The Portland daily press., 1895-01-18

The cause of woman suffrage is by no
means slum bering in this city If any
thing can be judged from the meeting
at Second A dvent church Thursday eve
ming, when Mrs. Ellen Batelle Dietrich
addressed an audience as large as the
church would hold.
The meeting was under the auspices
of the Portland Equal Suffrage Club.
Mrs DR.. Hersom, president of the club,
presided. Mrs. William Leavitt, secreta-
ny of the club, accompanied the lecturer
and president on the platform.
Mrs Dietrich denied that the move
ment for equal political privileges for
women was a step for anything really
new or novel. The influence of woman
was, anciently, among primitive peoples
very powerful. Among certain Of the
North American Indian tribes, notably
the Senecas, the tribal councillors were
chosen by the women, who welded this
political power ably and successfully
Society has always been in better con-
dition when woman has worked side by
side with man. In India, China and
Turkey, where woman has shut herself
up in seclusion, society hasegone on tjust
as home would go on if the woman
there should veil hersef. retire to an in
ner room and leave the bringing up OF
the children and other care of the home
to the man.
Mrs. d ietrick believed that the alleged
q ,sO
revealed by old English laws. were no
evidence that the men had ever united
to Cypress the women. The old Teutonic
races honored woman, and she had
great influence among them. sBut wom-
ans love of luxury and mans desire to
crafty her had gradually RELOCATED her
to place where this pristine influence
was lost. The result had not been favor
able to society. In Turkey, the Yelling
of the women, which began about the
14th century, had been the accompani-
ment of national decay. Whenever
race accomplished anything i'll civiliza-
ton or progress, it will be found that it
is by the women working sidesby side
with the men.
Woman should be something besides
a peg on which to hang fine clothes and
Jewels. She has too much tendency to
become parasite. She wants to enjoy
the advantages of good schools and good
government, but does not want to bear
any of the labor of obtaining, them.
She is, in acting thus, just parasite,
and not welI-balanced human being.
(Applause.)
The city governments of America are
reproach, evils existing which would
not be found among barbarians. The
county jails of America are worse even
than the prisons Of Russia. There is
within their walls no separation for age
sex or condition. Children of tender
years ara herded with the most hardened
criminals.
Man'ssgovernment is responsible.fo
Man has talents for organizing. With
firm business grasp, he deals with
schools. jails,. ETC., on Cuisines princi-
Piles. He looks at child as factor i'll
business enterprise.
Woman is particularly fitted for the
care of the aged and weak, and for the
education of the young. Man is the or
ganizer; woman the educator.
Mrs. D ietrick criticized pension expen-
ditures and other things !where the pre-
dominance of the masculine mind did
not seem to result in the best advantage =
es, and declared that these things
showed duty neglected by the women
o f the United States. 1t was q moral
duty for woman to take part in the dis
agreeable duties of citizenship.