The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-11
MISS SHAW WILL SPEAK,
She Will Be Given a Place
on the Fourth of July
Programme.
DOCTOR FITCH GIVES WAY
He Explains Why the Suggestion
of Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper
Was Ignored.

All is again peace and harmony with the
people who are endeavoring to give San
Francisco the greatest Fourth of July cele-
bration it has ever had. The question of
authority between the executive and lit
erary committees, which involved the
placing of the name of the Rev.
Anna Shaw on the literary programme
has been settled, and Miss Shaw will
speak for half an hour to the audience that
gathers in the Woodward's Gardens pa
vilion on the Nations natal day, eschew-
ing, however, all reference to the question
of woman's suffrage.
After having made two requests to the
literary committee to place the name of
Miss Shaw on the programme, as suggested
by Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper, the executive
committee on Sunday sent peremptory
order to the literary committee to the same
effect.
In reply TO this last communication, the
literary committee yesterday sent the fol-
lowing letter to Charles J. King, president
of the Fourth of July celebration:
Sir: The literary committee of the Fourth of
July celebration is in receipt of a letter from q
coordinate branch, purporting to emanate
from the executive committee, commanding it
10 place name upon its list of literary eXer-
cises, instructing 1t TO call meeting of this
committee, and requesting it TO meet the ex-
ecutive committee at o'clock this evening q
As we understand il the literary committee
is a coordinate branch of the executive work
necessary for the proper commemoration OF
our natal day.
1t is a separate and independent department
OF that work, neither superior nor subordinate
to any other coordinate branch. 1t derives its
powers from the same appointing power and
holds its position until the objects for which it
was called together are accomplished. Know
asaFa aa1r f,fl
tinuance of the work already laid out and so
auspiciously commenced, We shall thus con-
tinue to strive 10 make this celebration one
that every American citizen may be proud of.
Whenever coordinate branch of this
celebration desires or indicates a desire TO
confer with us, we would willingly and cheer
fully inconvenience ourselves to meet and con-
fer; but whenever minority of eight in any
coordinate branch arrOgates TO itself inquisi-
torlal powers and addresses this committee in
manner exposing lack OF courtesy and good
breeding, proper regard for our own SELF
respect constrains us 10 decline a meeting
upon such conditions.
The day we are all endeavoring to appro-
priately celebrate is of itself public remon-
STRANGE against inquisitorial or dictatorial
methods OF any kind, either by church, state
or individual.
Trusting that our coming celebration may
not be interrupted by any disturbing compli-
cations, We remain, your obedient servants,
GRO. l.. FITCH, MD, chairman.
NJ. STRAUs,
L. NJ. HoEFLER,
+. NJ. HATCH,
RICHARD LAMBERT.
Immediately on the receipt of this COM
munication Mr.. King called upon Dr.
Fitch and requested him to ask the liter
airy committee to meet the executive COM
mittee in an executive conference last
night. His request was complied with,
and the conference took place III the rooms
of the celebration committee in the Mills
building. 1t continued for two hours.
The question discussed was the relative
powers of the two bodies. After the dis
cussion had continued about an hour and
half the literary committee asked per-
mission TO retire for a time which was
granted. When they returned the follow
ing letter was handed by DR.. Fitch to
Chairman w. II. Davis of the executive
committee:
Dear Sir: Our committee, in meeting this
evening, having understood what was not
known before from the regulations made by
the committee of one hundred namely. that
the literary committee is q subcommittee of
the executive committee and subordinate
thereto, in the interest OF harmony we will fol-
low out the rules laid down by the executive
committee and at our next meeting will adopt
some method by which we can make room for
Miss Anna II. Shaw in the literary exercises.
Very respectfully yours,
DR.. GEoRGE L. FITCH,
Chairman Literary Committee.
The reading of this peace-restoring letter
was greeted with three rousing cheers.
of an acrimonious character, the issue
being decided on the ground that the ex-
ecutiye committee was the legislative body
of the celebration and the literary COM
mittee one of its subcommittee.
During the entire period of the confer
ence q large delegation of ladies' including
Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper, Nine. L. a. Sorbier
and others prominent in the woman's suf-
frage movement, sat in the anteroom OF
the committee anxiously awaiting the re-
suit of the session.
When it was announced to Mrs. Cooper,
she said:
~ am glad TO hear that Miss Shaw will
be allowed to speak, not for myself person
ally, but because it establishes n great
principle in the cause for which she and
all of her followers are so earnestly at
work. I am sure there will be no cause
TO regret giving her an opportunity of
speaking
DR.. Fitch was asked why he ignored
Mrs. Cooper's original suggestion to place
Miss Shaw on the programme. He an
swered:
1--WE thought two hours of literary ex-
ercises were enough for the people. We
had an embarrassment of riches in the
way of talent, and the committee had the
programme all made ont when Mrs.
Cooper's suggestion was proffered."
Then hesitating moment. he added:
The truth is that l am most bitterly OPP
pOSeu 10 TINS Womdn'S rights movement.
1t means the destruction of this nation.
Let me quote you some figures to show you
what has already been its results.
THE census of Massachusetts, for 1885
shows that 71.2S per cent of our native
women in that State were childless.
THE census for 1885 of New York showed
that % per cent of the married women of
that State were childless, 90 per cent aver
aged less than one child, and IS per cent
averaged only trihe over one child each.
eli itwere not for foreign immigra ton
this land would be bowling wilderness in
fifty years, if statistics are worth any
thing. The birth rate is far less than that
of deaths.
al have Just received q bulletin from the
Census Bureau at Washington in which it
is shown that 45 per cent of the males from
% to 30 years of age are unmarried. The
men are simply unable to get work. 1t is
being taken away from them by the
women. 1t is thus made impossible for
them to think of getting married, when
they find it difficult 10 properly maintain
themselves. Their being thus forced to
state of bachelorhood means, in my
opinion. the undermining of the social and
moral fabric of the country and its conse-