The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-14
500 KANSAS ATENVI

the business and home woman, and.
still better than the best. is the ex-
ample of business sagacity, of cour-
age, of unself1sh service, and of USE
full living given by the members of the
Klio association in conducting this
successful and public spirited enter
prise.
A plan which Is commended to
every state and to Individual clubs as
well is the one just carried out by
Mrs. Rankin, president of the I'm
provement league of Minneapolis;
pamphlet containing the state statutes
relating to women and children. A
collection Of this kind has been made
before in a few states. 1t is of great
value to the busy worker, but the
real worth of such publication is the
bringing of knowledge, to the indi-
vidual woman, of her property rights
and her claims as mother, wife, etc.
There is great ignorance of business
affairs among certain classes OF
women. Why not a course of study
in this line, knowledge of which fire.
quent1y means very existence? What
harm to know about loans and mort
cages, about bonds and banking, in
surance, taxes, ground rents, invest
ments, and other vital matters! More
and more women are the owners of
property, either through earning
capacity or inheritance. It is fas-
cinating and delightful to sail smooth
ly on, cared for and protected. But
suppose the storm comes, the bread
winner is taken away; all the studies
Of years will be of slight service com
pared to some genuine practical
knowledge of how to meet the bread
and-butter question. Many a fine
soul has been an unwilling dependant,
and passed an unhappy old age, be-
cause of ignorance of this absolutely
life-contafning subject.
Chicago women overdress until they
look like animated clothes horses.
Dress and shopping have so stultified
their intellectual and artistic percep-
lions that they wear things that are
hideous and have no harmony. Artists
find no mart for heir work there be-
cause Of womens extravaganza in
dress. These were a few of the plain
truths forced upon the members of the
Chicago Woman's club at a meeting
held this week for the purpose of dis
cussing the "Ethics of Dress and Shop
ping"
Simplicity in dress was the keynote
of the speakers, with the exception Of
Mrs. Thomas, wife of Prof William L.
Thomas of the sociology department Of
the University of Chicago, who talked
on the Financial Aspect
'I have finished preaching against
luxury" said Mrs. Thomas decidedly.
"Spend your money If you want to.
Buy your silver backed brushes and
pretty gowns. but pay enough to pre-
vent suffering to the long chain of
workers who have made and brought
you the articles. See that they get the
money, and then the question of lux
ury will take care of ITSELF
Mrs. Eva Brodlique Summers said
that the confirmed shopper was an
SIM n Ia a
to discriminate because she lacks
breadth and culture" The Chicago
woman, she declared, is not artistic be-
cause she thinks too much of fashion
and knows little about art In dress.
Every year at the Art institute we
have exhibitions that are a credit to
the artistic achievement of the COM
munity," said Mrs. Summers. women
flock there in the most beautiful and
costly gowns, meet the artists, and
and then say, ooh, yes, they are beau
tifu1; how we should like to purchase
some Of them. but we can't afford
them AS a matter of fact, the power
ty of many is due to the expenditures
they make for clothes that leave them
nothing with which to buy pictures"
As a result of the stultifying Of
artistic perceptions, Mrs. Summers
stated that Chicago women wear
things that are hideous and lack har-
I1Ouy, WHICH Hldk0 lH0Hl IOOh Inc
animated clothes horses or bargain
counter dummy.
s"The dramatic critic is so swayed
by dress,' said Mrs. Summers. that
he loses sight Of the drama, and criti-
cises the dresses of the actresses. so
that most of the dramatic criticisms
of today are based on clothes"
Mrs. Mau de .Radford Warren said
that the changing fashions were an
Of "Mob Psychology" and
that dress and fashions stultify intel
lectual perceptions. She said:
1--WE are all hypnotized by the FASH
ion plate woman and she stuItif1es our
'sThe fiat goes FORTH" said the
speaker "and we do not stop in our
mad rush to think whether the style
1t orders is suitable or economical
Hurry makes us buy our fur hats in
August and our linen gowns in Janu-
ary. We simply follow the fiat ana
often look foolish"
Miss Mary Mcdowell spoke on the
aspect of dress and shop
ping.
ITO my mind the best dressed wo-
man, considering the broader mean
ing of the term she said, "is she who
where and how her
clothes are made.
ct do not think that any woman is
well dressed whose hat is trimmed
with cruelty or whose gown is sewn