Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-07-26
Prominent Women of Topeka


Her Mothers name was Murphy,
her fathers name was Moore.
Further back O'Reilly-she'S Irish to
the core.
We have with us this morning Mrs.
Lila Day Monroe, president of the
Good Government club and chairman
of the Advisory council, the suffrage
adjunct of the present city admins
tration.
Everything and everybody favors
suffrage at the Monroe home, includ-
ing the maid, Matte. To Matte her
mistress is wonder, as our some of
her preceding. Matte was discus
sing suffrage last fall.
Funny about these women" She
remarked. ''Do you know, l believe
Missus could get fifty of them to
come here at midnight by calling
them up at I1:30 and telling them the
meeting was for the good of the
cause
Besides the presidency and chair
mansilip, Mrs Monroe has other
claims to distinction too numerous
to enumerate. She has been presi
dent of the Kansas Equal Suffrage
association and of the City Fedora
tion of Clubs. She is a lawyer of re-
cognized ability, has been an editor,
and is well known as lecturer and
writer: when she hrSt came to Kan
SaS she was guilty of writing verse
She belongs TO the Kansas Day club.
the Kansas Authors club, the FEEDER
alton of Women, the Women's Com
mercial club, the SoroSiS club, the
Eastern Star, the Daughters of Re
beka, and several other organizations.
She is Methodist WHO would have
made poker player had her talents
been developed along that line: a
women lawyer who can listen atten-
lively on occasion, and then ask
embarrassing questions. She gener-
ally is listened to when she chooses
to talk.
Admitted to the bar in 1895. Mrs.
MonrOe'S legal talents have been of
considerable value to the women of
the state, both in their fight for suf-
frage and for certain legislation they
have desired. She has a sense of
humor that at times verges on the
sarcastic. At the recent session of
the legislature the Provident Loan
association bill was introduced. Mrs.
Monroe was against it, and fought it
from start to finish.
One member of the legislature
from Shawnee county was favorable
impressed with the bill. to say the
least. He made short talk in fav-
or of its adoption, declaring it would
put the loan sharks out of business,
and holding it up as purely philan-
thropic scheme in the interests of
the poor.
Following his speech he sat down
with an air of virtuous satisfaction
A piece-Of paper futtered down from
the gallery and lit at his feet. With
a natural curiosity he picked it up,
read it, flushed, and looked up at
| Mrs. Monroe, visiting the law max
erS.
The paper paraphased certain
passage thusly: s-Whoso lendeth to
| n fO ho
cent month"; The bill never be-
came Il law.
The club women of Topeka, and OF
the state, for that matter, persistent
lv have refused to commit them
selves to any political party. They
claim that once their organizations
take part in politics their usefulness
will be ruined.
"But for myself, l am Progress
ive," declared Mrs. Monroe last week
:'Yes, Bull>Moose Progressive, even
a MooSette with laugh. THE Pro
gressive party offers more for the
great mass of humanity, than any
other party. But understand me,
am speaking as an individual, not as
a member or officer of any organic
alton"
Mrs. Margaret Hill McCarter once
said of Mrs. Monroe: ''She has or
iginated and set in motion more use
| lul ClNlC IIldH dHy OIi1Ol
women in the capital city. She is {
lsafe and sane suffragist." This wa:
before the passage of the suffrage
amendment.
Lila give the i the same sound a:
in ssmill," not as in ''mile"-Day
Monroe was born in Mooresburg, Ind
| When Is years old she was teaching
school in Terre Haute, Ind. After
ward she attended the Indiana State
Normal, and then taught few year:
more On visit to Wa-Keeney
she met Lee Monroe, young lawyer
and was married to him in 1885. The
Monroes have made their home il
! Topeka since 1901.
Mrs. Monroe was admitted to The
bar in 1895, and was probably tht
first women admitted to practic be
| fore the supreme court Of the state
Mr.. and Mrs. Monroe have-four chil
dren; they live at 900 Harrison street
Capital
| Fresh beef at Bakers. adv