The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-09
day. The proceedings we're secret, and little is
known of what was done, further than that
agreement was reached to make aslight advance
in prices
WOMEN in MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.
Reforms They Would Bring About if Allowed
Voice in Governing the City.

The public meeting of the Womans Suffrage
Club at the Central Christian Church last night
attracted large attendance. The object of the
meeting was to agitate the question Of allowing
the women of Indianapolis to take part in the
municipal affairs of the city. The meeting was
opened with vocal duet by Mr.. and Mrs.
Walker. Mrs NJ w. Sewall read very care
fully prepared paper on Municipal Suffrage in
which she argued that the women of In
dianapolis should be represented in
the Council, Board of Aldermen, school
board and police board. She recited
at length the benefits to be derived from grant
ing women the right of representation in these
bodies, which, she said were the ones that
reached the home life and through them the
women would exert their greatest influence for
the betterment of mankind.
Following Mrs. Sewell, Gen. John Coburn adj
dressed the meeting great many people. he
said. thought the question of female suffrage
could not De met Even the women themselves
were afraid Of the question. He favored
granting women the privilege Of being
represented in the city government. The
question had become a vital one, and he felt
sure it could not longer be kept down. The true
schoo. of liberty is not found in the highest and
most powerful functions of government, but in
the city and township governments, and here
was where woman's voice should be heard. He
gave his observations of the working of the new
system in Montana, where the women are al
lowed to vote in all municipal affairs. At Miles
City, M. t., the elections had always been
accompanied with riots until the women
were given the privilege of voting and
since the elections have been as quiet as flu
neral The peace, sobriety and decency OF
city are best looked after by the women, and all
these matters need reformation. If the women
were given voice in the city government the
parks would be beautiful, AMI the market-house
cease to be a stencil in the nostrils of decent
people. He wanted to see the women of Indian
apolis call public meeting, and press this ques-
ton before the people, and he had no doubt their
desires would be granted at once
Dr. Maria Haslep spoke of the relation of
women to the public schools. In 1860, she said.
there were but few lady teachers in the public
schools of the State. Now over 40 per cent. of
the teachers are women. There is still a dis
elimination made in favor of the male teachers.
In the country the average pay to men is 81. 81,
women 81. 49, in small towns men, So 81, women,
81 "a; cities, men, 81. "a. women. So IL.
Professor Jones. superintendent of the city
schools, spoke the same subject The
relation of women TO the public schools
he considered different from that to politics. The
right OF woman to vote was inherent in her
nature. Ninety-two per cent of the teachers in
Indianapolis, he stated, are women, and in point
OF work he considered them superior to men.
The city pays the same salary for the same
work, regardless of the sex of the teacher. He
desired to see the women represented on the
school board, and hoped the next president of
the State Teachers Association would be a
woman. After some remarks by different mem
bers Of the club the meeting adjourned.