Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1894-03-08
WOMEN SuFFRAGlSTS.
Annual Meeting of Vermont Women Who
Want Equal Rights With Men.

Woman's Suffrage association held its meet
ings in the Methodist church last Thursday
and Friday. The session opened Thursday
evening at I.30 o'clock with the president,
Mrs. A. ID. Chandler of Barton, in the chair.
The choir Of the church, under the leadership
OF II. M. Ingram and Miss Nellie Brown,
organist sang the "Batte Hymn Of the Re-
public" In honor of the pre- sence of its ,auther,
Mrs. julia Ward Howe. Scripture reading
was followed by prayer by Rev. G. X. Ii.
Dodge. Rev. j. K. Diverty delivered a cor
dial address Of welcome, prefaeed with six
propositions: l.. WOman's suffrage is in
harmony with the teachings Of the word of
God. 1t is in harmony with the princi-
pies of our government. 3. 1t is in accord
with reason and good sense. 4. 1t is
womanly, as it Is manly, to have personal
interest In civil government, 5. The radi-
cal basis OF government is equal rights to all
citizens. woman, by our national constitu-
ton, Is a citizen and is therefore entitled to
equality of rights with man. 6. There is no
reason for which men want the ballot that
does not hold good for women. In his re-
marks the speaker said: ''We stand before
you tonight to say 'all hail and welcome,
and the right hand of fellowship we give to
You with open hearts. l am glad that the
clouds of ignorance, prejudice and supersti-
ton that have reached from the dark ages
concerning women are being driven away"
Toexpress his position on the question be
told a story of a colored preacher who as
serted in sermon that he was an al-round
Christian, mentioning every point of the
compass and every other conceivable side.
He did not believe woman should be kept in
slavery as were the blacks before the war.
There should be no Mason and DiXOn's line
in exercising the granting of suffrage. He
claimed that woman has been at the front of
all reforms, and that where the ballot has
been given women they have transformed
the voting places into places of responsibility
through their influence.
Mrs. Julia Ward Howe gracefully re-
sponded. She said ~ was down in the city
by the sea when an invitation came to come
and tell how whole sex is coming up higher
in obedience to Gods command. When l
think of the Jews and how attached they
were to the old, wonder almost how new
testament ever came into being. We all know
that our Lord had to die that this new way
might come. A French proverb is that ''bet-
ter is the enemy of well;'' This is not so. Bet
ter is the friend of well. No good can stand
still. Things must go on and the new is bet
ter than the old because it is the fultiment
of the promises and prophesies. 1t would be
pleasant to know what will come hereafter,
but If we trust in the right principles we may
be assured that good is finally destined to
prevail" She referred to the time, more
than 90 years ago, when she In company with
William Lloyd Garrison, Mrs. Livermore and
OIucls Cdulc " cTIuOHL huu uESW Luc uIst
furrow for woman suffrage that had been
drawn here. Although the cause was ridi-
culed, they stood together and said it was
right She closed by saying that much has
been gained in the privilege of voting in
school meetings. 1t is the key Of the situa-
ton.
l.. F. Wilbur of Burlington was the next
speaker. He said equal rights regardless of
sex, is one of the most important questions
of the day. He thought the mother should
have the same right to the custody of her
children as the father and spoke of the right
of the husband to convey property without
consent of the wife, right the wife does
not have. | do not refer to the homestead
right. 1t has been said that women are
to be the mothers of the race and should be
denied the ballot. Why then, since men are
to be the fathers of the race. should they not
also be denied the right to vote?
A memorial service was held Friday at
O'Clock in honor of Mrs. Lucy Stone. Mrs.
&. e. Davidson of Newfane read the scrip
ture and offered prayer. Mrs. Phebe Stone
Beeman, neice of Lucy Stone, gave some
interesting "reminiscences of the early life of
her aunt, whose history all are familiar with
Mrs. Beeman spoke of the great changes that
have taken place in public sentiment and in
the laws of our state since Mrs. Stone began
her work over 40 years ago. Enduring
harshest criticism and often injustice, she
came at last to a place where she was right
fully appreciated.
Miss Laura Moore of Barnet paid a loving
tribute to the memory of Mrs. Stone and told
how through her she herself had been con-
Verted to the cause OF woman suffrage and
how in times of encouragement some tender
word of sympathy always came from Mrs.
Stone.
Miss Alice Jackson sang the favorite song
of Mrs. Stone, "Only remembered by what
have DONE" which closed the selvice.
Miss Moore followed With an address on
"Municipa Suffrage for Vermont Women of
1894" She said American women have priv
ileges rather than rights. She must be ruled
by laws that are made by men, and
punished by these same laws if she disobeys
them. Petitions for municipal suffrage in
Vermont have been presented to the legsla-
ture five times. She urged that taX-pay ing
women especially have an interest in town
and school affairs and should be allowed tn e
ballot. She spoke of the respectful way the
legislature has always received the petitions
of the women, and made special mention of
the senators and representatives who have
voted for the bill, urging the women to use
their influence to send men to the legislature
who are in favor of women suffrage.
The discussion of inquiries contained in the
question box was an interesting feature of
the convention.
A large audience assembled on Friday even
ing, and the services were opened by script
ure reading, prayer by Rev. j. e. Diverty and
the singing of the '.Batt!e Hymn of the Re-
public Resolutions urging tne election OF
representatives who are in favor of woman
suffrage, thanking the Methodist society for
the use of the church and Mrs. Howe for her
Kindness in attending the session were read
by Mrs. Inez E. Campbell, and adopted.
Mrs. Phebe Stone Beeman gave the first
address of the evening. She said that we
have all heard that some are born great ;
others achieve greatness; and still others
have greatness thrust upon them. Some were
born women suffragists; some come to be-
lief by reasoning on the arguments presented
by others; and some through personal eXpe-
rience, some wrong they have experienced.
She cited cases in support of her argument.
The change of the law which gives married
women the right to hold property and collect
their own wages, preventing the husband
from collecting them second time, is a di-
rect result of the agitation of the equal suf-
frage question. In speaking of the disfran-
chised classes she showed photograph of a
picture on exhibition in the WOmen's build
ing at the Worlds fair representing the FIVE
disfranchised classes. An idiot, a criminal,
an Indian and maniac, each occupying a
corner and surrounding the intelligent face
of Frances f. willard. There are % states
where women vote on the school question.
Preliminary to Mrs. Howe's address, the