Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-01-24
W. G. T. U. SELECTIONS.
CONDUCTED ny EMELINE STEWART.
Elizabeth Cady StantOn's Eightieth
birthday Fittingly Celebrated.

Elizabeth Cady StantOn's Eighteen
Birthday Fittingiy Celebrated.
Nov. IL. 1915; Nov. IL, 1895.
The National Council OF Women of
the United States, which is composed
of twenty national organizations. rep
resenting not less than one million of
women decided to hold in New York
city a gathering whose object should
be to give Mrs. Stanton deserved rec
ognition of the work she has accom-
plished in opening the way for all wo-
manhood through all time.
Fifty-five years have gone by since
the rejection of women delegates to
the Worlds Anti.Slavery Convention
caused Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth
Cady Stanton to decide to call con-
vention to consider the condition Of
women. Eight years later, in Seneca
Falls, N. ", that convention WAS
called with Mrs. Stanton as its ruling
spirit. Her resolution for the ballot
was opposed by even Lucretia Mott,
but Mrs. Stanton's brilliant arguments,
seconded by the fervid oratory OF Fred
erick Douglass, carried the convention,
which thus became the beginning OF
the woman suffrage movement. In
1853 Lucretis Mott proposed and car
ried the same resolution in a conven-
ton at Cleveland. Mrs. Stanton was
the daughter of parents OF sterling
qualities and inherited her fine Judicial
mind from her father Judge Cady,
whom she resembles in many physical
and mental characteristics. In his
office, as a child, she learned of the
suffering women had to endure be-
cause OF unjust laws and to comfort
her childish grief her father took her
on his knee and told her that when
she grew up che must go and tell the
Legislators all about it and get them
to change the laws. "Ohl that you
had been born boy" was the constant
cry of Judge Cady as he saw the eager
ness Of his daughter to acquire knowl-
edge. Step by step she went through
Latin and Greek with her brother pre-
pairing for college and then their
course diverged and she. disappointed
and sorrowful, went to Mrs. Willard's
Seminary, then the best opportunity
that was offered to girls. "She never
ceased to hurl battering rams at the
gates which had barred her out from
the higher walks OF learning"
Mrs. Colby, of the Wonaan's Tribune,
speaking of the significance of the
celebration of Mrs. Stanton's eightieth
anniversary, says: cit is not the per-
sonality at the head of an organiza-
ton, but the fact that she is the EN-.
bodied will and purpose of women
from the Atlantic to the Pacific and
even to the uttermost isles of the sea
that gives an occasion like this its
deepest meaning. Mrs. Stanton did
not have a clearer view of the logical
rights OF women than did Abigail
Adams, wife OF President Adams.
Mary Otis Warren and many others;
but the engrowing tolls Of women in
the domestic industries (now organ
lied and carried on outside of the
home by men), and the isolation of
women before the days OF railroad fla
cilities and the printing press, pre-
vented concerted action and the gath
ering Of that momentum which has
made woman such force today.
The progress of the arts and indus.
tries took out OF the home the old oc.
equations whereby woman had con-
tributed their full share to the pros.
perity of the nation, and in the vacu-
UNI thus created there rushed into the
minds Of women a sense of their re-
sponsibility for the welfare of that
larger home, society and the state.
This brought an influential factor in
the body polite. Hence Mrs. STAN
toms celebration not only signalizes a
mile stone in her life but an era for
women. II not only represents the
progress of women in education, in
avenues of industry formerly closed to
her, in changed personal and property
laws but the practical solidarity OF
that principle of self government
which is the keystone in the arch of
their liberties"
Mrs. Mary Lowe Dickinson, the
president OF the National Council OF
Women of the United States, was for
some years professor of Belles-Letters
in the University of Colorado. She is
sweet poet and successful author,
her latest works being 1.-THE Tempta-
ton of Katharine Gray" and "Spring
Blossoms" She is of commanding
presence, fluent speaker, a winner of
souls and an enthusiast for humanity.
As presiding officer at the Stanton
celebration she was in every way
suited to give effectiveness to its mag.
nifcent idea. From her opening ad-
dress we quote: Here we come,
representing in the National Council
of Women of the United States
twenty organizations. and many more
not yet allied officially to it, but
bound closely by sympathy with one
common purpose which their presence
shows. Together these organizations
represent not less than one million
! women, and with them have come