The San Francisco call., 1896-07-27
Miss Mary Hay Says Women
Should Not Be Discrimi.
mated Against.
DECLARES THEM NUIsANoRs
Mrs. Emma Sweet Says Lady Ten.
ants Take Too Many Liberties
About a House.

'sNo rooms rented to women" is the IN
gallant legend emblazoned in black letter
ing on a huge yellow sign which adorns
the front of 9 recently Tefitted lodging
house on Montgomery street above Bush.
The fair sex 90 not like that sign They
glance at it superciliously as they trudge
along on the opposite side of the street and
more than one lady bachelor has commit
ted herself to the extent of saying it was
''too mean for anything"
For the sign is an indication of an IN
welcome state OF facts The hitherto
gallant metropolis OF the West is taking
on the customs of the effete East, and
proprietors are beginning to discrimi-
nate against the ladies. The Montgomery
street house is not the first to establish
such q rule. More pretentious hosteIries
in the more fashionable parts Of town have
long since adopted the strictly masculine
rule, but they have done so in a meek,
apologize sort OF way that has melted
contempt rather than animosity.
The Montgomery-street house is the first
TO fling forth boldly the gage Of battle.
and now the ladies propose to look into
this matter some, and see whether or no
they are to be Disseminated against at
the boarding house as well ss at the ballot
box.
Mrs. Nellie Holbrook BIinn, when told
of the tinidity of the downtown lodging
house keepers, said that such rule would
probably result in trouble for some one.
Il have long known that women had
trouble getting desirable quarters
friend, widow of most estim-
able character, who started out TO
seek lodgings. She was very much an
noyed by the persistent questioning of the
proprietresses, and she almost despaired
of finding q room. Being like Casar's
wife, above suspicion, the inquiries of the
lodging-houSe keepers were inexplicable to
her. Perhaps few letters of recommen-
dation would have maize the matter all
right, but she certainly had . mos. IN
comfortable time OF it"
Miss Mary Hay, National organizer of
the suffrage society, expressed the opinion
that the discrimination was unkind and
unjust. Women may be trife more
particular than men, she said. s.They
naturally would be, for they understand
what housekeeping j., and would probably
demand that things be conducted right
| Women alone in a lodging-house might,
! too, demand fsvors which men would not
ask Dut what are we here for If il Is not to
aid one snother7 / do not believe women
are sufficiently 'fussy' and disagreeable as
tenants TO warrant any lOdging-house
keeper in ruling against them"
Mrs Emma Sweet, private secretary for
! Susan B Anthony, declared that there
/ was nothing about the Montgomery-street
/ lodging-house sign which made her blood
boil. .'In New York unless woman has
/ the marks OF Methusaleh upon her." she
/ declared, ''it is next 70 impossible
for her TO get g room. and even then
it is no easy matter. Women are
I q nuisance about a lodging-house.
/ They want TO borrow iatiron, then they
/ wish TO use the laundry; they utilize the
i kitchen stove. and iake liberties with he
sewing machine. AL these things are an
annoyance TO q landIady, and I do not
wonder they prefer men, who, as q usual
thing, can pay more and demand less.
I Mrs. Sweet recounted an interesting ex-
perience OF her girlhood days in Rocbes-
| ter, New York, where only by the infiu-
ence of tae utmost persuasion she was
able to get room in a desirable family
The proprietor of the offending house
declares that, being single man, he is
very partial to ladies, but desiring 10 keep
| his house in good repute he did not care
/ to take upon himself the task of passing
upon the moral attributes of lady ten
nants- Heexpressed profound ignorance of
/ their being nulsauces about house.