The Indianapolis journal., 1890-07-26
THE FRANCHISE FOR WOMEN
Friends of the Equal-Suffragist Cause
Pledge to ltSubstantial Assistance.
4 Meeting of Unusual Character II. A.
Cleveland's Characteristic Letter-A Num-
Der of Pointed Addresses.

unique entertainment In many respects
was the lawn party given at Mrs. f. c. At
kins's last night for the benefit of the fund
for the pursuance of Miss Susan b. An.
thongs equal suffrage work in South Da-
kota. The extensive grounds were brill
iantly illuminated with electric lights and
dozens of Chinese lanterns. The latter
were suspended from the trees, from the
canopIes and in the summer-house. There
was not place that was not bright enough
to recognize friends across the lawn. The
space in front of the south bay window,
was spread with carpets and seats arranged
for some two hundred guests. Steps and a
platform led up to the window
where the singing and speech
es took place. After the song
refreshments were served in the summer
house, which was gaily decorated with
lanterns. lamps. tables, rugs and chairs,
anu beneath canopy near by young ladies
served lemonade. Subscriptions were taken
by the committee, who arranged the fete,
and quite a cum was realized. The names
OF the subscribers go with the amount to
MISS Anthony. who Is not only chairman of
the committee, but treasurer of the fund
for this particular branch of the suffrage
cause which she is working for in South
dakota. The names will also be printed in
the Woman's Journal and Woman's Trib-
une.
from steps leading from a bay-window on
the south side of the mansion. the audience
being ranged before the speakers in chairs
upon the lawn. Mrs. Seguin- allace. be-
tore the speaking began, sung Kathleen
that could but come of full comprehension
of the deep pathos of this wonderful song.
foilowing this, in few well-chosen words,
MRS. Il. Z. Atkins welcomed her guests, TAX
ing occasion in her remarks to incidentally
notice the great advance that has been
made, even since her girlhood. in
freedom to women, much of which
advance was attributable to the
work of Susan b. Anthony. She then in
trOduced Mrs. May Wright Sewan as chair
man of the meeting. who made a statement
of the work that was being done in South
Dakota by Miss Anthony and her coadjutors
IN enlightening the residents of that State
upon woman suffrage prior to the election
the question. She @ stated I that Miss san Anthony hpD
had made an appeal to the sutfragists for
money that more literature on the subject
might be put into the State and that there
were also certain expenses of speakers to be
paper. and it was numerously signed in
amounts varying from 81 to $25 to the sub
scriber. Mr.. Theodore l.. Sewall then read
the following letter from Rev. DR.. Cleveland,
who was to have been one of the speakers,
but who had left the city on his summer
vacation:
Mrs Wright Sewall:
The admission of the American woman to the
prerogatives of the ballot, and as a consequence
ner occasional elevation to Office certainly
country any WORSE ene hPo = m be Hf
doubtedly 1t would make our political life much
more interesting, and would tend greatly to i'm
prove our politicians and also their methods and
into the arena OF our politics would bring to it
the healthy influence of higher idealism and
make purer morality operative there. The
presence or O:tr American women at the caucus,
ana at tie voting stations of the country on
e,Leeson e, days would work the regeneration of
tne cations heart and the reconstruction OF all
oar political procedures.
l want that our women should stand side by
side with our men and be their equals In every
privilege and honor, ecclesiastical and political.
They are entitled to this by the charter of nature,
by the nobility of their powers and by the splen-
dor OF their achievements. Always they have
adequately filled up the measure of their Oppor-
tunity. There are good reasons for believing
that they would make a better use OF the ballot
than men have made of it. and there is no reason
Tor believing that they would make worse use
OF IT, The victories they are achieving and the
prizes they are winning I'm literature and mathe
matics at Harvard, at Cambridge, England, and
at Paris, furnish new proof, If this were needed,
OF their ability to master the most difficult OF
Ponucal problems ana 10 pass lntelngent Judg-
ment upon all questions that may come into po-
Htical debate.
There can be no rational objection to the en-
franchisement OF our American women that does
chfsement of our men. If 1t be said that mot all
women should vote and not all should hold
ofhce," the same Is to be said OF men. Men them
selves have so recently come to the art OF vOt-
ing that, like boys with new toy, they are jeal
ous OF sharing its privilege and power with per-
sons who are as skillful as themselves and who
live with them in the same houses. We let Po-
land, and Germany, and Ireland, and Africa
vote, and we tax the property of women as We
n fhof phx-f rhofx thnh hnt
lot from our own sisters whose rights and abil-
ties we acknowledge are as great as are our Ownl
1t is only because the tribal vanities and preju-
dices OF our pagan and savage state still survive
In US.
do not object to woman's voting, but earn
estly advocate it. For thirty years I have ad-
early days was a woman. For thirty years
have been ruled with diligence by one woman,
barian sentiment, by whatever chivalric lam
guage expressed. that regards woman only as the
play thing and slave Of man, scorn and with in
dignation resent. And the cooking argument Is
a not much better argument. Doubtless a woman
does good thing who learns how to become q
good cook. Perhaps Abraham Lincoln
large wages. But what loss that would
have been to the Nation and to the world. This
tax which "a we s9medes sd near ear Ihat womas
is TO the cook stove is not the talk of reason but
of men whose controlling logic proceeds from
their appetites and passions When women
themselves indulge in such talk it is usually in
their weary moments when culinary life seems 10
them to be easier than an intellectual one
When the tribal chieftain comes back victorious
ly to his tent door, tired, hungry and animally
selfish ,and loudly proclaims that wOman's sphere
Is entirely domestic. and that only in that is she
queenly, his utterance Is wholly unenlightened,
stomac hic and barbarian.
The test of a nations culture, as of its Chris
tian virtue, Ia the place it accords to woman.
The logical outcome of our girls schools and Of
woman's literary clubs ia just such meetings as
the one You have called in the interest of
woman's suffrage i'll the new State of Dakota.
Our times are marked by 1.-The new attitude Of
woman" Everywhere increasing enlightment
Is extending the ballot. Let us do what we can
to make the ballot in our own country the eX-
preston of the mind. of American mind-of
mans and of wOman's. The time will come
when our girls will be less attracted by foreign
titles than influenced by American patriotism.
Our women do not enough interest themselves
in politics. When they have the ballot they will
become more thoughtfully and earnestly patri-
otto. Their enfranchisement is Inevitable. 1t is
the dictate of justice and OF political prudence.
The event Is transpiring. When 1t is accom-
plshed. as Ii surely will be. i do not wish to he
seen crawling out of some fence-eorner and try
Ing TO make my neighbOrs believe that have al
ways been in favor of ii.
The next speaker was Mr.. John L. Grif-
fiths. He said that nation could not afford
to refuse to do the right. the just thing to the
humblest of its citizens. MANY of the men
who protest that dreadful results would
follow If women voted" said Mr.. Grifiiths,
doubtless belong to the class described by
Mrs. Stanton, who discuss politics and re-
Hgion on dry goods boxes and at railroad
stations and at other loafing places. while
their wives take in washing and provide
for the household expenses. These lords of
creation are fearful that the last badge of