The San Francisco call., 1895-11-02
ANNA H. SHhW'S ADDRESS,
A Witty Speech in Support Of
the Woman's Suffrage
Movement.
Hon. ]. G. Mcguire Expresses His
Sympathy With the Ladies at
Metropolitan Temple.

The mass-meetlng of woman suffrage
sympathizers called by Mrs. Sarah B.
Cooper was held at Metropolitan Temple
last evening.
Among those seated on the platform
were: Mrs. Cooper, Mrs. Van Pelt. Rev.
Anna H. Shaw, the Hon. J. G. Mcguire
and Taylor Rogers.
Mr.. Mcguire said he was present rather
to hear than to instruct. He believed alb
solutely in the principle underlying the
movement. 'All just government de-
rives its authority from the consent of the
governed" said he. 81 believe that
the right of the people to determine what
laws should govern and by whom they
should be administered is an inherent one.
This is the same principle which is assert
ed on behalf of the woman's suffrage
movement. The line formerly drawn be-
tween different classes of men giving the
right to govern to one small class was an
arbitrary line.
Either the principle of representative
government has no foundation in right
or women have an equal right to voice
IN the administrations What are the ele-
ments that give men the right TO a voice
IN government? Their manhood and in
telligence. These qualities are equal in
men and women. Our institutions rest on
justice and fair play. am an advocate of
woman's suffrage because l believe it to be
the right system. | am not moved to this
position by the belief that it will be better
| Tor society for women to have an equal
right in the making of our laws. | believe
they might for time be tempted to do
things which experience would lead them
to abandon. But new element of purity
will enter the field of politics. ;
'Ihese are advantages which would
come Immediately, and with the new pow
ers would come a desirable advance in
civil government"
Taylor Rogers said he would make but
one point in his address-that association
is the rule of human progress. He said:
'Ihere are two bases on which all govern
ment rests-either force or reason. The
Governments OF the Old World have gem
orally been held together by force. With
this experience the American fathers
struck a new line of adventure VIXEN they
formed the Government and built upon
reason. The reason consisted III the
balot-the vote. When the person goes
to the ballot he and he alone is the legis-
lator What are the philosophical forces
of the ballot? They are the mind and
morals. Ii these two are the character
lstlcS of the ballot, is woman mans equal
in intellect and morals? Woman has been
put IN competition in intellect and has
been proven equal, whether in medicine,
IN the law or IN any other profession, and
certainly she IS mans equal in morals.
"lf woman be your equal mentally and
morally" concluded Mr.. Rogers, why
shouldn't she vote? l ask you to study
this question and see whether the per-
petuity of the Government does not rest
on the decision of this question:
Mrs Sarah B. Cooper mentioned that
woman would be none the less womanly
for being enfranchised. She concluded by
introducing Rev. Anna II. Shaw
Miss Shaw, who was loudly cheered, re-
gretted her departure from California. She
had been asked whether women wanted
the earth? She had replied. mo; only
the undivided half" She would be per
fectly willing to take California for that
half
Miss Shaw agreed with Judge Mcguire
that the suffrage question could only be
argued from the standpoint of justice.
So long as one-half of the people are
taxed by the Government without having
| voice in its administration so long will
injustice reign" said the speaker. Zone
OF the objections made by men is that the
majority of women would not vote if they
could. This is sweeping assertion, dis
proved by the States of Wyoming and
Colorado, where suffrage is given to
women. In the future as in the past men
will be more interested in financial than
in moral questions. If it be right that
woman should vote, then no question of
man or woman's desire in the matter
should be considered.
Men say as soon as they want to they
can. AS soon as women begin, then, as in
Massachusetts, mans suffrage associa-
ton is started to head off the wor1ens
influence.
The women who are interested in this
question are neither the ultra fashionables
nor the dregs of society, but the great
middle classes, and they are the only ones
who are worth considering. What the
ballot has done for toiling man it will do
Tor toiling women. The suffrage is an in
alienable right"