The independent-reporter., 1910-09-22

OWNERS. ne way Huck assisted Jim
TO freedom is one OF the most dra-
matte pieces OF literature.
Samuel Clemens, the pessimist.
was not so pleasant to look upon with
his cynical view of this world and
his hopelessness of the other but IL
was his hatred of hypocrisy and lies
that made of him a Donnibrook fair
reformer. one who hits every head he
sees. Mr.. Clemens story of Hadleys-
burg, was a denunciation of the "sin
of silent assertion" and was true in
spirit. He has spoken scathing words
in regard to the Dreyfus case and our
policy in the Philippines, the persecu-
tions of the Jews and against King
Leopold. He went after every wrong
thing he saw without knowing where
ne was going" Christian Science and
Shakespeare's claim to his own plays
were alike victims of his scorn
Professor Zueblin made one COM
parison between Walt Whitman and
Mark Twain which struck his audi
ence as forcible and funny. Mark
Twain loved his fellow man but
scoffed at them while Whitman over
flowed with love for everything in
the universe from poke weed TO God -
This vision of Mark Twain max
ing people laugh like the clown at the
circus whose child was dying at home
was singularly pathetic. That a man
could be funny" while he believed
human life most of it was "a mistake,
a failure and foolishness,e seems
incredible.
Lastly the speaker spoke of Mark
Twain, the democrat. He was not
quite the democrat of the New Ma
tionalism" but yet a sturdy republi-
can. who in the Prince and the Pau
per and in the Yankee at the Court
of King Arthur, laughed equally at
the Englishman's chivalrous ances-
tors and at the Yankee chiyalry
NlllSIt Will l1Ot dliOh lduN " Hdf Z
her rights.
Finally from it all the speaker de-
duces the moral that The man who
sees that things are going wrong and
does nothing to help them is the
traitor" Mr. Clemens himself said
that to be good is noble; to teach
others to be good is nobler besides
being easier. He has done both
these things and the speakers final
characterization is that with all his
faults Mark Twains name like that
of Abou Ben Ahdem may be written
"As one who loved his fellowmen"
Friday morning there were more
club reports-the minutes of the pre-
yious afternoon session and then
came the educational hour in charge
of Miss Hannah Page, chairman OF
that committee. The report of Miss
Page was very interesting as well
as important one, having to do as il
does, with the Federation work for
bettering our rural schools \ letter
was read from the Hon Payson
Smith. endorsing the work of the
committee and asking for practically
the same things asked for by Miss
Page at the close of her report which
in effect were that the committee be
composed of three instead of six mem
bers that the members might serve
more than two consecutive years.
AS this last rpcnmmpn6Dt tinn in n-
yolyed change in the constitution a
motion was made to change the arti-
Gle in the constitution reading, mo
officer shall be eligible for the same
office more than two consecutive
years" to NO officer shall be eligible
for the same office more than two
consecutive years except upon vote of
the Federation" A motion was made
20 2mend the amendment by substi-
tuting for the new clause one read
ing except the educational commit
tee After much discussion it was
voted that the motion be laid upon
the table until the midwinter meet
ing; and, later, not to make the COM
mittee smaller in numbers.
The next thing on the program was
a trio by Misses Marian Lord and
Faith and Freda Harris, which was
finely rendered, giving great pleas
ure to the hearers. Then came the
Art and Craft committees hour, in
charge of Mrs. Bertha Quimby, chair
man, followed by an address on DE
sign" illustrated by handicraft by
Eben Comins. This was a fine talk
plea for simplicity and originality
in the arrangement of our homes and
the employment of our hands. He
gave his hearers a glimpse of the way
in which the three elements of order
balance, harmony and rhythm enter
into all creations that are beautiful
whether in art proper, music, poetry
or In the wider field of Nature, and
how, if a knowledge of the principles
of order does not make us able to
create it will enable us to arrive at
understanding and through under
standing to good taste and a better
appreciation of the beautiful
Next followed the report of the
nominating committee which was ac-
cepted and the following officers
elected:
President Mrs. c. F. Flagg, (Edna
PD, Portland; Vice President, Mrs.
Stanley Plummer, (Elizabeth), Dex-
ter; Recording Secretary, Mrs. w. b.
Pierce, MARY RI, Bangor; Treasur-
er, Mrs. e. w. Heath MARY 81, Wa
terville; Federation Secretary. Mrs.
Kendall Dunbar Uaura E) Damar-
iccotta