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NO DISTINCTION AS TO COLOR

Chicago Woman's Club Abolishes the Prohibitory Rule at Its Last Meeting

Dr. Sarah Hackett Stevenson Scores Her Associates for Evincing a Lack of Moral Courage.

Action May Cause a Split in the Federation What Has Been Done in the City of Omaha.

The color line is down in the Chicago Woman's club.

Early last winter, Mrs. Fannie Barrier Williams, a well-known and much esteemed colored woman, applied for membership in the club, and was refused. Since then the color question has arisen again and again, till it had to be fairly faced No pallation or compromise could keep it out of sight. The compromise was tried, however. It consisted of an amedment to the by laws as follows:

The qualification for membership shall be character, intelligence and reciprocal advantage of membership to the club and to the Individual.

It shall be the duty of those proposing candidates for membership, as well as of the committee on membership, to to consider the reciprocal advantage of membership to the club and the individual

The committee on membership shall vote upon candidates by ballor. Three negative votes shall prevent the favorable recommendation of the candidate A two-thirds vote by ballot of the board of managers shall be required to elect to membership in the club.

DR. STEVENSON'S VIEWS.

It was thought by those who wished to be agreeable, and to sit comfrotably on the fence, tht the "reciprocal advantage" requirement would amicably settle the matter. The move to admit the colored woman could be killed painlessly. It would simply be decided in the event of the proposal of a name of any negress, that the advantage would not be reciprocal This weak amendment might have carried, had not Dr. Sarah Hackett Stevenson arisen to announce her principles Many who heard her, declared that her speech was the strongest effort ever heard by them from man or woman Dr. Stevenson is an emphatic woman, with a deep nature, positve opinions, natural and unpretentious eloquence, and absolute bravery. She told the women what she thought of the club which professed to speak for the highest achievement of womankind and yet lacked the moral courage to declare explicitly for equal opportunities for her sex The women were swept along by her impassioned eloquence. An unconditional amendment was offered to the constitution. It reads:

Membership shall be conditioned on character and intelligence without regard to race, color, creed or politics.

It went by an overwheliming majority, Dr Stevenson had thrown her searchlight into the hearts of the women. They were ashamed of what they had seen there-ashamed of the motives that had promoted them to oppose the admission of any woman, because of the accident of race

But the club, it myst be remembered, has fought only a small part of the battle. It is one of the largest and most valued clubs in the general federation of clubs an organization numbering at present nearly 75,000 women No club can remain in the federation which doe not hace a constitution conforming to that of the federation The chicago club will be forced to cary the federation with it, or, in course of time, in all probability, to leave the federation.

MAY SPLIT THE FEDERATION

It amy easily happen that this action will cause a split in the federation Many southern clubs belong to the federation, and it was a matter of much comment at the las blennial meeting of the federation, that the southern women were among the most scholarly, influential and charming in the assembly. Some of these women have risen to an intellectual plane which leaves all race distinctions far in the background Some of them never, at any time, would haave done anything toward retarding the development of any woman, though her skin were black as [?as]. But these exceptional women can hardly be expected to carry with them the sentiments of their clubs, nor can they break down the sad old prejudice which shadows the south. One has not however, any diposition to accuse the southern clubs in adcance. If the truth of the matter were known, the opposition would be strong right here in Omaha, to any proposal to admit women to membership. Some time ago the matter was brought up in the board of directors of the Omaha Woman's club There was not a disenting voice ther, be it said to the credit of the body of sixteen representative women. But there was a decided feeling that it would be better if the question were not brought before the club of some time to come and until a stronger esprit de corps was established. The question was proposed to the board, aprops of Mrs. Mahammit a young and beauriful colored woman of good education, and hoenst intellectual ambitions. Mrs. Mahammit showed singular good sense Rather than engulf the club in difficulty of any sort, she started a club among her own race, and has led that society of women along pleasant flieds of study. Not long ago, as president of the Omaha Clored Woman's club she was invited to address the 500 members of the Woman's club This she did with singular modesty, propriety of language, and good sense, and meet with the warmest applause So far, and nor further have the women got on the color question in this city.

IN THIS CITY.

There are those in this city who feel that the club loses much by not including in its membership such owmen as Mrs Mahammit, Mrs Pryor, Miss Lucy Gamble, and others The strong and assertive inteelect of these women, their good taste and sweetness of disposition would be an addition to the club But there are many members of the club-and they are not all southerners-who would vote against their admission, and who in thevent of such admission, would probabl leave the club.

It myst be taken into accountthat no club is under any obligations to admit any woman, or any specie of woman which it prefers to keep without its membership. A club is not a public concern. It is an organization of a private charcter not chartered, composed of persons of similar tates, orgaized for purposes of amusement and improvement Such a club doe not profess to be unselfish Its first duty is to its own members. The will of its members make its laws If these women do not choose to assume an altruistic attitude, or a liberal attitude it is their own affair. Yet, on the other hand, insomuch as these women stand for the evevation of the sex it seems by consistent that all persons of good character and intelectuality should be admitted to assit them

The color question will inevitably arise sooner or later in every woman's club in the federation Certainly it must arise in all clubs which are loacted in cities. The result cannot be forseen It is to be hoped that the women will preserve that dignity of demeanor which has thus far characterized the womens clubs, and made them impervious to the attacks of their critics The question is one that shoul lead to development It puts to the test the character of mind, heart and spirit of the women composing the enormous membership of these clubs It will deomnstarate whether these women are loftier of mund than the average of whether they are governed by the same narrow rejudice as the unrestrained, the sectional, and the unfortunate

ELIA. W. PEATTIE.