The Dickinson press., 1913-06-14
Federation aftermath +
ADDRESS BY MRS. AmID0N
Continued from page ~

a single instance reported in which the
entrance of women into politics has
made conditions worse than they were
before.
What women will do in business
when they have the ballot can only be
judged. They are already working in
the world of business. some seven or
eight millions of them. but they are
d~isfranchised. 1t is reasonable to sup
pose, however, that they will bring to
pass the industrial reforms for which
they are now working by indirection,
a minimum wage-equal pay for equal
work. the eight hour day. factory in
spection adequate child labor reHula-
tions. In New Zealand, after twenty
years Of voting power they have already
secured the eight hour day, banished
strikes and lockouts and brought to Set
Element by arbitration all labor and
capital disputes.
l cannot understand why women con-
sent to work without representation,
they are queens of society, peers in
the world of culture-but in business
they are willing tt remain squaws.
In e%numeratine the evils of the home
that could be remedied only by the vote
Mrs. Amidon dwelt at length upon the
adylteration of cloth, a practice all too
common among the manufacturers and
against which North Dakota has enact-
! edno protective laws.
She described a chemical test which
she recently saw made of d piece Ct
wooden dress goods purchased in North
Dakota at S2.5o per yard. The fabric
was found to be the go per cent cotton
good strong cloth, but dear at soc per
! yard,
As a result of this phase Of her talk.
the meeting passed resolutions asking
the next legislature to enact a suitable
law for our protection from the adulter-
alton of textiles. There was an enthu-
siastic suffrage discussion at the close
of the speech. 1t was seed sown On
fruitful soil. In the near future it is
expected that Stark county will be or
ganized for the suffrage campaign of
1914.
/ CONSERVATION REPORT
Madam President and Fellow Ladies
Conservation work as a part Of
woman's club work is rather a new
affair. and especially so for this state.
this committee may perhaps.be excused
for not presenting a report of much def
mite work accomplished. Very little
can be done at the present time except
lay out and suggest work for the future.
The spirit of conservation of our native
resources has scarcely yet entered into
the minds of our people as a whole and
for the present the work devoted to the
subject can very we'll mostly lie along
educational lines. Perhaps the subject
is not very we'll understood and so there
will be difficulty in securing willing
and efficient workers.
The forestry problem will not trouble
western North Dakota very much, al
least until our windbreaks and tree
plantations are larger and more numer'
GUS than at present. In establishing
tree planting, President Worst and thu
leaders in this movement need on
help. Our aid can be extended no.
only directly to tree planting but lndi
rectly too. For instance, if we are Il
make bird study a feature. then w
need to interest ourselves in tree plant
y ing, for the two are closely associated
In carrying on this work. the sympath
i of the teachers should be enlisted fc
they can do much. Indeed, care shoul
be taken that they do not get the stal
h of US for l notice that they have bee
having their pupils ear club button
pledgine to give protection to birds an
their nests.
n The work of this district has bee
v mostly offering suggestions and sendir
p clippings whenever available. A pap
on native shrubs and plants was read
~ a meeting of the Equal Suffrage Gu
-. and was published through the kindne'
=. of the Dickinson PRESS. Judging fro
- inquiries and letters, this paper he
>. some effect. Similar articles would I
=, doubt have an effect in helping othe
:, to make more of what nature provide
Work has been undertaken to intere
children to show what can be done wi
- native shrubs and flowers. Only a ii
'e tie start has been made this spring b.
the intention is to start a small bota
d. ical garden.
no The conservation movement is a wi
or one but to make our work efectual.
he should be kept restricted to certa
C. special lines. In addition to what b
e. been mentioned, there are other su
II. jects of prime Importance. especially
n western North Dakota. Among the
;1l noo, H.. -on<;onod the increaae Of [