Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-24

The Senate select committee on woman suf-
frage gave hearing this morning to a number
of the more prominent suffragists. The hear
ing was held in the reception-room of the
Senate, and every available seat was occupied
when the proceedings were opened. Senators
Cockrell, Pasco, Blair, Palmer, Chase, Chand-
Ter, and Farwel we're present
Miss Susan B. Anthony marshaled the female
forces, and after making few remarks she in
troduced Mrs. Isabella Beecher Hooker, of Con-
necticut, who gave a graphic sketch of the
trials and troubles of woman-suffrage pioneers
She laid particular emphasis on plea for the
recognition of woman in the make up of the
committees who would have charge of the
workings of the centennial of 1880.
Mrs. Virginia L. Minor, of Missouri, detailed
some of the difficulties she had had to encoun-
ter in her struggle for the right to vote, and
argued on the equities involved.
The legislation in favor of and against
woman suffrage in Washington territory was
the subject of Mrs. A. Scott Duniway's remarks,
and when she, too, had put in her plea for an
amendment to the Constitution she was sue
ceeded by Mrs. Alice Stone Blackwell of Bos-
ton. Mrs. Blackwell told the story of how the
women of Boston saved to that city the public
schools. A number of interesting facts in con-
nection with that exciting contest were given,
and the speaker argued that woman had on
that occasion shown her patriotism her good
sense and her ability to vote intelligently.
THE MOVEMENT IN KANSAS.
Mrs. Laura NJ. Johns of Kansas, spoke very
pleasantly about the success of woman suffrage
in Kansas. Woman had been found, she said,
to be always on the side of morality and right.
The election of women to the mayoralty and
the council board at Oskaloosa in Kansas, was
the best thing that had ever happened in that
community. Drunkenness and rowdyism had
given place to sobriety and perfect order. The
place had been purified, and SO long as woman
had the power it would never again be defled
by vice.
THE REV. OLYMPIA BROWN,
of Wisconsin, spoke forcibly of the rapidity
with which immigration was blotting out Amer
lean ideas and American political supremacy.
With less than half of the population of Wis.,
consn the foreign born residents outvoted the
natives, and everything now was moving in the
direction of no free schools and no free church.
Woman suffrage was no longer a question OF
the rights of women; the very existence of the
republic was endangered unless the privileges
of the ballot were extended to women. Imml-
grafton was largely masculine, therefore the
now overwhelming foreign vote. Native
women, now powerless. would more than coun
terbalance this disadvantageous condition OF
affairs. Give us a sixteenth amendment to the
Constitution! was her cry.
THE NATIONAL SUPERINTENDENT
of the franchise department of the Women's
Christian Temperance union-Rev. Annie
Shaw, of Boston-pleaded eloquently for the
women Of the territories. Some of these terri
tories were soon to be admitted and she hoped
that when they were there would be no dis
elimination against women. Very wittily did
she refer to the barriers which had long OPP
posed the claim of woman to the ballot-the
barriers now demolished. The reverend lady
assured the committee that the friends of
woman suffrage were going to keep on talking
and working; they would come as often as they
were permitted to, and they would at
length be heard. '.for their much speaking"
They would still be pleading for justice when
Gabriel blew his trumpet unless their requests
had previously been acceded to. She urged
that it was not fair that unmarried women
such as Miss Anthony and herself-should be
without representation in the affairs of the gov
ernment. In the state of Massachusetts, alone
there was surplus of 900 women. The bal
lot meant an equal representation, it meant
better, fairer wages for women, Just as it did
for men. 1t was a mistake to suppose that all
women would vote the prohibition ticket
Women did not agree on political questions any
more than didmen. They wanted the ballot for
their own protection and for the mutual inter-
est of both sexes and the advancement of the
nation.
PARTING WARNING.
Miss Anthony, in concluding, thanked the
committee for the patience and urbanity dis
played by the members present. She referred
to the fact that for twenty-one years she had
been talking to Congress and she promised to
keep ON coming until there was a woman
suffrage amendment or until Congress passed
a declaratory act removing the existing dis
elimination against women.
Before Senator Palmer, who was in the chair,
declared the hearing adjourned, Mrs. Shattuck,
of Boston, called the attention of the COM
mittee to the petition of her mother Mrs.
Harriet Robinson, praying for the removal of
her political disabilities. The memorial was,
said Mrs. Shattuck submitted in good faith,
and all she asked of the committee was that it