The New York herald., 1875-10-16
THE RICH AND POOR
LECTURE by MRS. ELIZABETH cADY STANTON
AN ARGUMENT FOR PEACEFUL LABOR


LECTURE by MRS. ELIZABETH cADY STANTON
AN ARGUMENT FoR PEACEFUL LABOR
STRIKES.
very crowded attendance sigDalzed the appearance
OF Mrs Elizabeth Cady Stanton at the weekly meeting
Of the Liberal Club last evening at Pimpton Hall The
subject Of her ecturowas 'Rich and Poor" The dis
tinguished lady was introduced to the audi
enco by Mr. L. ormsby, First Vice President
Mrs Stanton looked supremely we'll The grand
aurcole OF bright svery hair above her noble fore
head was brighter than She has, perhaps, the
finest and sweetest face and the euphonous voice
OF any woman that has appeared on the platform
or Womans Rights. But she has even more than that
She possesses clear and active brain, that leads
her into ahsurdy and extravagance, and a heart that
ever beats with throb for all human suffering
Mrs Stanton addressed herself 10 the financial cond
tion OF the country and made quite as plausible an ar
gument IN favor Of imitation as General Butler or Mr.
Wendell Phillips Still 1t pity to hear
LEcTUREss
copying these hardened and calling for plenty
Of greenbaeks She could have been clear as crystal
and convincing as Scripture any social topic but
when she drifted that fearfuly fascinating mael-
strom of finance she lost herself completely
Few men have lucid understanding Of the proper
bearings OF American finance and If the men be-
nighed II Is vain to look for enlightenment from the
women Yet III any woman in the United States could
throw ray OF light the dstractng question, surely
Mrs Stanton is the Her lecture was admirably
worded but It's ironica logic weak proportion to
its rhetorical brillIancy. She referred with feeling
to the mighty multitude Of homeless wanderers
she observed in the and parks Of London and
blushcd Tor her kind that many should be the
verge OF starvation while the land and the comforts
were In the hands OF few. She alluded to the evil of
land monopoly The natural growth of civilization is
from common centres outward, but 1t was found that
all the territory adjacent to large cities is "gobbled
upn by spectators, and the poor have to 90 to
the far OF est to find free foothod for their fam
lies None but the wealthy own land in
rHB HEART oP CIVILIZATION
and hence we have vice, ignorance and crime among
the poor who cannot afford to buy single square foot
stands is to make the rich richer and the poor
poorer She believes in the theory of Wendell Philips
that when owns house of certain size he should
be taxed 500; when he ten houses of
the size let him be taxed ST, 900, and
hts property expands; and in this way
excessive riches would be checked and all classes would
be fairly weighted in tho race tor wealth or
petence Mrs Stanton referred In beautiful language
to the simple avocatons of the poor especially the call
ing OF the flower girls whose snched and impoverished
faces contrast strangely with the bright and glowing
colors of the fresh and fragrant wares they oner for
sale. "Labor," she said, snow sees its slavery the
world over The plans or reformers Of the
past arc now unwise Bloody revolutions
out of time. Strikes and agitations among
workingmen right and proper Organization and
cooperation legitimate steps to take in promoting
the material welbeing of labor Labor has TO fight its
battle against power just capital has. Some say you
make paupers princes pandemonum para
only few leaders 1t could turn the tables and
render Wall street gambling and bank monopolies i'm
possible Mrs. Stanton concluded her earnest and
eloquent address amid prolonged applause