The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-08
WOMEN TO ELECT|ONEER,
Suffrage Associations Will Can
vaSs the State on Their
Own Account.
w. c. 7. U. and Ministers May Not Be
Allowed to Par ticipate in the
Campaign.

Women representing the Amendment
Campaign Association and the State SUI
frage Association met yesterday afternoon
at Golden Gate Hall and discussed plans
or the conversion of California's voters to
a belief in the fairness of woman suffrage
and to the support of legislative amend
ment enfranchlsing the women Of this
State.
1t was the consensus of opinion that the
Women's Christian Temperance Union
must not be identified with the work, for
fear that the greatlaboring classes ana the
liquor element would not give their sup
port to the passage OF a measure actively
advocated by an organization that many of
them, from lack of appreciation, have long
looked upon with disfavor.
Suggestions. were made and taken under
Amusement looking to the enlistment OF
some prominent man in the work OF can
vassinE the State in conjunction with the
extensive lecturing campaign soon TO be
started by the Rev. Anna Shaw, who will
visit every county in the State to arouse a
general interest in and support for the
amendment. 1t was intimated that
should man lecturer be engaged it were
better not to have minister, so that the
masses of the people might not be deferred
from attending through apprehension of
getting sermon. A native Californian
some well-known lawyer or business man
that could EN- belllsh his facts with humor-
Gus touches-such would be, in the
opinion of some OF the women, the proper
person to precede or 20 follow the Rev.
Anna Shaw and attract 10 the lecture-halls
men that might not be drawn there by a
woman speaker.
The live topics of the day may be taken
up for brief discussion at subsequent
meetings of the two associations, so that
the member may by using such informa-
ton IN their conversation with men cause
a greater respect for their appreciation of
current facts, and in that way convince the
actual voters Of woman ability to use the
ballot inteligently.
Encouraging reports from Redlands,
| Placerville, Ukiah, Ventura and Santa
Barbara were mentioned as an indication
Of the interest felt in the suffrage move
ment.
Mrs. Thompson OF Stockton told what
had already been done in San Joaquin
! in behalf OF the suffrage question. She
said that she has obtained 200 subscribers
for National paper that is to devote a
| page of this months issue to the subject of
the suffrage movementin California. The
people of her neigh borhood, she explained,
would be willing listeners 10 the advocacy
of the passage of the suffrage amendment:
they wait only to be organized in suffrage
associations or clubs, as the w. G. T. U.
has deemed it expedient to remain in the
background.
Mrs. Chambers of Vallejo declared that
with a five days notice Vallejo largest
hall, accommodating 1900 people, could be
filled at so cents head to hear Anna
Shaw on the suffrage question. She added
that the three Vallejo papers, while not
advocates of the movement, had given
very generous notices in their columns.
Mrs. Marshall of Oakland presented the
paper Of the afternoon, and her ideas
occasloned various expressions of opinion
as to the best way OF broaching the subject
OF suffrage and woman's rights.
Discretion ana great tact were advocated
By some in mentioning the matter to men,
Others thought il should be talked about
even though men be bored. But Mrs
Smith. who expressed some very clear cut
views upon the subject generally and upon
the way men should be approached, said
that all women are not intelligent any
more than all men are, and the unintelli-
gent or unthinking women must be edu-
Gated to an appreciation of the benefits to
be derived, and then women and the intel
Hgent men should exert their efforts upon
the unenlightened mem bers of the present
voting sex. She also thought women
SuOulu UeSIn at nome 10 MAKE their con-
verts among their husbands and brothers.
Mrs. Marshall's views were slightly pes.
simistic regarding the expression to men
of women's suffrage. She feared that in
many cases through injudicious and per-
sistent mention of women's rights the
cause was deprecated in the eyes of the
very persons who have it in their power,
through the ballot. to create or defeat the
Institution of woman suffrage in Cali
fornia.
She affirmed that women want the
ballot not for the hollow privilege of at
tending the polls, but solely to assist the
deserving of mankind and to put the
honest and worthy in office. She thought
that the Native Sons ought to wish to see
their school-time companions sharing with
them the privileges that equal taxation
and similar education entitled them to-
Colonel Dickinson OF Oakland was pres
ent and discussed the paper. His thought
was that by display of familiarity with
important current questions women could
best convince men of their capacity for
the contemplated part they desire TO take
in State and municipal elections.
The Rev. Mr.. Graham, chaplain of San
Quentin prison, will be asked to present
at the next evening meeting OF the associa-
ton his paper on Venezuela.
Inspecting Oregon Lines.