The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-17
THE r. 1. s. p. G. A. AGAIN.

OF the past tWo VI tnrce ycair, 10 ixceZc
out the women from any active partici-
patton in the management of that splen-
did organization, the Rhode Island
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals.
Yesterday we received the following
communication from one Cf the earnest
and active women in the society. While
it is naturally an ex parte statement we
doubt if what it says and comments on
can be easily or successfully combated.
To THE EDITOR or THE NEWS;
SIR-The article in your paper of April IL.
Women, Men and Animals" written in de-
fence OF the women of the Prevention of
Cruelty 10 Animals Society has been read
and noted. We thank you for your
courtesy. We have no objection TO being
classed with the dumb animals, but none OF
US would care 20 see our names In the same
sentence with men who by their speech and
actions show they are determined 20 use our
dear old 4. G. A. Society as a political ma
chine with its packed meetings." We grant,
in gatherings like this, women do seem out OF
place. We were sorry the men. who for
so many years were associated with us in the
Society. could not continue TO work In har-
mony with us IL is to be regretted they
did not make an effort to bring men of their
own standing In the community TO the meet
ing and with their influence conduct IL
with the dignity of former years. They
were not as you thought, the prime
movers in opposition TO women. These
were men of mushroom growth In the society.
One step taken In the right direction was the
appointing of finance committee.
The women formerly looked after the
finances. We saw number of faces on the
women's side of the house we we're familiar
with as friends of the society who were among
its earliest supporters, hut this was the first
annual meeting they had ever attended. They
were disgusted with the proceedings and ex-
pressed a wish thattheir names be erased frcm
the list Of contributors.
We should be sorry TO have these women
abandon the noble cause, and would suggest
their giving their support TO the branch OF the
work devoted to Humane Literature, whose
object is to educate the children TO feel that
everything that lives should be treated with
kindness.
From the testimony OF teachers In our pub
lie schools we believe the time is not far dis
tant when the influence of this branch of the
society must be felt In our criminal courts.
Itseems TO us TO be a work that commends
itself strongly TO the clergy of our State.
We should like 10 feel that every man,
woman, and child, member of the soci-
ETY. or not, would report any act of cruelty
coming to their notice. IL they have one of
our r. c. A. calendars that can be had at the
=. c. A. office. before them, IL will be easy for
them TO do IL. 1t is to be hoped the dumb
animals will not suffer from the new order of
things mapped out by the men of the p. G. A,
Society. INTERESTED OBSERVER.
Since our initial reference to this
matter we have received new light. We
are informed that Mr.. FREEMAN p.
LITTLE and Mr.. JOHN WILMARTH
ANGELL whom we intimated were most
active in the successful attempt to
throw the women off the executive
board, were not nearly so active as was
one Mr.. HENRY s. OLNEY, a member OF
the executive board with Mr.. LITTLE
and Mr.. ANGEL. Mr.. OLNEY seems
to have been the chief whip of the
forces of man as against woman. Mr..
LITTLE and Mr.. ANGEL, as we OBJ
served in our recent criticism, were
chivalrous enough, although their chiv-
airy was of the weakened kind. They
evidenced sentimental willingness to
support women, though their gallantry
was of no practical value. Mr.. OLNEY,
however, was frankly opposed to asso-
citation with women, at least as fellow
of the executive board of the
society.
We expressed, at the time of these
observations, our absolute inability to
understand the motives that inspired
this action at the quarter-centennial
of the Cruelty to Animals So
ciety. And while we have not yet
been able to understand clearly
what such motives could be like, we
have had it limited to US that the quarter
centennial meeting was by no means a
representative ilcctiuS VI tuc IcluDcTs
and contributors of the society, but was
more representative Of the agents of the
society, the men, who, while having a
membership, also earn a part or the
whole of their livelihood from the en-
ployment the society affords them. We
intimated, in our recent remarks. that
the meeting looked at distance
like packed political caucus-packed
with the premeditated purpose of turn
ing out the women, and it is fact, we
believe, that lots Of agents were pres
ent, that an agent stood guard as door
keeper, and that one woman, at least,
who claimed right to enter and attend
the meeting was denied admittance.
Thanks to the training and efficiency of
the presiding officer. State Senator
JOHN CARTER Brown WOODS, order
was maintained at this quarter-centen-
NAL meeting, and nothing Of the hula
l.1a hoN ~