The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-06-10
WEATHER
MAN SCORED
Club Women in Convention
Say His Conduct is
Unbecoming Nice
Man.
[By Marie Moore, United Press staff
Correspondent

SeS ~s~s.A
Correspondent
CHICAGO, June 10.-With an at.
tendance far exceeding the 10000 ex-
pected visitors, the General Fedora
ton Of Women's Clubs. opened rs
twelfth biennial convention today at
the auditorium.
Mrs. Percy V. Pennybacker. Austin,
Texas. made her first appearance as
presiding officer and the ovation that
greeted her presaged her certain re-
election. The biennial Is distinctly
worlds convention. The presidents
gavel brought together women who
vote in China, women who make laws
in Colorado, women who are leaders
Of affairs in New Zealand and In
North Dakota. The only man who
had anything to do with the conven-
tion was the weather man and he was
promptly blacklis.ed for conduct un.
becoming nice man."
The invocation, which is usually
spoken by man. was offered today
by woman minister, DR.. Rowena
Morse Mann. granddaughter of the
Father Of the Telegraph"
The convention opened with a vol.
ley from the suffrage ranks, led by
Mrs. Dimies T. s. Dennison, Of New
York, who discussed the topic "Is 1t
Feasible to Have Discussion on the
Floor at the Main Sessions?" II .he
delegates answer yea to this i'm
portant question, It will practically be
la victory for suffrage for II the dele
gates are allowed free speech from
the floor, they'll rush through the
suffrage endorsements. The suf.
frage resolutions offered at previous
biennials were defeated in COMMITTEES
meetings.
General" Rosalie Jones, who led
the marching suffragists into Wash
ington, is notable figure a. the con.
vention.
Suffragists this afternoon sighted
victory in the refusal OF the fedora
ition to bottle up general discussion by
delegates.
Delegates from Maine to Texas
flooded the opening biennial session
this forenoon with oratory, and all Of
1t was plea for the priced privilege
Fof speaking from the floor. THE
free speech" policy is the hope OF the
suffrage element in the convention.
Mrs. Geo. w Perkins, of New York,
wife Of the progressive national lead
er, opened the discussion for free
speech. Mrs. James McMurphy, or
New Hampshire, followed with a plea
for the "small town woman and her
practical ideas: Mrs. 8. B. Sheath Of
TifT1n, Ohio, favored general discus
sion: Mrs. Lorain Pratt Inman. veter
an club woman OF Grand Rapids.
Mich, was one Of the opposition. She
declared the federation too big and
cumbersome, and women too long
winded" to make general discussion
feasible. Mrs. H. N. Ess, OF Kansas,
spoke for equal opportunity for all;
Mrs E. L. Mcknight, of Texas, declar
ed "the woman in the ranks must
have a voice in the federation"
No action was taken in the forenoon
session, but resolution making gen
eral discussion a federation rule, will
be offered later The suffragists de-
clare the test this afternoon showed
the convention overwhelmingly in
their favor.
The suffragists read promise. too. in
the address of Mrs. George o. Welch,
Of Minnesota, in which she recon-
msnded concentration of effort in the
committees work and closer unity be-
tween committee members and dele
gates. =
Yellow is the federation color, but
white as snow drifts were the tiers
and tiers of delegates who came to
order when Mrs. Percy V. Penny
hacker. federation president, arrayed
in sheerest white muslin, raped the
twelfth biennial federation conven
IN