xt70rx937t9n_483 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt70rx937t9n/data/mets.xml https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt70rx937t9n/data/46m4.dao.xml unknown 13.63 Cubic Feet 34 boxes, 2 folders, 3 items In safe - drawer 3 archival material 46m4 English University of Kentucky The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Laura Clay papers Temperance. Women -- Political activity -- Kentucky. Women's rights -- Kentucky. Women's rights -- United States -- History. Women -- Suffrage -- Kentucky. Women -- Suffrage -- United States. Woman Citizen text Woman Citizen 2020 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt70rx937t9n/data/46m4/Box_17/Folder_2/Multipage20849.pdf 1911, 1919 1919 1911, 1919 section false xt70rx937t9n_483 xt70rx937t9n Nine Hundred and Sixty-two

 

 

‘ iThe Woman Citizen

Are Women People?

0 exposition of American
citizenship is complete
without some account of the
grounds on which from 1869 to
the present day women have
sought political citizenship through the Constitution of the United
States, only turning aside for a time to state action with the aim
of hastening the day of national suffrage. 'The three methods of
‘working through the Federal Constitution have been (I) by
attempting to vote on the ground that the constitution permits it,
(2) by urging federal declaratory legislation confirming the right
to vote for federal candidates, and (3) by pushing the Federal
Amendment.

It is with the passage of the 14th amendment that the move-
ment for woman suffrage through the national constitution be-
gan, but there were statesmen who believed before that that the
original constitution gave women the right to vote. Said Charles
Sumner “ There is not a doubt but women have the constitutional
right to vote and I will never vote for a 16th amendment to guar-
antee it to them. I voted for both 14th and 15th amendments
under protest; would never have done it but for the pressing
emergency of that hour; would have insisted that the power
should have been vindicated through the courts.” The basis for
Sumner’s belief lay in the fact that not once is the adjective mole
used in the Constitution in connection with the electorate, the
word people being used throughout to represent both the voters
and the whole body of inhabitants. True the people who framed
the constitution were not the whole body of inhabitants but only
4 per cent of them. But one year later the Federal Government
itself added to the number of voters by naturalizing a large body
of aliens in all the states, and this power of augmenting the
state electorates the Federal Government still has. The “ We,”
of the Preamble, “the people of the United States,” who “do
ordain—this Constitution,” is not a fixed quota but an expanding
electorate and in order to “establish justice, insure domestic
tranquillity, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings
of liberty to ourselves and our posterity” it is the obvious in-
tention of the Constitution that people shall not be so interpreted
as to prohibit any class or sex from exercising the franchise.

by Mrs. Arthur Livermore.
responsible for this summary.

URTI-IERMORE women are recognized in the constitution
as people in the sense of potential voters, in the basis of rep-
resentation in Congress (Art. I, Sec. 2 iii), for unlike the negro
slave they count equally with men. Furthermore, supporters of this
theory claimed that by Art. IV, Sec. 4, the United States was bound
to guarantee a republican form of government to every state, and
by Art. VI, Sec. 2, “ this constitution and the laws of the United
States which shall be made in pursuance thereof shall be the
supreme law of the land—anything in the Constitution or laws of
any state to the contrary notwithstanding.” Finally the first eight
amendments guarantee men and women alike civil rights, and
civil rights have no reality unless reinforced by political rights.
With the 14th Amendment the issue became more clear-cut.
There was on the one hand more to take hold of, for civil citizen-
ship was for the first time defined as federal in origin and the
states were forbidden to infringe on the rights of citizens of the
United States. On the other hand the word male appears here
for the first time, in the provision cutting down representation
in proportion to negro males disfranchised. Thus the true in-
tent and meaning of the word people was threatened._ This
was not however regarded as so important as the definition of

The material for this brief outline is mainly drawn from notes
of a series of lectures on the United States Constitution delivered
Mrs. Livermore is not, however,

civil citizenship and protection
of citizens from discrimination
by the states for civil citizen-
ship had up to this time been
regarded as a state affair. Fed—
eral citizenship strengthened the arguments based on the first
eight amendments for federal, civil citizenship is government
withOut consent unless supplemented by federal political citizen-
ship. In 1870 Miss Anthony, Mrs. Stanton and others sum-
marized the case in a petition to Congress.

“The constitution,” says this document, “ claims us as free
people, counts us white people as a basis of representation; yet
we are governed without our consent, are compelled to pay taxes
without appeal and punished for violation of law without choice
of judge or juror. The experience of all ages, the declarations
of the fathers, the statute laws of our own day and the fearful
revolution through which we have just passed, all prove the.
uncertain tenure of life, liberty and property as long as the
ballot—the only weapon of self-protection—is not in the hand
of every citizen. We ask that you extend the right of suffrage
to women, and thus fulfill your constitutional obligation to guar-
antee to every state in the Union a Republican form of Govern—
ment.”

M. S. BOYD.

N the same year the I 5th Amendment was passed prohibiting
1 race as a bar to suffrage. From this time to 1875 a succession
of women in many states voted or attempted to vote and many
cases were brought to the courts. The most important of these
cases is that of Virginia Minor, of Missouri (Minor vs. Happer-
sett). Mrs. Minor was defended before the United States Su-
preme Court in 1875 by her husband, Francis Minor, who made
the following points: I. The immunities and privileges of an
American citizen are national and paramount to state; 2. the C0n-
stitution gives states the right to regulate not to prohibit fran-
chise; 3. the Constitution prohibits abridgement of the privileges
or immunities of citizens of the United States and exclusion of
women is violative of the spirit and the letter of the Constitution;
4. states have no right to deprive naturalized citizens of the vote;
therefore they shall not deprive native and naturalized women;
5. the same laws apply to women and men.

“ The Plaintiff,” said Mr. Minor, “is entitled to all rights and
immunities of the United States; the elective franchise is a
privilege preservative of all rights and privileges, especially the
right to participate in his or her government; it can be denied
only by the United States Constitution; but the United States
Constitution says, ‘No state may make laws—to abridge the
rights and immunities of the citizens of the United States ’ ; the
suffrage provision of the Missouri constitution is therefore in
conflict with the United States Constitution.”

He cited in support of his case not merely the sections and
amendments to the Constitution we have already quoted but in-
numerable others, such as Art. I, Sec. 9 and IO, forbidding bills
of attainder or patents of nobility; Art. IX leaving to the people
rights not enumerated in the Constitution, thus amply exemplify-
ing his point that the abridgement of the rights of citizens of
either sex is “violative of the spirit and the letter of the Con-
stitution.”

The decision, of the court was adverse. It said: I. The
United States Constitution confers the right to vote on no one.
2. The XV Amendment confers simply an exemption from dis—
crimination. (Continued on page 966)

 

 Nine Hundred and Sixty-six

The Woman Citizen

 

 

Are Women People?

(Continued from page 962)

CC EST " voting was given a temporary setback by the Minor

case. In 1884 there came another supreme court case
which suggested the expediency, on the one hand of pushing the
Federal Amendment to obtain suffrage both in state and nation, and
on the other of pushing for the immediate passage of a declaratory
law securing to women the vote for federal candidates. This
was the Yarbrough case (1884) which decided that the right to
vote for presidential electors was secured by the United States
Constitution. The right to vote for members of Congress was
secured by Art. I, Sec. 2, of the Constitution and this article, in
Section 4, left to the United States government the control of the
manner of these elections. On the basis of this decision a Fed-
, eral Elections Committee was formed, in support of whose plan
of getting partial suffrage through the United States Constitution
it will be seen that two sections of the Constitution, not before
quoted, were drawn into the argument. Thus passage after
passage of the constitution was turned to account by those who
were struggling for full democracy.

The Federal Elections Committee has year after year intro—
duced a bill in Congress. It has never given up its work. Nor
has the policy of test voting been given up. In the I9I6 presi—
dential election women who had lived in equal suffrage voting
states attempted in Massachusetts, Maryland and Iowa to vote
for Federal candidates. They quoted still other sections of the

COnstitution, laying special stress on their rights in voting states;
“Full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public
acts records and judicial proceedings of every other state ” (Art.
IV, Sec. 1); and “ The citizens of each state shall be entitled to
all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states”
(Art. IV, Sec. 2). In 1889 Francis Minor had recommended
continued work along the three lines of test voting to bring the
matter once again before the United States Supreme Court Fed-
eral Elections Bill and Federal Amendment.

The Federal Elections Bill and the test voting of recent years
fell away from the original claim that the United States Con-
stitution had' within it the power of giving full suffrage rights,
both State and Federal.

Of late years, as more states have been gained for suffrage and
ratification seems surer, the broadest method has taken prece—
dence of the others. The larger claim of the earlier days to full
suffrage through the National Constitution is to be made good
by an amendment to the United States Constitution which will
make sex a new “ exemption from discrimination.”

This will not take in any degree from the states their rightful
power to regulate suffrage, recognized by Minor and all who have
worked for National Woman suffrage; for there is but one test
set today by state constitutions which is fundamentally prohi—
bitory, and that is sex.

 

 April 12. 1919

Nine Hundred and Sixty-one

 

 

A Boom, in Suffrage Literature

 

Mrs. Catt’s, Dr. Shaw’s and Mrs.
Harper’s Works Are “Best Sellers”

THE universal satisfaction with every ar—
rangement made in St. Louis for the ac—
commodation of the guests of the Convention
was again emphasized when the President of
the National Woman Suffrage Publishing
Company, Miss Esther Ogden, one of the re—
elected directors of the National American
Woman Suffrage Association, returned to
headquarters.

She spoke with enthusiasm of the location
given to the exhibit of the Publishing Com—
pany’s output. This was in the foyer of the
ball-room 0f the Hotel Statler. Every per—
son entering or leaving the convention hall
was obliged to pass the tables Where‘ the Pub—
lishing Company spread out its books, leaflets
and souvenirs. Consequently before and after
all sessions a swarm of people might be found
examining the literature and enthusiastically
buying suffrage novelties.

“ Since the Publishing Company came into
existence we have never had so appreciative a

 

 

clientele as at the Jubilee Convention,” said
Miss Ogden.

“ We were very fortunate in having for our local chairman,
if Mrs. A‘lfred’Buschman,i'vi/ho provided a corps of volunteers each
day and planned everything possible for our comfort and con-
venience. When we attempted to thank her for her devotion
Mrs. Buschman replied that it ‘ had been a liberal education for
her and her assistants to familiarize themselves with the Pub—
lishing Company’s literature.’

“ Many women at this convention had not attended recent con—
ventions in Washington and, consequently, had never seen our
exhibit; they expressed themselves as astonished at the variety
and exhaustiveness of the Company’s output. At no previous
convention have we sold so much suffrage literature to women
coming from so many different states. One of the striking things
_ was the desire of working suffragists to educate themselves in

the suffrage movement. We took to the convention several hun— . 1-

dred copies of the revised edition of ‘ A Brief History of Woman
Suffrage,’ by Ida Husted Harper. These little booklets were
actually eaten up by the delegates, so that every copy was sold
and orders taken for more.

“ Another interesting feature was the deep impression made by
Mrs. Catt’s opening address, ‘ The Nation Calls.’ Following that
address Monday evening, requests came in every day from men in
St. Louis for copiespf
the speech for their
own use or to mail to
friends. The men ask—
ing for these books in—
clude lawyers, doctors,
two business men and
a mechanic. There was
also a great demand
for Dr. Shaw’s ‘ Story
of a Pioneer,’ so that
the supply we took to

FIVE JUBILANT JUBILEERS IN ST. LOUIS
Left to right: Mrs. Sh-uler, Miss Hay, Mrs. Geo. Gellhorn, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Rogers

INFORMATION BUREAU

St. Louis was exhausted and we brought back several dozen
orders. This autobiography is a never failing sourceof inspira—
tion to the new workers in the suffrage ranks.

“ I was especially interested in the constant demand on the part
of the women for literature on citizenship and preparing women
for the vote. We sold a number 0f"The Woman Citizen ’ by
Mary Sumner Boyd, ‘The Woman Voter’s Manual’ by Mar-
jorie Shuler, and the study outline ‘ What Every Woman Voter
Should Know’ by Henrietta L. Livermore. There was every
evidence that the new women voters and near-voters take their
responsibilities seriously and are keenly desirous of gaining a
practical knowledge of governmental affairs.”

The publishing Company has the astonishing record of having
within the five years of its existence published and distributed
over 50,000,000 pieces' of literature. In the New York State
Campaign of 1917, 10,000,000 pieces of literature were published
by Miss Ogden’s company for that state ‘alone, and 8,000,000
pieces for the country at large, making a banner year output of
more than 18,000,000 pieces.

Miss Ogden did not arrive over night as head of a business
concern. She had served an apprenticeship in a publishing house
for some years and
learned much about the
business before she un-.
dertook its manage-
ment.

For the first two
years of the publishing
company’s life, Miss
Ogden was its treas—
urer. She was elected
president three years
ago, in 1916.

 

 April 12, I919

[Vine flung/red and Sixty-five

Is There Room at the Top?

ONE is more or less prepared for an
impression of Miss Rachel Crothers,
author and stage director of “A Little
Journey,” by her reception room—a neu—
tral tinted, plainly furnished apartment,
devoid of knick—knacks and of the usual

The message of a woman play—
w; zght and stage director, who says
thete is all the 700m at the top that
women can fill.———“ W here they stop
is entirely up to women themselves.
— l/Vorlc has no sex.”

thing to be done is an end complete and
satisfying in itself. Its reflex action upon
his own financial or social position is a
secondary consideration. On -the other
hand, if he achieves success in a thing
which is of real importance it is unlikely

litter of feminine sanctuaries. It is a sort

of intellectual no man’s land on the confines of which she may
meet the stranger and the interviewer without admitting either
into the intimate reserves of her mind or her tastes. Yet it voices
a personality interested in the potentialities of character and
thought rather than in mere objects of luxury.

Miss Crothers is another one of the women who have “made
good” —which is to say, as The lVomtm Citiz eh interprets it,
has made her life useful to others as well as piofitable to herself,
without sacrificing to a money value the essentials of womanly
character. There are scores of women in New York who are
more widely known perhaps, many with a higher percentage of
financial profits but not all of whom are, by any means, the
material which we would hold up to the emulation of other
women. There is a price to success. If one must pay for it in
self—centered egoism, in selfishness, in the rubbing off of the
essentials of a fine womanhood, it is not worth having. Far
better than that are disappointment and a wholesome mediocrity—
for there is such a thing. But Miss Crothers has accomplished

that the other will not accompany it.”

“ Do you believe that just hard work and intelligence allied to
good t1aining will take the place of talent? ”

Miss Crotheis shook her head emphatically. “Good train—
ing and ha1d W01k will bring a mediocre development which,
if intelligently handled, may be made financially paying. But for
really good dramatic work there must be emotion and the power
of minute study of human nature and of obseivation.”

“Are you conscious as a playwright, of a public leaning upon
plays £01 a standaid of idealism? ”

“Yes; I think that is something which increases greatly.

“ We Americans are accused of having rushed to a milk and
water extreme in the intioduction of idealistic plays. What do
you think about it? ” '

“ I am inclined to believe that a play should be both idealistic
and realistic in its treatment. There is no particular value in
depicting a human nature which 15 abnormal, especially t1 agically
abnormal. The writer is often carried away by specialized study
into losing his sense of proportion in depicting that sort of thing.

 

 1"

4 THE WOMAN CITIZEN

tirst part of the programe. The second part
was a memorialto our late eminent suffragist.
Mrs. Julia \Vard Howe. and the speaker was
Miss Elizabeth L'pham Yates. l‘resident of the
Rhode lsland \Voman Suffrage Association.
\\‘hen Miss Yates said that Mrs. Howe. armed
with honorary . degrees from universities.
asked and asked'in vain of the Massachusetts
legislature for political equality with hod car—
riers. the audience indicated its disapproval of
the discrimination.

Riddlemaree.

Why is a coward like, a leaky barrel? They
both run.

\V'hat is that that never asks a question yet
requires many answers. The doorbell.

\Yliat is that that goes up hill and down hill
'and yet stands still? The road.

What is that which is full of holes and yet
holds water? A sponge.

 

Kindness is a language the dumb can speak
and the deaf can hear and understand.

Grief for things past that cannot be rem-
edied and care for things to come that cannot
be prevented may easily hurt. but can never
benefit one.

Manners carry the world for the moment
character for all time.——.~1l60tf.

Refrain from covetousness and thy estate
shall prosper.—Plaio.

Out of 267’ words in Abraham Lincoln’s im—
mortal Gettysburg speech. lflo are words of
one syllable. It isn’t the big words that count.

 

Mrs. McCafi'rey of “tie \Voman Citizen"
is to pass six weeks of her summer in Bar-
rington.

Mrs. Louisa Meader of Saylesville is to
summer in \Yestport. Mass.

Miss H. M. Anderson, typewriter, Banigan
Building, Providence. sends best wishes to
“The \Voman Citizen” and a contribution in
lieu of orders that she may devote her time for
awhile wholly to business.

Miss Garlin of Providence, is to pass her
summer with her sister, Mrs. Anna Garlin
Spencer, in \Vhite Plains, New York.

May, 191/.

 

 

“She”—A Sketch from Life.
(The following lines wer> written by the
husband of a suffragette in his sick room. )

l asked her husband. chaffingly.
"\Vho darns your socks He answered,
”She.” .
“liut she's a sulfragette." I said.
”She darns the better." answered he:
“\\'l‘:at they do they do thortmghly:
And so does She."

He took me to his nursery.

And showed the twins and other three.
"\Vhoever puts you all to bed

i asked the eldest laughingly.
“\Vhy. mother does; but .‘l‘lob and me
Can help, you see."

And. later. when She gave me tea.
The secret was revealed to me:
"And what about yourself?” I said.
"The Suffragette vocabulary
Has no such words as Self and Me.”
Responded She.

Miss Althea Hall. l’resident pro tem of the
"\\'oman Citizen." with her niece of the same
name. will sail for Europe on Saturday. luly
l3th. for a six. weeks trip through England and
Scotland. Miss Hall hopes to visit with suf—
fragettes. The "\\'oman Citizen" wishes them
a pleasant sojourn.

To Subscribers and Readers.

\\"ith this number of the paper. the \Voman
Citizen begins her vacation. Gladly would she
remain at work during the year did health
and circumstances permit. She is very con-
scious of delays and shortcomings and of the
patience and kindness of subscribers and read—
ers. The paper is a record of prominent
events in this State and hints at great deeds
elsewhere. It has no debt and is as well placed
as usual.

 

 

Chronicle Printing Co

PAWTUCKET. R. L 7::

One of our specialties is papers
of this class. Write us for esti-
mates of cost. :: :: :: '- *-

29 North Main St.

Telephone 268-L Pawt-

'.
> .

THE WOMAN CITIZEN

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are
citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any

law which shall abridge the priviliges or immunities of citizens of the United States. * * * *"
—~Constitution of the United States

 

 

 

 

“Civil Incapacitations tend to beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness." . ‘
' —Const1tntion of Rhode Island.

VoL. . RHODE ISLAND. Mav, 1911. No. a-

 

 

THE \VOMAN CITIZEN.
Published monthly. October to May. inclusive.
Editor, Jeannette S. French.
Contributing Editor. Mrs. Lena Morris Reynolds.
Office, 365 North Main Street. Pawtucket.

Tel. Pawt. 1156-[..

What More?

“The question is often asked ‘\\'hat does
woman want more than she enjoys? ‘\\'hat
is she seeking to obtain? (“if what rights is
she deprived? ‘\\'hat privileges are withheld
from her? l answer. she asks nothing as
favor but as right. She wants to be acknowl-
edged a moral. responsible being. She is ieek-
ing not to be governed by laws in the making
of which she has no voice. So far from
woman's ambition leading her to attempt to
act the man. she needs all the encouragement
she can receive by the removal of obstacles
from her path. in order that she may become
the true woman.” LUcRiz't'iA Mort.

 

In Advance of Us.

The Legislature of four of our states have
voted to give the ballot to women. They are
Califi‘irnia. Kansas. \\'isconsin and Nevada. if
the electorate votes right. we shall have next
year. nine free states.

MR5. ELHA OWEN PHINNEY.

 

 

tin (Ibemoriam.

Mrs. Elizabeth Smith Miller. one of our suf—
frage pioneers passed away at her beautiful
home in Geneva. X. Y.. in her eighty—ninth
year. She was a noble representative of the
past and a strong supj‘iorter of present activ—
ities. Her grandfather was Peter Smith. the
partner of John lacob Astor in the fur trade
with the lndians. Her mother was Ann Car—
roll Fitzhugh. She married Charles Dudley
Miller. a banker. Though possessed of great
wealth. Mrs. Miller worked for money to
break down the custom which forbade ladies
to receive remuneration for their labor. She
established the industry of preserving fruits.
She devised the Bloomer costume. was
was the first woman to wear it and the last

to abandon it. She has been a great support
(Continued on page ‘2) 7

One of Our Workers.

\Vith great pleasure. the \Yoman Citizen
gives to—tlay a picture of one of our workers,
Mrs. Elma Owen l‘hinney. the secretary of
the l‘awtucket League. Mrs. Phinney has
been a member of this League from the time
of its organization in October. 1888. and much
of the time an officer.

Our friend was born in Glocester, R. 1., and
was educated in the public schools and at the
academy in East Greenwich. She later be—
came a teacher in Pawtucket in the part called
Lebanon. Mr. Rufus Stafford was the agent
who engaged her. After teaching awhile Miss
Owen became the wife of Mr. \\'illiam H.
Phinney. the inventor of the computing scale.
now so universally used under another name.
Mr. Phinney also served in the Civil \Var and

 

 THE WOMAN CITIZEN diary, 19/!-

 

 

(Coutinued from page 1.)
to woman suffrage. temperance 211111 other
gOod refortns At her funeral she lay 111 21
wicker basket suriottnded 11y 111111'11r5 21nd Rev
Anna (32111111 Spencer was chosen to say the
comforting 211111 appreciative word to family
and friends.

Col. Thos. Wentworth Higginson.

Thomas \\'entw1’1rth l'ligginson. clergyman.
writer. abolitionist. 11'111112111 suffragist. soldier.
organizer. 1111511211111 and father has passed away
111 Caml,1ri1111e.Mass.. 1he city of his bit'th.
after 21 brief illness and eighty-seven years "111
life."

Col. f-ligginson was the first 111 sign tlte c2111
for “A convention to 11c held 111 Roger \Vil—
11211115 Hall. Providence. on Friday. December
11th. 1811.5. at 111 o‘clock A. M.. to consider
the rightfulne 55 211111 tlte importance 11fex‘1end
ing the elect1ve franch use to women

111 18?1f1.\1r. Higginson became a contribu—
uting editor to the btlten new “\\ omans four-
11a1.' and 11'1ote a leading article w eel' ly for
many years. 1115 style was clear. concise 211111
carried conviction. 1t is impossible to estimate
the benefit we have derived fr11m his careful
and continuous work for 115.

 

1Continued from page 1.)
fought in many battles. While he was away.
Mrs. Phtnney opened 21 private school 111 her
house 211111 supported her two children. both
boys.

Mrs. Pl tinney was interested 111 the Woman .5 _

Christian ’leniperance Ln1.on from the first.
and became the second President of the Paw-
tucket branch She held this office at the time
the prohil'1it1'1ry law was enacted for which she
worked bravely. She arranged a rally 111 its
interest that completely filled Music Hall. tlte
speaker being the late Frances \\1llar1.l She

1"111ked all day at the polls at the election and
rejoiced in the result. She was made't a state
officer. filling the position now occupied by
Mrs. Barney. She found a great reduct‘on 111
the number of prisoners after the new law
went into effect.

Soon after, Mr. and Mrs. Phinney 11111v11l
Attleboro. There our friend 1'11'gani7.ed
voman suffrage league which is. she thinks.
living to—day. A woman citizen well remem-
bers being asked to speak before that league.
She remembers he large attendance 211111 the
inttrest shown at the meeting in the Methodist
Church at Ainolds Mills as well as the en—

tertainment at the home of Mrs. Phinnev.
.At the last 111eeting of the l’awtitcket
League. congratulations were heartily given to

Mrs. Phinney. upon her approaching birthday
1111 1111111 '31. 211111 Mrs. 1.11111521 .\‘2rl111de 521111 that
she expected 21 similar occasion 111 .1211111211'y'.
\\'11man suffrage certainly seems to lead to
longevity.

 

A Plea for Equal Rights for Children.

’1 lteie comes into our home 21 new life anti/”*-

often. though unexpected. 11111 instead lof 111,1
gre1t tlte eye5 of fond 1 arents and are warmly
11111111111111 to their '1111151)ne 15 21 51111 211111 the
other a daughter. l’arental arms clasp both
with joyful embrace 211111 1,1111'11 are nourished
front the 52111111 11111111 211111 rocked in the same
cradle. The same childish .prattle cheers.
brightens 21nd beguiles the weary hours of the
mother as she rocks them to sleep when the
day‘s work is ended. So the time goes by until
the little ones are old enough to be cared for
by others 211111 are sent to school. No one
says 111 at the girl has less intelligence than her
brother. lhey stand side by 511111 111 their class—
er ttittil they are advanced enough to be pro-
moted to the next grade 211111 so they proceed
until their education is c11111p1leted 111 our
schools.

11111 this is not enough tor the times demand
higher 1ducation and 11'111 colleges 1'1pen their
doors to receive them 1111111 11111 111111 schools
gi1e them 21 diploma. lhe daughter is 2111—
mitted as well as her brother 21nd proves her—
self 1115 equal 111 all studies and a fit subject for
all the honors the Alma Mater c2111 confer.

\Vh at then? The law steps 111 and says the
girl can go no fart her Slte is expected to obey
all law 5 but she c2111 ltav e no voice 111 their mak—
111g. \\ here is justice 11 1t 51111 does not shake
her wand against such injustice. such 521c1'ilege.
and leave her throne in disgust? 1t is 111 her
defense that we plead fot' the same political
rights for our daughters 215 for our sons. \\ e
215k it for our daughters for their imprcwement.
that it may broaden their lives and raise them
to a higher standard of living for they are to
be the mothers of the next generation and 1111—
less we catt raise them to 21 higher plane of liv-
ing than l_1ridge or whist. what is to prevent the
next generation from being a race of gant—
blers? For the impr1’1vement of the present
and the future of our race we ask that this 1n~
justice be abol'. shed 211111 our daughters have
equal rights with our 5111151

Elma 021'1'11 P/nmn' 11.

May Meeting.
The May 111eeting 'of the Rhode 151211111
\Afoman Suffrage Associati1'1n was held. as
usual on the first Thursday of the month. 11

was of special interest. Mrs \on lxlenza. the
new president of the College Equal S111 fiage
Association was present and brought 2111 e11—
c<,1uraging 111e5's21ge front that 111ga111/21ti1111
Mrs. Carl 1’1211'1'115‘ gave an address of great in—
terest 1111 ‘ lhe ler1 115 of the Night Messenger
Service” and her portrayal 1,1t' the str‘ugg‘le5
and temptations of many classes of wage-
earning women excited great interest. Miss

\Ql'2ttes said that women would be the last of
l

1e-5people to be enf'anchised and she hoped
that thev would be the best rrepared element
of the electorate. She also spoke encour 21g-
ingly of the new 111111 111 121111111111t lea
was served 11y Mrs. Cooper at the close 11f the
exercises 211111 21 pleasant reception followed

The New England Meeting.

lhe New England \Voman Suffrage Asso-
ciation is probably the oldest sufitage society
extant 211111 pe1111p5the first organized lt
11215 21 leading force among 115 for many years
until each New l.ngland state 111021111/el fot'
itself. For many years past the society ltas
been 21 place where people from the eastern
states gathered to compare notes 211111 to learn
from each or.the

()11 May 31th the annual festiv 211 was held 111
the 111' ntieth Century Club 111111115. 1111ston.
11 was well tor1 gather 111 21 new place. \\ e did
not in new stti'rouudinus ,5'11 muclt expect to
he; 11' th 1e voices 11f the pioneer 5 many of whom
were with 115 so lately

Miss Blackwell. the first \vice President.
11'215 toastmistress. The speakers were mostly
state presidents. President Fannie _1. Eernald
of Maine. Mary N. Chase of New l-lampshire.
Elizabeth L Yates of Rhode Island. Mrs. R.
Y. 1 1tzger1all and Mrs. Maude \\ ood Park of
Massachusetts. Mrs. llepburn of Connecticut
and Mrs. Pierce of Vermont sent regrets.
Prof. A. R. 1121tt'1'111 of \Yestern Reserve L'ni—
versity. who is giving a course of lectures at
Harvard also spoke. The supper was as good
as the speeches The event was remarkable
from thet tact that this meetin<1 11215 the first
this siciety has held without the assistance of
the Massachusetts .\s.51,1ciati1,1n.

BUSINESS 111121511511.

The business meeting was held next day
111 Park Street Ch'tuch committee room. The
meeting 11215 very social while 111 de 'yl The
pricipal business. the selecting 111 21 new presi—
dent to take the place 11f 11111' honored Mrs.
1111121 \\ 211d llowe 211111 the electinu of other
officers occupied 51 me tinte Mrs 1e:111ette
S. French of th1:1le lsland 111'1‘21111121ted Miss
Blackwell for President. Miss Yates seconded
the motion 211111 21 11112111111111115 election followed