The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-15
~, HAT THE WOMEN
OF Hi WORLD
lQ@ ARE DOING D

1t WAS St. Valentines day. 1858,
that the first woman's club was form
cd. ThoSe who organized it We're in
diSnant and rebellious because, al
though engaged in writing for news
papers and magazines. they We're re-
fused tickets to the dinner which the
New York Press club gave in honor
ut Charles Dickens when he visited
that city.
EVERY man in town who had any
connection whatever with the press
was allowed to purchase a ticket, but
the privilege was fatty refused to
women. even those who were employ
ed regularly on newspapers.
while the discussion was on and in
d~isnation among the Women was at
white heat. ST. Valentines day ar
rived and MIR. and Mrs. Charles Will
hour gave their annual Valentine
party. Mr.. Wilbour had hecn a re-
porter on the New York Tribune and
then was part owner of the paper.
Among thr guests were many of the
brightest newspaper mon and women
in New York. Mrs. Wilhour the host
oSS, is still living in New York and il
was she who told The story uf the
founding of SorosiS tn "A Times re-
| porter. ii
Naturally tho subject most dis
cusscd by the women n! the party was
the slight they had suffered at the
hands of the men who refused to ALLOW
them to purchase tickets to the Dick
ems dinner. Among those who TOOK
part in the discussion were Alice and
Phoebe Cary. Kate Field. Fanny Fern.
Nine. Demorest, Mary Kyle Dallas.
Sara l.. Hopper. Josephine Pollard and
Jennie June. whose! real name was
Jennie Cunningham Croly. assistant
editor of Demorest'S magazine and
wife of David Croly, then city editor
of the World.
Mrs. Wilbour gives Mrs. r. j. Ottar-
son. whose husband was connected
with the Tribune. credit for making
tho first suggestion MS to what the
women might do to get even with
tho men.
1T serves us right" she said. we
women will nevcr get anything until
We get together. The thing for lis to
do is to start a club of our own"
Every woman present jumped at
the suggestion" said Mrs. Wilbour.
Mrs. CrolN particularly was cnthusi-
astic. She seized upon the idea and
inspired the rest of us. do not sup
pose that any reader of today can
possibly realize how audacious the sug-
gestion was and how much real cour-
age it required to indorsc it. But We
all were indignant oNer the press clubs
treatment of us. If we had not been
| do not suppose the suggestion would
have been taken seriously for n min
ute, and it might have been years be-
fore Il Woman's club became possible.
Women are a good deal like men in
Some things: and Il good way to get
women to do anything is to get them
mad-just like men,"
Women of Minnesota have started a
whirlwind campaign for woman's suf-
frage in the state. They will tell you
that they expect to win this time.
They have been fighting for sixty-five
Years for the right to vote. One year
they came within n vote of getting a
constitutional amendment giving them
that right. Last year they failed by Il
narrow margin. Speakers will swarm
over the state for the next nine months
discussing the different phases Of
votes for omen They will be large
~ home talent. but some will be i'm
ported among them Max Eastman
from New York. In this fight the
women expect to win by the influence
of the legislature. To give women the
vote. the constitution must be amend
cd and to amend the constitution there
must be A constitutional convention
or the legislature must pass and sub
NIT the amendment. When public
OPINION has been aroused. the legis-
lators will be placed on record as to
their attitude toward woman's suf-
frage and some of those who refuse to
pledge themselves may turn up miss
Ing when the votes are counted in No
vember. After the legislature has
submitted an amendment it must he
approved at a ma iority of all the votes
cast at the election before it becomes
part Of the constitution. SO that the
battle can be hut half won this year.
Minnesota women are not going.to try
the spectacular. They will conduct a
straight campaign of education.
While the process goes forward. an
other process will also be in operation
separating h suffragette sheep from
the anti-suffragette goats. The women
are taking the stand that eff You like
US and are our friend in this suffrage
movement YOU should be willing to
work for our cause" On that princi-
pie they have impressed into service
a large array of male citizens as
speakers and advisers. These men are
expected to work for the cause and
many of them are glad to dc SO.