The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-02-28

Idaho Republican Is adopted by the
Idaho State Federation of, Women's
clubs as the official organ of this ad-
ministration.
Sincerely yours,
HORTENSE A. FORD, Cor Sec
1. + +
Echoes Becomes State Organ.
When the editor of these columns
came to Idaho two and a half years
ago and became partner in the life
and work of the editor of The Idaho
Republican, we were offered ample
opportunity to study the state and
its people from very practical stand
point, that is, the newspapers from
over the state that found their way
both daily and weekly to the office.
The first impression received was the
big-hearted generosity of rapidly
developing state whose proportions
might almost be described in the
same terms.
Conclusions come after, and are
formed from impressions-the i'm
preston is the whole, while the con-
elusion is the detail or summing up,
therefore, as we have given you the
former 1t Is only fair and fitting you
should know the latter, so far as 1t
concerns the women of the state
their work and the rapidity with
which their membership Is increasing
by the adoption of those who are
gladly welcomed from different parts
of the Union.
Our conclusions were that while
the newspapers were backed by edi-
tors and business men who were very
commercially and energetically in
terested in the development of the
various resources of the state, the
most important of which was bring
ing the new settlers and workmen
to Idaho to establish homes, which
seemed to consist of SO many acres,
a sheltering for the family and good
water right. All of which is perfect
ly right, but does not go far enough,
and the women of the state were TAX
ing the matter up and continuing 1t
by building, and agitating, and cdlti-
waiting, and studying and beautify-
ing the state, to make 1t more in
wiling spot to bring the stranger to.
and surround the coming generation
with better, environment that the
all-around training received by the
present and future children, might be
of a quantity and quality that would
produce only the best men and wo-
men to take up affairs of state and
home.
That their work was not under
stood as 1t should be, for many rea-
sons, not the least of which Is the
fact that woman's rights and privi-
leges in a state that accords her the
use of the ballot, are new and some
what unpopular to the newcomer who
fs prejudiced by generations of con-
trary teachings. How to overcome
these difficulties was the next thing
that came to our mind, and a place
where our limited ability and talent
would permit us to be useful and do
our part In shoulder to shoulder work
with these women. We thought more
systematic publicity was needed, and
as there was no journal or publica-
ton Of any kind that had made
special charge of the work women
were doing, we suggested the matter
to Mr.. Trego, who at once appreciat-
ed the need of such department
and granted the use of few COL
umns.
Then we took the matter to Mrs.
Reesor, president of the first dis
trict, and found such hearty acqui-
essence from the entire district cabi-
net, that Echoes of Woman's Clubs
made its debut as the official district
organ, November 20. 1907. At this
time we happened to be writing our
state president Mrs. Butterfield and
mentioned this as
means Of advancing the work of the
first district. The following unex-
pected reply was received: "Your
letter has been meat and drink to my
soul. Your ideas are admirable. The
point Is, can you make them more
Why not the Idaho
Republican the State Federation or
yan?" The idea was entirely new
o us and we left 1t in the hands of
Hrs. Butterfield and her efficient
orps of assistant officers, with the
from Mrs. Ford
'rinted at the head of these columns
S a result. We, Echoes and I, are
cry grateful for the confidence and
steem which must have been the in
tigators of the promotion bestowed