The Portland daily press., 1888-10-06
PRICE THREE CENTS.
MAINE WOMAN SUFFUAsISTs.
Proceedings OF the Annual Meeting
OF the Association.
The Legislature to be Asked TO Grant
the Ballot to Women.
Mrs. Julia Ward Howe Speaks on
the Subject.


51l Exchange street. headquarters Of the
w. G. T. u. The president, Rev. Henry
Blanchard, occupied the chair. Prayer was
offered by Mrs. II. NJ. Humphrey.
The treasurer. Mrs. DIR. Hersom, read her
report which showed balance in the treas
ury Of S22S.99 The recording secretary.
Miss l.. f. Donnell, read the report Of the
last annual meeting.
The following officers were elected fer the
ensuing year:
President, Rev. Henry Blanchard. Of Port
land.
Vice Presidents. Ex-Gov. Frederick Robies
Gorham; Ex-Gov. Nelson Dlngley, Lewiston;
Hon. Thomas b. Reed, Portland; DIR. Sarah
w. Devoll. Portland; Mrs. c. A. Qulnby, Au-
gusta; Judge Samuel Titcomb, Augusta !;
Mrs Usher, Bar Mills; Rev. /. p. Warren.
Portland.
Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Eta II.
Osgood, Portland
Treasurer, Mrs. DIR. Hersom, Portland.
Executive Committed The President. Sec
retaries and Treasurer ex-ofiiciO, Mrs. Mar
garet T. W. Merrill, Dr. +. II. Gerrish, Mrs.
l.. M. N. Stevens, Mrs, l.. S. j. O'Brion and
Mrs. II. NJ. Humphrey.
Miss Elizabeth N. Yates Of Round Pond,
related her experience in visiting various
parts Of the state. She saw 'signs Of prom
ise' everywhere.
committee consisting Of Mrs. j. f. Me-
Dowell, Mrs. Caroline Dana Howe, Mrs. l..
M. n. Stevens and the President was ap-
pointed to prepare an amendment TO the
constitution which should incorporate local
woman suffrage associations. The following
resolutions were passed
Res0lped, That this association earnestly
recommends that at the approaching city
election In Portland, women shall be nomi-
mated to I'LL some Of the the vacancies on the
Resolued, That this association gratefully
accepts the prOifered cooperation Of the
Maine Woman's Christian Temperance
Union In securing the one object which
both associations have In cOmmOn-namely
the passage Of a law by the next legislature
which shall give municipal suffrage to the
women Of Maine.
Remarks we're offered by the President.
Miss Yates, Mrs. Stevens, Mrs. Julia Ward
Howe, Miss Charlotte Thomas, Mrs. O'Brion
Of Cornish. and others.
Mrs. Julia Ward Howe gave an interesting
account Of her experience at Newport where
certain fashionable ladies declared that they
were not Woman Suffragists but that they
agreed with all that she had said. An ami
mated discussion took placs before the pas
sage Of the resolutions which showed the
non-partizanship Of the Maine Woman's
Suffrage Association.
MRS. HOwE's ADDRESS.
Reception Hall was we'll filed last night
with an audience consisting almost wholly
Of women, who were present to listen TO the
address of Mrs. Julia Ward Howe on wom-
an suffrage. The meeting was held under
the auspices Of the Woman Suffrage Assoei-
alton, and was presided over by Rev. Henry
Blanchard, pastor Of Congress square
church. Mr.. Blanchard. after calling the
meeting to order, said: ''In behalf Of the
Maine Woman Suffrage Association, I ex-
tend thanks to you tonight for being present
at this meeting. have only to say that we
shall ask the next legislature to grant munie-
ipal suffrage. On our visit 10 the
legislature in behalf OF woman suf-
ffage, our bill passed the first reading
with the necessary two-thirds vote. but on
the second and third reading we did not re-
ceiye the necessary two-thirds vote. We
have decided to ask municipal suffrage this
year, and we propose to send from Portland
as many names as can be obtained 10 ask
the legislature to grant this suffrage. We
feel that victory is not very far of. II not
very near We believe In our cause. We
believe that in order to establish justice we
need the votes Of women.
II am glad to have here tonight her, who
wrote the Battle Hymn Of the Republic"
apd II gives me great pleasure. to Introduce
to you Mrs. Julia Ward Howe who win now
address you"
Mrs. Howe, as she rose to speak was
greeted with applause. Mrs. Howe spoke
for more than half an hour from notes, and
held the undivided attention OF the audi
ence. The speaker said that she proposed to
speak Of the benefits Of suffrage, and that
the question should be considered under two
aspects, general and particular The 5ene-
efts that society may derive from the fran
chisement Of so large part OF its population
would be discovered by studying the ques-
| tlon. One Of the great gains, II not the
| greatest gain Of our century, Is the new idea
Of womanhood. The society woman Of to-
day who paints her face, spends much time
| In beautifying her hands, and wears dress
with stays and bindings that impede the nat
ural growth OF the lungs and heart, and ev-
en- prevent the free circulation Of the blood,
was spoken Of as the woman OF death, snd
In contra distinction to this woman the free
woman" with an honest smile and an abun-
dance OF strength was referred 10. Suffrage
Is Of value TO women because IL opens TO
them the whole field. The speaker said that
she belived that the largest freedom should
be given to women. Laws and ordinances
Of every kind effect women as much as men.
We need better world to work in- Moral
life as well as physical life requires certain
circumstances for its favorable growth. A
| child may be born in degradation. and such
| a child Is sinned against even before II Is
born. Nor are these evils limited to the low
| or class
We want better work to do. The law Of
labor Is universal. Much OF the world s
| work Is good, but much OF 1t Is accompanied
| by what IS known as dirty work. We need
better ability to do the betterlwork, and how
shall we acquire this ability? Skill and will,
| education and liberty are needed for this.
| The great laws and objects OF human life
| should be known TO all. Individuality Is a
| power. and the power OF individuality exists
| as much in woman as In man; The tndtvid-
| uality Of woman Is exerting itself as never
before. A pitiable plea against this suffrage
| In summed up in this, "Y0u don't want SUI
| frage madam because you will not vote but
| your cook will" Mrs. Howe here spoke Of her
annual visit to the Massachusetts, legislature
| In behalf Of woman suffrage and how men
| abuse the right Of suffrage.
Woman has no hand In making the laws
/ which she Is bound to obey. 1t Is said that II
i woman nau the right OF tne DdllOt sne would
i be everywhere but at home, and home and
children would be neglected. 10 Wyoming
| the women get dinner and do the house,
work in the forenoon, and after washing the
dishes 60 to the polls and vote. American
women viii make themselves felt In a man
| ner unprecedented.
Mrs. Elizabeth N. Yates was introduced
and after paying a glowing tribute 20 Mrs
Howe, said; There is an Increasing sentt-
ment In favor Of woman suffrage. wonder
that wo men did not vote In the very begin
ming Of this country. They did on some
questions, and wonder why the rignt was
ever taken from them. One objection that
has been made to woman s voting Is that
she cannot dght. But we don hear much
about that Just now. The eolonists CON-
planned against taxation without representa-
tion, and why shouldn't women? believe
In the enfranehisement Of women, because
ID Is just"
After remarks by Rev. Mr.. Blanchard, 10
which he entreated his audience "Be ye mot
hearers only, but be ye also doers." the
| meeting was dismissed.
New Corporations.
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