The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-05-03
REPUBLICAN WOMEN.
Their First State Organization for the
Campaign Of 1892.
RI )DE ISLAND AGAIN LEADS.
USa j. Ellen Foster Addresses an Audience
at iiIiinghast's Hall and Assists In the
Formation ofa II. j. women's kepubli-
can nAssociation--The News" Endorsed

In the Presidential campaign of 1888
effective work for Republican principles
and the Republican candidates was done
throughout the West by Republican
women organized under the auspices Of
the women's National Republican Com
mittee. The work of forming clubs was
not begun until the campaign was at its
hottest, and yet in spite of the short time
for preparation and the shorter time for
action thousands of women who believe
IN clean government, honest finance. the
upbuilding of the country's industries,
and other thousands who see in the Re
publican party the best hope of temper
ance, the best frie nd Of education and the
most favorable outlook for progressive
action in all moral reforms, enlisted in
the ranks and did earnest, enthusiastic,
womanly service for the cause in which
they believed, the value Of which was in
estimable.
This year il is proposed TO begin earlier
and to organize Women's Republican AS
sociations in every State and III possible.
in ever town. As Rhode Island is at the
right of the line by reason of the splendid
victory won by and for Republicanism in
the first State election of Presidential
year, SO in this matter OF recognizing
women, their power and their influence,
and asking for their aid Rhode Island
leads.
The first State organization of Republi-
can women for the campaign OF 1892 was
formed yesterday afternoon at n confer
ence called In the name of the Women's
National Republican Committee, presided
over by his Excellency Gov. Ladd and
n L.. n n.
President of the National Committee.
About 800 women filled Tillinghast's
Hall at quarter before three when Gen.
Thomas w. Chace, member for Rhode
Island Of the National Republican Com
mittee called the assemblege to order and
explained in few but fit words the object
of the gathering, introducing Gov. Ladd
rs the presiding officer. Upon the plat
form with Mr.. Chace and the governor sat
Henry 4. Tiepke. president OF the Rhode
League of Republican Clubs, Mrs. Foster
and Mrs Thomas w. Chace, secretary of
the Women's National Committee.
Gov. Ladd pleaded an engagement
but gave his hearty Endorsement to the
central idea of the meeting, paying a
warm tribute to the controlling in
Huence of women in modern civ
ilization and emhasizing the ne
cessity of securing their cooperation
In any movement that was to win. He
quoted in closing these sentences from the
manifesto of the Women's National
committee. !. FAe Republican party Is n
party of action. Its breath is progress
Its speech is the language Of the world,
and its dilect the rhetoric of the home
and the shop. Its shibboleth might be
written on the white walls of any church.
1t holds within its ranks the armies of all
reforms. 1t studies political conditions
and weighs popular sentiment, and siezes
the earliest hour to crystalize that senti-
ment into wise Legislation. It's heroic
constituencies are the thinking, moving
vital elements of American life Is it any
wonder that women rally to the support
Of such a party ?"
Mrs. Foster received hearty greeting
from her audience when introduced as the
speaker Of the afternoon. She began with
an appeal to women to lend their aid in
all honorable and womanly ways to the
party that most fully stood for the things
revercd in the home
''At the very outset," she said. "of new
work and unfamiliar work. / must urge
you, as in the old work, to keep sweet,
keep womanly. am not going to set be-
fore you as desirable thing or
. worthy thing TO plunge into per-
sonal or party bitterness or word
bandying. am not trying to
campaign Of personal self-seeking but in
principles and measures which must ap-
peal to the reason and the consc euc, OF
women as forcibly as they do to those of
men.
"Women may say hastily and in
thoughtlessness What Is the tariff to
tom houses stand or are torn down. But
women are coming year by year and
almost month by month to form a larger
proportion OF the breadearners of the
country. Women who depend on their
own hands and their own heads for their
eubsistence have just he same interest
shat workingmen have in the maintenance
OF the American wage scale and the
american standard of home comfort
The silver question, too, is not one |
Welch concerns one sex more than the |
other. Women have the spending of the |
painfully earned family funds; it makes |
as much difference to them as it does to |
IN honest dollar. capable of buying a full |
dollars worth Of rent or food or clothiaa-
And 70 come to things which touch the |
hearts OF women more closely. / spoke |
IN this State in the campaign for the pro-
hibitory amendment. see faces in tins |
audience OF women who listened to me
then. Those were glorious days. were
they not, when we so touched the hearts
OF the people that the rum traffic was
swept away? Women were interested |
then and they came out to the meetings |
20 bid the work Godspeed. And |
some of them have since Thought
hard thoughts of the Republican party |
because that work has been undone and |
{ hat work swept away. But have you |
thought, all Of you, that party can't do |
what 1t can't get the votes to do ! 1t is |
the business OF a political party TO stand |
for the highest possible available good. |
So long as the voters Of State want the |
saloon so long they will have the saloon. |
any. party or parties TO the contrary not. |
Rhode Island got a pro |
hibitory amendment before IL was ready |
Tot II, and so IL couldn't keep it.
Am then satisfied with the record of |
the Republican party in this country on