Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-11-04
WOMEN'S CLUBS to
GATHER IN RACINE
Eighteenth Annual Convention Of
the State Federation.
SESSIONS TO BE INTERESTING
Several Addresses Are Scheduled for
Meeting WhieS Opens on Wednes-
day, November 4-Gathering
viii Last Three Days.


Madison.-The eighteenth annual
convention of the Wisconsin Fedora
ton OF Women's Clubs, to be held at
Racine, November 4, 5 and 6, prom
Ises to be one of the most interesting
politically of any yet held, and quite
as exciting as any, barring possibly
that at GAINESVILLE, two years ago.
The report of the nominating COM
nittee has been kept a profound Sc
cret, in spite of the pronounced opin-
ton Of many of the clubs that the 5000
club women of the state should know
in advance who the nominees are, in
order to oppose them If it is desired.
The nominating committee chairman
enough to get a president to serve.
even II secrecy were promised, and
that as the candidates would not like
to have their names mentioned in the
papers as being the choice of some
clubs and opposed by others, the COM
mittee had pledged itself to secrecy
on the subject.
1t is said that if certain name has
been nominated for the Office of presi-
dent the nomination of another presi-
dent from the floor will follow, mean
Ing fractional split. Practically this
same thing happened at GAINESVILLE.
when for the first time in the long
and peaceful history of the federation,
1t was shaken by internal discussions.
The question of suffrage is likely to
be forced into the convention in some
form or another. There is difference
Of opinion still upon this subject, even
though the suffrage element got a
resolution through the GAINESVILLE con-
vention indorsing suffrage, by a vote
of 129 to 60. Mrs Strathearn, the
president. voted against the measure.
Mrs. Strathearn, in an interview
shortly after the convention, said:
Il believe that the privilege of the
ballot should most certainly be ex-
tended to women so that those who
desire may use IT, In spite of this
convention have a strong feeling that
the subject should not have been in
troduced into the convention"
Beside the suffrage bin the conven.
ton Endorsed a mothers pension bill
and the bill for a state reformatory.
and when the legislature met, a COM
mittee appointed by Mrs Strathearn
10 represent the convention in the
legislature. recommended the passage
Of the two last bills and omitted TO
recommend the suffrage bill.
in my opinion" said Mrs. Henry
NJ. Youmans, president of the Wis.
consin Women Suffrage association.
the committee had no right to omit
the suffrage bill in its recommended
tons"
Mrs. G. E. Estabrook. vice-president
of the fedartion for the Milwaukee dis
trict, Miss Lutte E. Stearns, Mrs.
James l.. Foley, former president of
Marquette, and a number of other
prominent club women, including the
chairman OF the nominating commit
tee, Mrs. f. NJ. Hart. Tomah, feel that
the time has come when the nomina-
ton of candidates should be con-
Quoted as derlocratically as possible,
and toward this end it has been pro-
posed that in succeeding years a list
of nominated candidates be sent out
with the call Tor the convention.
One circumstance which will do
much toward keeping all discussion
amiable is that the present president
of the federation. all of the past presi-
rents, including Mrs. Youmans, who is
also president of the Wisconsin Wom-
an Suffrage association; Miss Stearns,
who has an extremely large following:
Mrs. Percy V. Pennybacker, president
of the General Federation of Women's
Clubs, and a number OF other promi-
nent women, will be members of a
house party in the residence of Mrs.
William Howard Crosby of Racine.
also past president of the federation.
This will bring the leaders of the diff.
ferent groups of women together and
allow them to discuss pleasantly all
their differences.