of purpose need not be too
obvious. 1t is not the whole problem
of fiction to preach. =
Miss Buck then pointed out what
women should demand Of the novel.
Here are the things which should be
demanded:
That the novel and it's characters
/ be true to life.
| That the ideal in life be emphasized.
That the motives in life be dwelt
upon.
/ That It deal with adventure or such
problems as society, capital and
Labor, and life in all its phases.
That II never presents improbable
pictnres or situations.
That honor shall always dominate.
That sweetness and grace Of nature
shall abe emphasiz
Ia That it be work of art.
"But,' declared the c1ubwoman-
minister, let us stop talking so much
about art for arts sake, remembering
that all art is for life. We shall de-
mand of the novel that it g1orify the
commonplace In life; that it glorify
the life around us. In olden times
the feats Of the g1adiators and the
acts Of the gods on Olympus furn-
ished the motives. TodaY we must
have another motive, il must be
found in human heart and soul. We
must demand that the novel shall
help u.s.
Mrs.Harvey Dee Brown and daugh.