The San Francisco call., 1896-05-05

primitive idea of ruling was In teaching.
Inc form OF government that made any
large body do right by force was poor
ideal of government.
OF the comparative failure of mon
archy" President Jordan said: 1.-THE
kings to-day are taking more and more
back seats. In studying English history
we now study the history of the people
rather than the annals of the kings. Less
important is becoming the deeds of Napo.
leon, and more important is becoming the
doings of Susan B. Anthony"
The latter declaration was loudly ap-
plauded.
Democracy has not vet made good gov
ernment in the United States" Continued
the speaker, under another branch of the
discourse. Every ant-hill that 1 have
ever seen is governed better than is San
Francisco. But the San Francisco gov
ernment is better for you and for me than
the ant-hill paternalism would be. | do
not wish to say anything in favor of the
San Francisco government, but it has a
freedom, sort OF go-as-you-please about
it which is important in making the men.
"We can learn many things from Japan
and Russia, but in our own Government
we have freedom. Germany could give US
all sorts of points about taking care of the
streets and sewers and slums, but l would
rather live three years in the free slums
than three years in tn German army.
While streets in San Francisco may be
dlrtier than a hogpen In Germany, and
while the San Francisco politics NAV be
bad, yet we have the freedom that makes
good men, and to make good men is the
object of government.
"The great body of men in this country
think for themselves. 1t is better that
they should think wrong than not at all.
II would rather see all men drunk by
choice than sober through compulsion.
at is better that men should think and
act all wrong, SO long as they do so for
themselves, than that others should di-
rect them.
very closely; it is what it makes of us that
is important. Most of the ballots might
be burned for all the good they do. All
the ballots that / ever cast, certainly.
N: :ght as we'll have been burned, for seem
to have always been on the wrong side.
But what of it!
''Balloting makes US thing about the
government questions. We don't know
what hurts US and we will vote until we
find out. Sometimes We think it is the
high tariff that hurts, and we vote against
il. Then we think it is the low tariff and
we vote against that. And after while
we will find out the trouble.
'But we have the value of our freedom.
We have to pay taxes, and we occasionally
but otherwise the Government does not
come very close to u.s."
President Jordan spoke of the tendency
of the people nowadays to get representa-
tion in the Legislature or in Congress by
sending lawyers as lobbyists-people who
will represent them. So it is that the peo-
pie do not send "their Wisest men to make
the public laws"
At the conclusion of the address Miss
Agnes Manning spoke brlehy
George Speed then arose at the rear of
the audience and declared that the trouble
in San Francisco was lack of democracy
The Southern Pacific Company or any
other corporation could send its represen-
tatives to the legislative halls, and the
people would have to take the laws
whether they liked them or not. In politi-
cal primaries the good citizen would very
likely be kicked out.
John Lee of the Socialistic Labor party
spoke IN the same line. He made hit by
addressing the members of the congress as
You ladies, starting in for National
Housekeeping on large scale"
The Rev. Anna Shaw was then an
nounced. The subject of her paper was
1.-THE Trend of Government To-day"
AS the able champion of woman suffrage
stepped to the front of the stage storm of
cheering greeted her. She spoke in sub
stance as follows:
81 have been attending so much to gov
ernment lately that l find myself almost
overwhelmed with the subject. Still l am
called upon to speak to you tonight on
the trend OF government. The time was
when kings claimed divine right to rule
The last one to assert this claim in plain
words was the cenqueror of Europe, and he
was laughed at. Since then there has
been grand advance. We have come to
consider it a shame that any free born
man should be governed by any one else
without his consent.
"We hear it said that nominations are
made in secret meetings which a decent
man may not attend. Very welll If in
decent men get together and make up an
indecent ticket, how Is it that decent men
go tamely to the polls and vote that very
same indecent ticket? Who is at fault in
tagging after indecency2 1t seems to me
that the one most to blame is the tagger.
''But there is rising among Us demand
for purer state of things in politics
The trend of government to-day is toward
cooperation, as President Jordan calls it,
and fine word it is to designate the labor
ing of men and women side by side. The
public demands able, faithful service from
those to whom it entrustS public charges
and offices.
"Y on can never make woman believe
that that which is degradation to her can
be an honor to her son. [Great applause I
Yet we are told that politics suits men, but
degrade women. What nonsense! The
mother, under such circumstances, must
necessarily instruct her sons to keep out of
politics. Then what results2 The good
sons, husbands and fathers will let politics
alone, leaving the science of government
to the lower elements of society.
"A great many men say they are going
to vote against women suffrage, because
they are afraid women will not make a
just use of the ballot. And to tell the
truth, the dear fellows are quite earnest
and sincere in their virtuous concern.
Why can We women not hold up before
these men some grander, nobler ideal,
which will direct their thoughts toward
the right?
''If we are to make our Government bet
ter and our country happier we must do
our best to enhance the. good features
which we may find in both. Look at the
women of this country. How they are
laboring. to prepare themselves for the ex-
ercise of the right which soon will be
recognized as theirs. Were the negroes
better suited to use the ballot than the
women of to-day?
tfTf puapoan haI ,,at hao,,