The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-05-15
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

assuring the friends OF the cause' anu
leading them to look for speedy re-
union of all the suffrage forces In the
State.
Last year a rabid "free love- element
broke out in the meeting, compelling
the Convention to either adjourn or
submit to seeming acquiescence IN the
social theories of Woodruff fanatic,
who took advantage of hall and gath
ering which cost her neither expense
nor effort, and determined to override
all rule and reason in her own insane
and absurd interests. From that time
until the present the California Woman
Suffrage Association has worked quietly
but efficiently, accomplishing much IN
redeeming the movement from the
odium under which this Eastern adven-
turer and the San Francisco press had
submerged it. But such was the fear OF
a repetition of the scandalous scenes OF
the former year that many OF the more
timid and conservative workers re-
mained away during the entire proceed
ings, trembling, but hoping and trust
ing that Mrs. Duniway might be able to
hold the torrent of social abomination
in check. Had it not been for our deep
sympathy with the Spartan band who
are determined, "siuk or swim, survive
or perish" that they will not give up
the ship, we should, Immediately upon
seeing how matters were, have resigned
our commission as pilot, abandoned the
staunch craft and its faithful officers
and taken the steamer for home. But
whatever our other faults may be, we
have not yet been guilty of cowardice-
or, rather, of yielding to it. And the
sequel has proved that there was no
cause for alarm. The typhoon that
scattered the forces last year had spent
itself and left no strength for renewed
effort. The speeches, resolutions ana
letters were of the highest order, and
harmony, propriety and dignity pre-
vailed through all the discussions.
The press, which had hitherto been
merry making and scurrilous, finding
no food of that kind upon which TO
forage, relapsed into meager reticence
and published nothing worth copying
in connection with the proceedings ex-
cept very brief but flattering notices OF
ourself, which we are not too modest to
say were quite readable, or we fondly
imagined would be among our friends at
home.
The attendance at the suffrage meet
, ing was as large as at that of the State
+ Temperance Alliance, yet the papers
. say that a large audience assembled al
the latter place and a meager one at the
Z former. 1t does make so much differ
, ence in the eyes of a reporter when the
, movers and managers of any scheme
p have votes!
AS soon as we can possibly get space
D we shall give full account of the pro-
ceedings of the Convention in the
e NEW NORTHWEST, of which we
e shall furnish n large number OF extr;
0 copies to Californians, that the gooC
e people here, who have been with
r out Woman Suffrage organ, may SCI
that they are not alone in their desir
for Human Rights.
Mrs. Mary +. Snow, one Of the mos
earnest and disinterested women in tn,
whole suffrage work, q woman wh'
never tires, never sEirks and neve
grumbles, who writes a capital repor
and reads it with skill and energy, wa
elected presiding officer, and we boil
honored and pitied her as she nervousl.
: and brayely kept her post, well knowing
she was not posted, when in the audi
ence were many men who would will
!, ingly have officiated only for the preju
: dice against their doing so.
>. We hope our lady friends will forgiv
: us, but we, in common with man.
: Others, have no part or lot in these dis
= ordinations on account Of sex. In fact
a our whole line Of action as Woman Sui
;, fragists is based upon the fact tina
"rights" is not question of sex at all
:, If women are skilled in parliamentar
= lore, let them be honored with oppoI
. tunity for its use, if they are as verdan
in these matters as ourself-and few ca
- be more so-let them call upon gentle
a men to assist them aud thank them fo
!, the aid. For brave little woman lik
Mrs. Snow to be compelled to endur
- the martyrdom of being presiding office
. just to please 'notionn among a ms
;, jority Of the women that man must TAX
a back seat in women's conventions
. both absurd and unjust There! we'v
relieved our mind and feel better.
= After few years Of public opportu
y nifty women will be as well qualified (
fill these stations as men become undC
" the same circumstances.
The State Temperance Alliance, (
which we were yesterday admitted G
&c delegate, has been holding two day
session, finishing up its labors la'
night. The press, with one or two e1
ceptious, has treated this conventio
IS with about as meager notice as it hs
ry bestowed upon the other. And, indeed
in as compared with the interest in thes
y, matters in other places, San Francisc
III is lamentably behind the spirit of th
,h age.
- The Euening Post, represented in I'll
u meetings by lady, gave very brief an
Is truthful accounts, but no other pap,
u was truthful, though all were brie
ie Indeed, If the proprietors could see til
ic stolid indifference with which their en-