The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-12
OPENING SESSION.
New EnglandWOman Suffrage
Association Convention.
Young Peoples Meeting in Westminster
Unitarian Church Yesterday.

The first session of the New England
Women's Suffrage Association convention,
a young peoples meeting was held in the
Mathewson Street Unitarian Church last
evening. DIR. Helen &. Putnam presided.
The meeting was opened by prayer by Miss
dina Hale and 'How Lovely are the Mes
sengers," by Miss Garlin's chorus class.
His Honor Mayor McGuinness cordially
welcomed the association to the city Of
Providence, and spoke briefly of its
good work and the bright future OF
American women. Miss Alice Stone
Blackwell of Boston was next intro
duced. Her name is so perfectly fcank
and u~nassuming tina she at once holds
the attention of an audience. She said,
in part, hat the civilization OF a coun-
try IS measured by the position man ac-
cords to IN III the success OF woman
su ffrage in several Of our Western states
there Is only one side. Women take part
in political affairs aud lose nothing OF,
social standard. There follows no ne
giecting of HON duties; their vote is non
partizan and non-purchasable. Statistics
show thatuniverssl suffrage does not make
unhappy homes. One objection raised
by good men is due TO the feeling that
woman will not be disposed to fulfill tho
otit vi 4 dila IN hti W iti SiNNb tit
ballot. III true, this would be valid; but
what would she need to dc? Simply read
pers, discuss affairs of the day,
attend several political meetings and vote
once or twice during the year. Could not
a little time be prottably spared from the
fancy work or teas for such ~cuties, which
will make her a more intelligent being,
more companionable for her hustandy
That the vicious voting clement il op-
POSED 10 woman's suffrage is pretty good
proof of the justice which would result
from such a privilege.
After another selection by the choral
class, Miss Maud Thompson of Wellesley,
speaker of the evening. Her talk was
bright and strong, carrying conviction
with every point. She said IN substance:
Man does not own his right of suffrage
because lie is man, but because he
is a human being. Is woman any
less such a being? Woman's influence
outside the polls Is an argument which
does not hold. Has she any more intlu-
ence than man, and his, plus a vote is
twice as great? When Washington, Frank
lin, and Adams, framed our constitution
they thought no more OF women's rights
than they thought of slaves rights.
They simply did not follow their prin-
ciples to a logical conclusion.
Women are individuals, and Justice
tAiioAiA tA0Ai NV aDt
ency. Women need the ballot to protect
themselves. Look at existing laws re-
garding them. Possibility of the exist
ence of such laws proves conclusively that
one part of humanity canno be governed
by another p art. Woman needs the ballot
for protection and development. She needs
q stimulus. Public life will furnish a well
come break in the monotony of home life.
1t will give her dignity and responsible
ity, decision and force of character. IL
they have not time, then are they doing
more than half the work of the world.
They are needed to purify the polls. Vot-
ing rests upon no military basis that wo-
men must be excluded. Excused they may
be from such service. is ii not enough
that she gives the world men for tnis
duty? Ii women DO not know enough to
vote then men d6,not know enough. She
can learn when there is a stimulus, as the
boy of II does. This is a vital and person-
al question, worthy of our thought.
Miss Thompson was follow ed Dy a vocal
solo and a short speech by Rev. j. ID. ill
ling hast, who spoke of the new woman
and her restlessness. She has influence,
but needs power with IL to be effective.
AT his point the constitution was read
by DR.. Putnam, after which Mr.. W. ii. s.
Fittinger spoke to the point on this great
question and its aspect right here in
Rhode Island.
SittI ~ roho SptO niiSS NldDtl l.. IOI-
ter, '97, of Brown University spoke brief
ly, emphasizing that this cause is not wo-
mans alone, but it is broader, IL is
mans. p. II. Quinn OF Pawtucket read
an amusing list of statistics on, marriage
aud divorces, lunacy and idiocy and Grim
inalogy, II Wyoming, tending to prove
the unmeasured social benefits gained by
eS of universal suffrage. The en-
thusiastic and most interesting meeting
closed with a selection by the Choral
Class.
Today's program for the convention fol-
lows:
Morning session, reports of delegates
and speeches by III. b. Blackwell and AL
ce Stone Blackwell.
Symposium at 3 p. m.f
Rev. Florence r.. Kollock OF the Every
Day Church, Boston.
Mrs. Mary A. Babcock, Mrs. j. y.
French, Mrs. a. &. Dewing, Miss Susan
&. Kenyon and others Will speak.
Mrs. julia Ward Howe, president OF the
N. Il. w. 5. A., and Mary +. Eastman
will be the principal speakers in the even
ing.
The sessions begin at 1880 a. M, 3
pnd x .30 N m