The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-21
How the Legislators at Albany Annually
Amuse Themselves at the Expense of the
Deluded Advocates of Woman Suffrage.
A Case Which Promises to Put Jersey
Justice" to Very Severe Test.
Morosini's Daughter Again the Talk of the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES for Bishop Taylor
A Question of Fashionable Style.
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.


New Agitators in the Movement-The An
nual Farce in the New York Legislature.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, March 20.-Somethng is now go
ing to he done for the cause of woman suffrage.
New agtators are going at it with vim. Their
first move has been to capture Sorosis, by de-
feating Mrs. Jennie June Croy for reelection
as president, an Office which she had held nine
years. She kept Sorosis from taking up hobbies,
and under her administration it was never COM
mitted to womans rights in the accepted sense.
Not only is Mrs. Croly deposed, but nearly
complete new board was elected. Woman suf-
frage is now to be the theme of Sorosis, and ex-
tensive turbulence on that issue is being planned.
A member of the new administration describes
the situation as follows:
Under the guise of chivalry, or political gal
lantry, piece of right down cruelty is annually
practiceG on the female suffrage women at Al
bany. Take this weeks occurrence as an illus
tration. The women suffragists had made two
or three trips to the Capitol, and had spent sew
eral days trapesing about the great. building,
interviewing Senators and Assemblymen, calling
on the Governor and Lieutenant governor being
closeted with Speaker Hustled and attracting, as
is the won't of the peculiar few who remain in
the cause a vast deal Of attention. Everybody
was kind and polite to Them concealing what
ever annoyance their long visits and peculiar
talk occasoned-for be it known these ladies
actually warned the politicians that whoever OPP
poses them is always left at home afterward, and
because, their argument is. that they are tax
payers without representation in politics they
dwell strenuously on the extreme point that they
own everything of public nature. "Just look
at these delicious carvings" heard Mrs. Lille
Devereaux Blake say to a companion, as she
seated herself in acknowledgements Jones's
private room; II always so admire the beauties
of the building, and why shouldn't we ladies ad
mire them since we paid for theme"
Everyone was polite to them, as I said, but
some were ostentatiously attentive. Among
others I may mention Speaker Hustled, ex
Speaker Erwin, Major Haggerty of New York,
and few more. These fattered them, agreed
with them, urged them on, and finally. as is done
every year caused night to be set apart for the
discussion of their everlasting measure, meas
ure, by the way, that is ridiculous only because
the sex it purposes to benefit is almost solidly
against it; measure, too. that will become the
law whenever the women really want it to, but
that now is mere piece of laughing stock.
WE'LL Thursday night was the night of the
debate and from six to ten of the female suf
iragists were on hand, their old familiar but in
most cases sadly fading faces shining along the
wall of the Assembly chamber. Erwin, Hag
gerty and the others made the trite arguments,
and when vote was taken it was found that
more than a majority of the Assemblymen had
voted for the measure. There was pause and
a little confusion, and then vote of sixty three,
or less than half, was announced.
Now this is done each year. and it seems to
me TO be the refinement of cruelty. The job is
put up for certain ones to vote for the bill as
to give the thing air of closeness sufficient to
urge the women on to give their friends in the
Assembly great eclat with them Half the time,
rs was the case this year and last, too many
votes are recorded in favor of the measure, and
then the members hurry down to the desk and,
in WHISPERED tones, bid the clerk "Put me in the
negative" MAKE my vote No, and thus prevent
the passage of the bill. The whole thing is a
fraud. Seven in eight of the speeches in favor
of the bill are insncere. and so are seven in
eight of the votes. Year after year this scene,
this mockery, is repeated-and to what end,
pray9 That few misguided women shall be
kept perpetually on the edge of victory. and that
oven a lesser number of politicians may gain re-
pute among these women.
But what is ailing this historic and ancient
sause9 At the close of the war hundreds of
women were sufficiently interested in it to come
to Albany and work for it, and great meetings
were continually held all over the land Mrs.
Stanton, Miss Anthony, Mrs. Livermore and the
rest were continually before the public. and Lii
lie Blake was only weaklng in the fold which
Then was able to pack the biggest halls. Now
where are the great meetingsg Now where are
the great leaders, Now where is the en-
thusiasm. Mrs. Stanton lin all respects model
woman. by the way), is getting old, SO is Miss
Anthony and so are the others, but who has
taken their placea Mrs. Blake, who Is no more
to be compared with them than a rushlight is to
be compared with the sun, is the leader to-day,
and she is only able to bring to Albany with her
half dozen women; ten last year, six this year.
Tan 1t be possible that in this age, when woman
Is pampered and elevated as never before in the
worlds history, the cause is dying out! Sorosis
says no, according to this expostor of its forth
coming policy, and the world is to be astounded
by the vigor and success of woman's rights
renascent.
JERSEY JUSTICE
Win 1t Prove Equal to Furnishing the Lynch