The herald., 1895-03-17
THE WOMAN'S
SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION
OF LOS ANGELES


Kingsbury. close friend of Lucy Stone
and o-laborer with Susan b. Anthony
and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Mrs. Kings
bury has devoted large portion of her
long and useful life to the benefit of
woman, and although her pen and voice
are still busy in the cause of human
rights. she is spending the declining
years of her life in quiet suburb of Phil
adelphia.
The nucleus that was started here, how
ever, which numbered less than twenty,
has worked patiently and Systematically
to increase its influence and its member
ship
The people in California-its women es-
pecially--had not before been interested
in the question, and they had to be edu
Gated. Suffragist literature was circulated.
meetings were held to discuss the subject.
to study politics, the science of govern
ment and read and write articles from
which the weak and hestating could get
encouragement and inspiration.
Finally the time came when the associa-
ton could dare approach the Legislature
with petition for municipal suffrage for
woman, and every woman undertook the
task of canva>sng. At that time Mrs.
King sbuiy was still the president, and
she secured list OF the Christian Temp
erdncc unions and sent each number of
petitions to circulate.
This call for assistance met with
hearty response and the earnest co-opera-
ton OF many unions throughout the state,
and secured names which added mate
rally to the list.
Mlrgaret V. Longley of Pasadena,
pioneer suffragist secured over 800 names
at once in her home city.
All members having charge Of the petit
tions worked indcfatigably. oitentimes at
the sacrti sc OF personal comfort and feel
ngs, for each felt IA repusnancc in begging
for what sac felt should b. by nature her
own. The subject was unpopular, the re-
marks encountered were often un just and
false and the criticisms ignorant.
When the state legislature convened in
1889 there was list of suffragists that
exceeded i01l names, but the bill that was
presented was lost by two votes.
L ndismayed, however. the association
worked ON, stu lied political economy,
American forms OF government blIlos
reform. Australian election law, Cali
fornia laws concerning women, AMI even
dipped into the ID Angeles City Council
proceedings
The object OF the Woman's Suffrage As
socation is to gain the influence OF Just
citizens be they men or women for the
purpose OF proving the laws that are un
Just to be so, and eventually by their votes
to help good men change the nj.
Law educates and controls; it is the
al ncfa irS. nd
all are influenced directly or indirectly
by the statutes to be found in the codes
Ignorance of any law does not excuse
from penalty if that law be disobeyed;
yet women are sadly ignorant OF the law
which most concerns their interests.
The moment woman promises to love-
honor and obey man, she loses her in
dividuality. To be sure. they become one
but he is the one-and the law holds
equally if he be noble and true, or if he
be unprincipled, Il drunkard or spend
thrift: and if the latter, he can dispose of
the community property without the con-
sent of his wife as he chooses, and al
though she may have earned all such
community property the law gives her
NJ redress.
The. law names destruction OF home,
domestic peace or beating wife-a mis-
demeanor, while stealing.a pig is grand
larceny.
\ girl under Is cannot control her own
property, but girl OF ii who cannot
legally give away her doll, is adjudgsd,
in California, capable of bartering away
her chastity
1t is the realization of such injustice
and inconsistency on the part of the law
makers that las urged, and is still en-
couraeing the women sUffragists to con-
tinue in their earnest work; it is for the
sake and protection of their homes, and
their families, rather chan for personal
asgrlndizem or inivdua preferment
that the real suifragists are working.
Relieving in the union of men and
women IN all lines of reform, the Los
Angeles club last year elected Il man Tor
its president in the person OF Judge Ut
ley well known in California and other
states as an advocate of the principle OF
equality before the law, without regard
To sex.
The present vice president is Mrs. Mar
garet Y. Longley. another of the faithful
pionee's whose number is growing smaller
year by year She sat in the first woman
suffrage convention in ls49. Mrs. Mary
Leonard. Il woman OF fine intellect and
indomitable courage in this work Git re-
quires oitentimes Il great deal of cour-
age) is the efficient chairman of the eX-
euctive comm ittee.
Besides the local clubs. Il suffrage club
was organized in January, 1894, in Po-
mona; Eagle Rock has hourshing club
SO. too, has Rosedale. During last sum
mer IA club was organized in Santa Bar
bara. There is one also in San Diego,
and in Santa Ana one is now in process
OF formation
That Il clearer idea may be gained of
the questions that are veXing the souls of
the woman suffragists hereabouts the
following apt queries. from the pen of
Flora kimball, are taken from a column
in the February Searchlight, which is
published in San Francisco and is the
official organ of the State Woman 5 Stuff
rage and Educational Association
Bonaparte, at a party. placed himself
before beautiful and witty lady and
said very abruptly: Madam, L don t
like that women should NEEDLE in poll
tics.
You are very right, General she re-
Piled, but in country where women are