The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1907-12-28


more recent books, "a Genuine Girl,
and "An Unwilling Maid" were received
with favor by the public. Of her verses
which have been set to music the best
known is Tender and True.'')
At the opening of the twentieth CEN
fury, realizing the wonderful strides
that progress and enlightenment have
made, perhaps there is none more
gratifying than the Increased and far
reaching influence attained by women.
Who, when the nineteenth century
was yet in it's infancy, would have
been bold enough to predict to our
grandmothers, whose stately heads
still wore hurbans and whose erect
figures scorneaE even the support of a
hlgh-backed and most uncomfortable
: chair, that their descendants would
don automobile caps, lounge even in
a drawing room, become active pro-
motors of clubs and other female or
CARNATIONS, even cast ballot at the
polls and be elected to public Offices?
No doubt the dear old danes would
have shuddered at such pronounced
advancement; but extremes touch"
and never more easily than in the de.
lightful being known as the up.to.date
1 woman. {
What a boon to many have been the
clubs, from the modest societies of the
working girls In our great cities to
the genealogical clubs--the Daughters
of the American Revolution, the Co.
lonial Danes and the Holland society!
These wonderfully successful organi-
cations have conclusively proved that
women are competent to direct public
work, and to go hand In hand with
men in the honor roll of progress.
But with this infinite number of
clubs, historical and genealogical,
there appears to be none combining
the political and social in a manner
which if properly inaugurated might
show that the twentieth century is
still a measure in advance of the nine
teenth and include among the active
workers those. whom the world at
large is somewhat prone to regard as
the drones Of the human beehive
There is very large class Of
women in the United States who from
environment, traditions and certain
shrinking from the publicity attendant
upon female suffrage are debarred
from showing the interest they take
in politics and from putting that inter
est and energy into practical use
Taken in the proper form it would
seem possible task to develop that
latent force and to make it of consid-,
cradle service to our Republi can gov
eminent BY forming a woman's league,
which might be called-unless some
bright woman suggest a better title
the League of the Golden Rod.
/ twenty-five years since in England
a few members of the conservative
party, desiring to add to it's strength
and influence, proposed such a plan,
and out of compliment and in memory
Of the late earl of Beaconsfeld the
present powerful and able Primrose
league was named for its favorite
flower. The first movers in the form
ing of this political organization were
Lord and Lady Randolph Churchill
and Sir Henry Wolfe, ambassador to
Madrid. Possibly the quick wit of the
American woman was the germ which
appealed to the enthusiasm of her
British sisters. The danes Of the
Primrose league, which began in a
small circle of London drawing rooms.
now number their thousands and are
found in 'habitations' the English
synonym for our American chapters
! all over the tight little island
As Woman's influence is supposed to
purify and ennoble the ballot, great
power for good government might be
evolved from an organization whose
center should be In our capital city,
where, although we have no suffrage,
It's principal officers could administer
with fearlessness and ability. Its,
ehief should be the wife Of the presi.i
dent, ex of1cio. and Teach succeed