, 1888-03-07
NARY A. LIvERMoRR. FRANCES WILLARD.
JULIA WARD HOWE.

CLARA II SUSAN d.
crty," writes that she is too busy in England
10 come, but will "lend q hand.n Fanny
Hampini Salazaro whether Miss or Madame
her letter docs not hint, editor of ''Tho Re-
view Of Wonen's Interests" in Rome, will
send a paper to be read, and so will learned
literary Indies of Germany and elsewhere.
lnaeed, as a literary treat purely, the coun-
ell will DO well worth attending.
This council will DO n sort of forty veor
jubilee for the first regular organization of
woman suffrage, which was perfected at a
convention held at Seneca Falls, N. Y. in
1878. At the start 1t WINS closely identified
with the movement for the abolition of
slavery, and the master spirits then were
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Amelia Boomer.
Miu. Stcbhins and Frederick Douglass. but
sinco the colored man has become a voter
Mr, Douglass is very skeptical, il not an Cd
poncnt, of making the coiorod women voters.
At any rate no is willing to wait until there
is much more general information among
them. This combination Of radicals Of oil
sorts gave the movement a bad start; the
great army Of the queer and crazy rushed
into 1t, and for near twenty years the woman
BulIrhRlsts wero heard only to bc laughed at.
But as the agitators were able to point out
evident wrongs in the laws of many states
these were generally reformed and the prom
erty rights of women well secured. In the
state of Indiana, Hon. Robert Dale Owen. a
pronounced woman suffragist, introduced
into the legislature and secured the passape
of the celebrated statute ON descent and dis
tribution Of property, which, with other
laws secured by him, put Indiana at tho head
of oil the states in laws favorable to women.
Several other states have since adopted SINH
lar measures. Other early advocates of
"woman's rights were Lucretin Mott.
Paulina Wright Davis, Ernestine L. Rose,
Frances d. Gage and Sarah Tyndnle. In
1851 Susan B. Anthony presided over a con-
vention at Syracuse, N. Y, and in 1863 she
organized the Loyal Woman,s League
The close Of the war and the enfranchise-
ment OF the negroes seemed to leave the pop
ular mind in a receptive condition never
known before or since. All sorts of reforms
were urged with wonderful ability and ZEAL;
people seemed afraid to oppose anything lest
they might find themselves in the position of
those who had opposed emancipation, and
for a few years woman suffrage made won
derful progress. The National Woman Suf-
frage association was thoroughly organized,
and now has branch organizations in almost
every state. Among the most active in it
are Mary A. Livermore, julia Ward Howe,
Laura Curtis Bullard, Lille Devercaux
Blake, Ellen c, Sargent and Jane Graham
cNAA~~ y AhbhN hhNo Dttl tAISNIAlI. IlG
first substantial victories were gained in the
far west, where pioneers were laying the
foundation of our communities on more lii
eral principles.
The proposition 10 make women voters and
jurors was introduced into tho legislature of
Wyoming territory, Just for a joke as the
protector says; but it was gravely argued
That the measure would advertise the
country and attract immigration" so it was
ndopted and became law Dec. 10, 1869. Two
ladies were chosen justices of the peace and
three on four juries empaneled with women
rs jurors; but the practical inconvenience
was found to be so great that the experiment
Nus quietly discontinued. A few years later
the legislature repealed the law, but the gov
crnor vetoed tho repeal, and there lncked a
few votes Of the needed two-thirds to pass it
over lis veto. AS tho adult white women of
Wyoming number but "A few hundreds, and
nre outuanbcrcd three or four to one by the
men, not much can be deduced from the ex-
pertinent.
Early in 1869 Hon. James Ashley proposed
in the congress OF the United States to mako
the women of Utah voters, SO that the
might abolish ~polygamy. The Mormons
promptly took up the matter, and at the next
session Of the territorial legislature Qs7O
conferred tho suffrage on all adult women
and all married to adults, regardless of age,
partly to turn the tables on the statesman,
but more to double their vote against the
Gentiles, who were getting numerous In GER
tain counties. As the Gentiles were largely
miners, with very few women, the policy
was a success. A foreign born woman mar
'ried TO a native or naturalized citizen is held