The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-21

subjected to the legitimate restraint of
its club members would have rushed
into the ridiculous situation which
was staged when President Wilson Wis
tied Topeka
The president came to Topeka on
a non-partisan errand. Topeka well
coined him royalty Republicans and
Democrats sought to do him honor
and considered his message.
Inundated the President.
yet the Good Government club
rushed to the front in an effort to hu-
initiate the president Out generated,
disappointed and angry, a misrepre-
senting telegram was sent to the Con-
gressional union in Washington, d. c.
What does it matter whose hand
penned that message? By their 81
lence, all who were implicated in the
very discourteous proceeding have ac-
knowledged their participation in the
sending of the message. 1t is very
striking confirmation of the frequent
ly expressed assertion that Private
clubs should keep out of public af-
fairs. No club membership who hab-
itually decided the policies of the club
would have sanctioned the action of
the Good Government club. Possibly
it was not sanctioned by the member
ship. The Good Government club was
aided and abetted by the Congression-
al union"
Then Mrs. Wright hurled a parting
indictment at the Good Government
club by declaring that the organiza-
ton did not represent the women of
Kansas.
1.-The Good Government club does
not not represent the women of Kan
sas' said the Topeka woman. 1T
represents but a small number of the
suffrage women of Topeka. 1t is not
a public club, though it has posed as
one in the past. Mrs. Lila Day Mon
roe, who opposed an attempt to open
the club doors to the public, made
this statement in June, 1914: The
Good Government club is not and
never has been an open club The
statement was made at meeting of
the club to which reporters were in
vited."
In the meantime the row among
the club women and suffrage workers
continues to make progress. The
lines for the fight at the Doris Stew
ems meeting are now clearly drawn
and a red hot battle may be staged
when the New York suffrage worker
comes to Topeka February %. With
Miss Stevens will be members of the
Congressional union and the Good
Government club. Opposing the pro-
gram outlined by Miss Mabel Vernon
of Delaware will be members of the
National Suffrage association and the
Political Science club.
This week Miss Vernon visited
Wichita Hutchinson and Emporia in
an effort to arouse interest in the
Stevens meeting in Topeka. On the
other hand, a number of women op-
posed to the Vernon plan have de-
clared they will attend the meeting
and attempt to block an organiza-
ton of the Congressional union in
this state
Emporia Was Cool.
Emporia, Kan.,, Feb. 21.-Emporia
was polite but slightly cool and for
NAL when Miss Mabel Vernon arrived
here to urge the organization of
a branch of the congressional union.
Miss Vernon was extended the cour-
tesies of the home of Mrs ]. NJ Nc
Gown, secretary of the Women's Kan
saS Day club. Then the Delaware wo-
man was politely informed that Mrs.
McCown was opposed to militant poll
cies in Kansas.
THE women of Kansas have work
ed with Republicans, Democrats and
Socialists in winning the ballot and do
not believe in militant tactics,'' was
the statement of Mrs. McCown. Mrs.
l.. G. Wooster, a prominent Emporia
club woman, also declared that Kan
saS women were not enthusiastic for
the policies advanced by Miss Vernon
Saturday afternoon Mrs. McCown
opened her home to Miss Vernon, who
met a number of Emporia club women
and suffrage workers. AT that time
she outlined the policies of the con-
gressional union in Kansas. She urged
attendance at the Stevens meeting in
Topeka February %.
Both Mrs. McCown and Mrs. Woos-
ter are members of the national suf-
frage association, which organization
has opposed the work of the congress
SiOnal union