# Democratic Ideals (Brown)

Democratic Ideals A Memorial Sketch of Clara B. Colby
EDITED BY OLYMPIA BROWN
President of the Federal Suffrage Association
“All great ideas, the race's aspirations All heroisms, deeds of rapt enthusiasts
COPYRIGHT 1917 by REV. OLYMPIA BROWN
President of The Federal Suffrage Association
Published by The Federal Suffrage Association
To the lovers of liberty who have ever been the pioneers of civilization and progress.
"Liberty, let others despair of you, I never despair of you."—Whitman
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE
THE personal friends of Mrs. Colby, beside many of the advocates of Woman's Suffrage have expressed an earnest desire for some account of her work which might be accessible to the general public and which might be helpful to the future historian of the suffrage cause, as it would furnish an account of some phases of the movement not represented in other histories. For these reasons the author of the present booklet, as a friend of Mrs. Colby and as the President of the Federal Suffrage Association, a society with which she was thoroughly identified, has undertaken to present the following brief sketch of Mrs. Colby and of the society to which she devoted so large a part of the last years of her life.
When death calls any prominent person from the activity of the world we ask "what has she done?" The incidents of her personal experiences are unimportant when compared with the ideals which inspired the life and gave direction to the work. We seek not a record of material events but an understanding of character, motives, and aspirations, believing that like the virtuous woman of old "her own works shall praise her in the gates."
INTRODUCTION
The title of this book, Democratic Ideals, gives the key to Mrs. Colby′s life and work. She sought liberty for the individual, she desired democracy for the state. This she illustrated in all she did. She was always a free lance. When sometimes harassed and cramped in her undertakings for want of money, her friends would recommend positions on newspapers, or other lines of work which might furnish a good salary. Her reply was always, “Oh, no, I must have my freedom; I cannot be a mere machine to follow a regular routine.” Whitman was Mrs. Colby’s favorite author, and in her own copy of his poems, which has been given to the writer, the most trenchant utterances of the poet on the subject of liberty are marked, and often illustrated by penciled notes.
But it was not for the individual alone that she desired liberty. Her ideal for the whole people was democracy. She longed to see our government complete, our Constitution a charter of liberties for all. Even in her advocacy of Woman's Suffrage her chief thought was not 80 much the practical advantage of the vote to women, as the maintaining of the integrity of our republic, the fulfillment of the promise made by the founders of our Government.
The life of Clara Bewick Colby illustrates in a most emphatic way the power that may be attained by the possession of a lofty ideal, with earnest determination, and persevering industry, in spite of adverse circumstances and seemingly overwhelming difficulties.
Unassisted and from humble beginnings she became a well known and honored advocate of Woman’s ​Suffrage, a co-worker with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, a devoted reformer in many lines, a consecrated church-worker, a writer of marked ability, an interpreter of poets and philosophers, and amid all an exceptionally fine housekeeper and excellent cook. She was a loyal friend, and always a faithful worker in whatever engaged her attention. Ida Husted Harper, the Suffrage Historian, said of Mrs. Colby:
“No woman was ever more loyal to the cause of Woman's Suffrage and none ever made greater sacrifices for it.”
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1926, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 97 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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