The Portland daily press., 1896-10-17
WOMEN WHO WOULD VOTE
Annual Meeting Of Maine Suffrage
Association. .
ENCOURAGING REPORTS THAT THE
REVOLUTION IS PROGRESSING.

REVOLUTION Is PROGRESSING.
Mrs. Hannah J.. Bailey's Annual Address
Abbie Morton Diaz, Rev. Blanche
Wright, Rev. Mr.. Rogers, Rev. I. c.
Huitin and Others Speak.
The Maine Woman Suffrage convention
waa oaIled together about p. m yester-
day by President Hannah J. Bailey.
Aftes an invocation by Rev. DR.. Henry
blanchard, the business began. There
were present fair sized audience, in
dionting that the interest in the move
msnt Is continuing.
DR.. Harriet NJ. Lewis, representing
the local woman suffrage organization,
spoke briefly, welcoming the delegates to
PORTLAND.
Mrs. L. T. Donnell, recording score
tary, next read the minutes of the meet
ing which was held year ago at the
Second Advent church in this city.
Mrs. Eta H. Osgood, as corresponding
secretary. presented her eleventh annual
report. In doing SO she said she wished
to call attention to the grsat growth IN
public sentiment favorable to the move
ment which has taken place IN those
years. The auxiliaries Of the assooia-
ton have not increased during the year
as they should, and funds are needed to
put state organizer into tho field in
Maine. Mrs. Osgood. in concluding, an
nounoed that she would be unable to
continue In the office for another year.
Mrs. Osgood's declination was accepted
with regret.
Mrs. Lyman n. Nelson, the treasurer,
reported that there was on hand at the
beginning of the year S3o. 95. and the re-
eiepes for the year with this Brought the
total oash receipts up to $1OS.71. The ex-
penses were $3.50. leaving on hand
- 81.
Miss Boss reported for the Saco club.
She sa1d that the leayen of equal suffrage
was working in that city, although
there was some prejudice against the
idea.
Miss Mary 3. Bishop reported for the
Portland club, which had been consider
Ing oivios during the year.
From the Hampton Corner club came
the report that the club last March sent
In a petition to the Hampdsr town meet
ing, asking for clean school houses,
clean town house, better roads and other
improvements The petition made such
an impression On the town meeting that
they appointed committee to see that
the requests were carried out.
PRESIDENT HANNAH J. BAILEY
began her annual address by addressing
her hearers as yellow comrades in the
battle Of liberty" She said that there
had been sentiment in this state from
very early times; but the Constitution of
1920 still oiassed the intelligent daughters
Of the state with paupers and Indians.
The first organized movement for woman
suffrage was In Portland in 1873, when
Jshn Mead and 15O other citizens formed
m association. A meeting was held.
which was addressed by Lucy Stone,
Julia Ward Howe. Mrs. Campbell and
Mary Eastman. But this movement in
N.lne languished, and it was not revived
until 1885, under the direction of Rev. j.
". Bashfoxd, then of this city. A large
nesting was held, at which strong ad-
dresses were made. and letters were read
from Governor Robie, and congressman
Resd and Dingley. A state association
was organized with kev. Henry
Blanchard as president, and remained in
that position until 1884, when it was felt
shat q woman should be at the head Of
he Organization in order to meet the OBJ.
|eotion that women did not want the
ballot.
Mrs Bailey next referred to the varying
perfumes of Woman suffrage in the last
legislature, and expressed her opinion as
.01lows:
Doubtless it is only partisan fear that
the passage of the bin two
Tsars ago. If any party in power were
sure tnat it would be made stronger and
perpetrased by woman's vote she would
be enfranohised as soon as posi- BILE, but
Dur politicians well know that woman
and everytime would vote for
he protection Of heI homo and the in
ierests of her children, hence those who
ARE more for the protection of their
,arty or of their own official position,
hesitate to commit themselves by vote al.
hough they believe in the principle of
quail suffrage and expect it sometime
% prevail
Mrs. Bailey gave the following inter-
'sting review;
"1t is Less than forty years since the
movement for woman suffrage began to
assume serious proportions The men
ina women who took up the advocacy of |
'his cause had to encounter prejudioes
Which had existed since the foundation
# the earth, 30 far as we know anything
Il human history. Today, woman
e0No0>o0o0>e>0>o>o>o>0>o>oD