The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-01
HURTS THE WORK
Laura Johns Who is Now in
Washington,
Talks About the Woman's Bible.
by Mrs. Stanton.
THE CONTROVERSY
Over 1t By the Association Was
Lively.
Mrs. Stanton Shocked Many
Reverent Women.


From the State Journals Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-Mrs. Laura NJ.
Johns of Salina, Kan, who has been in
attendance on the convention of the
national equal suffrage association, will
leave for home about the first of next
week. As has been indicated before in
the sentiments expressed by Kansas
women here, nothing will be tempted
by the equal suffragists in Kansas for
some time yet.
"The Kansas women are resting" said
Mrs. Johns. "We shall not attempt to
get any further expression of the voters
regarding our cause until after the cleo
ton of 1896 is over at least. Nothing,
however, can make me believe that the
10000 VINO voted for the amendment in
Kansas were a fair expression of the
sentiment in the state. There were too
many political comp mplications to take that
as just estimate. We had asked the
Repu plicans to endorse our cause and
when they refused and the Populists did
recognize US, that angered many Re-
publicans who really believed in woman
suffrage and they refused to support the
amendment.
Besides we were hurt in many of the
towns and cities by political animosities,
engeudered by the action of women in
municipal politics The women had
always stood for certain principles and
they voted to carry them out. Wherever
i man had been defeated by women's
votes he remem bered it."
Mrs. Johns said she had aroused the
antagonism of some because she was not
in favor of asking for an Immediate re-
submission of the question, but she be
lieved it was impolitic to ask such a
thing when the amendment had been SO
recently defeated. At the proper time,
which will be sometime after the cleo
zion of this year, Mrs. Johns believes
the women should try again.
One of the most animated controver
sizes which arose at the national meeting
just closed was over the 4ssWomHn's
Bible" which is in fact a commentary
simply On the passages in the Bible
which refer to women. 1t was written
by Mrs Eliza beth Cady Stanton, aud at
tacks in vigorous way many passages
of scripture, and particularly the in
terpretation which is given to them.
Mrs Johns was one of those firmly op-
posed to having the national association
indorse the book. 1t was not because
she diff or I'd so much from the senti-
ments expressed in the work, but be-
cause it wonld lead to entanglements
and discord.
"Do you find that the sWoman's Bible
interferes with your work." Mrs. Johns
was asked.
"Yes, very much indeed. Many places
l go the women make the entire Suf
frage element responsible for it, and they
will have none of it. They tell Us We
can't have anything to do with you if
you sanction such awful things. Our
mothers won't let US play with you at
al
Mrs. Stanton's motive was all right.
There are d great many sentiments eX-
III
be criticised, especially the Interpretation
which is given to Them, but Mrs. Stanton
didn't go about it in the right war, and
the association should nOt jeopardize its
usefulness by sanctioning something it
does not need to.
The teachings Mrs. Stanton
takes up are those relating to woman's
subsection to man and the stringent theo-
logical Interpretation of them. By treat
ing them caustically and sometimes ir-
revereutlyshe tried to shock people out of
beliefin them. The result was hardly what
was desired. Many women if not most
women are dogmatic, and they believe
these passages concerning subjection
true because their mothers taught them
give up anything in the bible, and they
think they ought to believe things be
cause they are in the bible.
80 the irreyereat treatment of certain
esta blished beliefs in the woman's bible |
is very repugnant to this class of women
and when they think the book is sane
toned by the suffrage association it hurts
the cause"
Mrs Johns will return to Kansas and |
shortly afterward go 10 Arizona. New |
Mexico and North Dakota. where she |
will work in the suffrage cause
Mrs Johns is national field worker and |
organizer of the association. She is very |
highly esteemed by the officers and |
prominent citizens, and she has made |
many new friends at the meeting just |
closed by her pleasant manners and |
ways.