The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-06-25
THE WOMAN SUFFRAGE CONVENTION.

EDITOR TRUE NoRTHERNER:
II was our good fortune to be in Grand Rap
ids on the evening or the 18th inst. and listen
to Miss Phoebe Couzins as she discoursed Of
temperance, prohibition, home protection and
the judgment to come upon all those who are
in any way responsible for the legality of the
liquor traffic. Miss Couzins was there with
number of brave women, 10 hold convention
In the interest OF womans suffrage.
We attended most of the sessions Of the con
vention, which met on Monday at the Park
street Congregational church, and was duly or
ganized at seven p. M, Susan Il. Anthony in
the chair. Eloquent and spirited addresses
we're listened to by large concourse OF ntelli-
gent looking men and women. Miss Anthony
gave us reason and logic; she is grand wo
manly woman, whose personal appearance has
been most shamefuly misrepre sented. Mrs.
Gage, gentle but eloquent with white hair
combed la Martha Washington. Mrs. Saxton
OF New Orleans, full OF southern fire and north
patriotism, held us spell-bound. Mrs. Blake.
OF New York City, gave us some graphic illus
tratons OF the treatment women often receive
from their " natural protectors With brim-
ming eyes and quivering lips she spoke of the
terrible disaster on Long Island Sound. Some
OF the sufferers were her friends and neighbors
and the treatment that some of the women re-
in that FaorfnI bor,r from thar -
protectors" should forever silence all such non
sense. Men will protect their own and them
selves if they can be kept sober, but as large
proportion of them will not be kept sober, so
long as men make the laws, the home pro-
lection plan has become the necessity OF the
hour. Phoebe Couzins gave us facts and fig
trespass upon your space and perhaps your pa
tience if say anything more OF the personnel
of the speakers.
Miss Anthony offered resolution on Tuesday
P. M, the purport of which was pledge to give
neither aid or comfort to any political party in
the coming presidential campaign, unless such
party shall have good strong plank In favor
of woman suffrage in their platform. The
resolution was carried, although some wished
it distinctly understood that there were some
parties they could not work for, even with the
desired plank admitted.
Among the fraternAl deleRates-as near as !
could ascertain-there was but one sent by
ol,,t& -
but two from the many w. G. T. U.'s-Mrs.
Neff, OF Decatur, and Mrs. Julia Upton OF Big
Rapids. The red ribbon clubs are dong good
work and are determined to secure prohbi-
tory law but far-seelng men and women think
that it will be more difficult to execute such
law than to secure its passage. IL those who
are intrusted with the execution OF the law
should know that every woman held in her
hand the same power to make or unmake an
officer that man does, her wishes would meet
with something more than little polite assur
ance Of respectful consideration
II our sisters OF the w. {. T. us would take
into consideration the fact that God helps only
those who show their faith by their works they
would be willing to vote as well as pray. No
where in the Bible can I find where God did
anything for mankind that they could do for
and His commands are as binding
on temperance clubs and unions as upon any
one; and He says that whatsoever the hands
find TO do. do 1t with thy might. Now, if any
one imagines that she has fought, bled and
died for the suffrage cause when she has only
bacEslidden, why. let the dead bury their
dead, and let the live women Of our State take
their places. The remarks OF one member of
the W. c. I. U. at Howell near the close of
their late convention, Cif true) places the vo
men of Michigan in very humiliating posi-
ton. She said she "had fought, bled and died
for woman suffrage, but now she thinks if wo-
men did vote ii would only change tho quanti-
ty, not the quality, of the votes If that is
true, it is time to fast as well as pray.
MRS. J. NJ. Brown.