The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-03-14

The regular bi-monthly meeting of
the Woman's Club was held in the
parlOrs of the Putnam House last
Friday afternoon. A large number
responded to roll call and many Wis
ltors were present.
Two new members were elected at
meeting Of the executive board lust
previous to the regular meeting.
An interesting report was given hy
Mrs. CoughIin, chairman of commit.
tee to look after the court house
grounds. The committee from the
Woman's Club, with Mayor-elecl
Usina and Mr.. Harry Gray appeared
before the board of county commits
sloners to present a petition asking
for an appropriation Of S 10 per month
to improve and maintain the grounds.
which it was thought every citizen of
Palatka and Putnam county favored,
but alas! alack.-much time was spent
at the morning session in putting the
matter before the commissioners, but
no definite decision was reached. The
committee bravely returned to the
afternoon session but while they sue
ceeded in getting one member Of the
board to present their petition it fail
ed to pass much to the disappointment
of not only the committee, which had
worked so faithfully, but to all the
members of the club who had taken
an active part in putting the court
house grounds in their present shape
so as to have them correspond with
our handsome court house. 1t is TO
be hoped the board of county com.
mlsSiOners will reconsider this matte.
at their next meeting and make il
possible to keep the grounds in it,
present state of beauty.
The greatest feature of the after
noon was the stirring address given
by Mrs. ImOgene B. Oakley, of Phil
adeIphia, national chairman of the
Civil Service Reform committee, who
s on her first official tour Of the
south. Though the Palatka clubs
chief interest centers in civics and
perhaps knows more about that
branch of work, Mrs. Oakley bv her
charming personality and ready
adaptability combined the two in
such comprehensive, forcerul wa,
the most prejudiced mind could not
fail to see how closely the two sub
iects are allied.
At the beginning Mrs. Oakley
showed ConslusiycIy that civil service
reform belongs to the home begins
there; not only homes of the highest
class but the most humble ones in the
inspection of our sanitary arrange
ments, honest weights and measures;
in the food we eat; in the lights ana
fuel we consume; in our public build
ings and schools, hygiene and health.
All of these things centering in the
home are bound to be good or bad
according to the honesty and capa-
bility Of the men placed in charge of
such affairs. She brought this so
plainly before the club each member
became enthused with her theme.
Said she: "The common objection to
civil service reform as a subject of
activity for club women is that the
civil service is a political institution
and as such is distinctly out of our
province. To which objection | an
swer that the civil service is even
more a domestic institution than a
political one. The government is not
a remote impersonal thing. 1t is
very near and personal and the civi.
service which is the outward and Wis
ible sign of the government effects
every citizen every hour of every day
for good or evil. The civil service is
not a body of clerks transcribing do
cuments in Washington or in your
city hall; but it should be in and over
the policeman; the street cleaners:
the garbage collectors; inspectors Of
milk and markets, health officers.
teachers, employees in prisons and
hospitals.
Mrs. Oakley paid her respects to
the "spoils system" and the political
boss in an inimitabia, witty way that
not only enlightened her hearers as
to the facts but brought ont many
peals of laughter. She said: "The
unreasonable actions Of the political
boss and the awful crimes committed
under the spoils system with its doc
trine that to the victor belongs the