Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-11-04
WOMENS CLUBS TO
GATHER IN RACINE
Eighteenth Annual Convention OF
the State Federation.
SESSIONS TO BE INTERESTING
Several Addresses Are Scheduled for
Meeting Which Opens on Wednes-
day, November 4Gathering
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, and 6, prom
Uses 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
mittee has been kept a profound Sc
cret, in spite of the pronounced opin-
ion 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
said recently that 1t was difficult
enough to get a president to serve,
even IL secrecy were promised, and
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 a certain name has
been nominated for the Office of presi-
dent the nomination of another presi-
dent from the floor will follow, mean
ing factional split. Practically this
same thing happened at GAINESVILLE,
when for the first time in the long
and peaceful history of the federation,
it 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
resolution through the GAINESVILLE con-
vention indorsing suffrage, by a vote
of 129 to SO. 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 1t. In spite of this
convention have strong feeling that
the subject should not have been in
troduced into the convention"
Beside the suffrage bill the conven.
ton Endorsed a mothers pension bill
and the bill for state reformatory,
and when the legislature met, COM
mittee appointed by Mrs. Strathearn
TO represent the convention in the
legislature, recommended the passage
of the two last bills and omitted to
recommend the suffrage bill.
I'm 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 recommends
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. M. Hart, Tomah, feel that
the time has come when the nomina-
ton of candidates should be con-
Quoted as democratically as possible,
and toward this end it has been pro-
posed that in succeeding years list
of nominated candidates be sent out
with the call for 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 Won
an Suffrage association; Miss Stearns,
who has an extremely large following;
Mrs. Percy " Pennybacker, president
of the General Federation of Women's
Clubs, and a number of other promi-
nent women, will be members of
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.