The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-05-18
10 as a starter of the female suffrage

do as starter of the female suffrage
boom.
The. question before the meeting
was the amendment of the State Con-
stitution, by eliminating the protective
and Objectionable term "male from
1t wherever it occurs to the prejudice,
exclusion, and prohibition of females
for any right or privilege under the
sun now allowed to males.
The first male speaker said " Even
before | had myself the right to cast
vote felt that woman was the peer Of
man under all circumstances" Here
the ladies should have cheered, but
some how they didn't. He went on
further to say: felt that she ought
to be accorded the same right to vote
that had. The men alone in our
State and National legislatures are
compelled to admit that they of them.
selves are incapable OF fairly dealing
with the questions of our day and
since woman was originally intended
as a help mate when man gets stuck
of course she ought to help. The pol
itical and commercial and, aye, the
moral conditions are now dead ripe
for this innovation, and for one l sa,
let her nnovate. | ask you if women
were enfranchlsed could there be any
worse condition of our moral, politica
and commercial affairs than we now
have2 Here the female cries of "no
broke the solemn silence. 1t was toe
much they just couldn't keep still any
longer and retain their pent up emo
tlons. The burning eloquence of the
speaker just began to burn as follows
" 1t is unjust, 1t is improper, it is bar
barous 10 expect woman to abide by
the law, TO suffer the penalties of the
law, in which she has had no part ir
making. Tremendous applause). L
woman had the ballot the demands O.
organized labor would be answered
along with many other things too ru
merous to mention.
Here it is possible the speaker fel,
a sharp pain shoot through his dia
phragm, when he frankly admitted tina,
some estimable women were foollshly
protesting against Equal Suffrage. But
he struck back hard by saying, Sin
the days of the abolition of slavery
there were some slaves who fought
against their own freedom"
Mrs. Cady Stanton remarked some
what as follows: "Pd give anything
to be member Of this convention SO
as to be able to influence the men,
| Just why she wasn't an influential
member is a question unsolved.
would not pay any attention to those
women who say they don't want to
vote, because their household cares
keep them busy"
| Woman is not weak" said Mrs.
Blatch. " Nor is woman prote cted
from any sense OF chivalry ; but be
cause TO send her to the front to 10
battle would mean national suicide"
Mrs. Blatch was mad clear through be-
cause of having married an English.
man our man made laws made her a
nobody as an American, and put upon
her under her protest the nationality
of her husband. This being the un-
kindest cut OF all, it seemed to fairly
rankle Mrs. Blatch. Not until the fol
lowing resolution was adopted did the
enthusiastic meeting adjourn.
Resolved, That we respectfully
urge the delegates from the county OF
New York to the State Constitutional
Convention to exert their influence to-
wards such an amendment to the Con-
stitution as will place before the voters
OF this State the question of the en-
franchisement Of its women"
.