The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23
PILGRIM MOTHERS DINE.
WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND MOUNTAIN
CLIMBING DISCUSS ED.
SHrs. Liliie Devereus Blake Tells OF tho Pror.
ress OF womnn's ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
Priscilla u. HncLatnT snys the Pilgrim
Mothers Had n Genius for seif-Enaceusnt.

ress OF womnn'a ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
Priscilla u. HncLatRn says the Pilgrim
Mothers HAD n Genius for seif-Ensceuent.
Two hundred adhorents Of tho cause OF
woman's suffrage gathered at tho Waldorf
Astoria yesterday and spent the afternoon lis.
tening to encouraging speeches from their lead
ers. The event was tho annual pilgrim mothers
dinner and was held by the Woman Suffrage
League Of this city. The sentiments expressed
in responses to toasts would indicate that woman
suffrage has advanced in the last year to a de-
gree little suspected by selfish man. Tho news
was received by the rank and file with hand
clappings. tho waving of bandkerchiers, and
much gleeful laughter. The few men who gained
admission to the dinner sat In n gallery and np-
plaudtd, too, but no one paid any attention to
them. 1t was a woman's afternoon, and the sole
privilege Of the mon who strayed in was to look
on and say nothing.
Mrs. Lille Devereux Blake, tho President OF
the league. presided and made tho address Of
welcome. She said:
IL welcome you all this afternoon to the an
nivorsary of the pilgrim mothers. OF course.
it's the anniversary Of the pilgrim fathers. too,
but we're not celebrating them. They've been
sufficiently Landed in the past. Recently l heard
q man speak Of the fathers rs the progenitors
Of the race, just rs though the sacrifice and the
loving care and devotion of the pilgrim mothers
counted for nothing at all. 1t 10 the women who
will have to rescue from oblivion tho names Of
Ann Brewster, Rose Standish, and others, and
you can be very sure we will bring them back
when it comes our turn to write history.
This is an suspicious period in the history
Of our country, particularly to those who live In
this vicinity. We stand on the verge Of tho
wedding of Miss Brooklyn and Mr.. New York.
Strangely enough. though. this is a wedding
where the bride retains her name. while the
bridegroom changes his. 1t will still be Brook
Ign over the river, but we'll be Manhattan.
Just think of living in a place the first three
letters of whose name spell man.
The approaching consolidation Of women's
clubs, I believe, is going TO work a great deal Of
good for the future. have done some investi-
eating of late and even / have been amazed at
the growth OF interest in women's clubs. Tho
first demand made for woman's rights was made
in 1S4s at Seneca Falls by our honored leader,
Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton. This winter
when we celebrate the tftieth anniversary Of
the work we will pass the first milestone on the
path to success. And what have we done In
that time for woman's acknowledgements Some
may say in their ignorance. Not much Well,
we've got suffrage in four States In the Union
and partial suffrag Q in twenty.three others.
There may be some here this afternoon who
are opposed to woman suffrage; there may be
some who are Indifferent to 1t. How they can
be either. In view Of what it has accomplished
for women, / do not know. When the work be-
to women. and the announcement that a woman
would make a public address S., would III have been
lit was the advocates Of our cause who
brought about the change, Thy clamored at
the mi,t doors T q .Re o6 osI,eSe an uh fbs p w9%ss wef re o Sar
sex after years of persistent effort, They worked
on with indomltable energy until they revolu-
tionized the position of woman in the land. Tho
fact that we are here to-day Is a fruit of their
labors. Such a meeting as this could not have
place pHIen hat Iucretisa Mott could ind to make an
address in was a carpenter shop.
gained ali that we want. Tho men have not
been SO very bad to us. after all. but they must
give U way as our cause us , ADVANCES nsr, td There y . should, should
rise men must inevitably rise, too. AS the poet
said; 1t is eternal woman that leads US up
Miss Annie S. Peck. well known as a noun
tain climber in this country and Europe, re-
You will hear it said among those of expo
rience that it takes courage to tackle the Mat.
and the slightest false stop may send you to in
crease the number. It seems to me that II ista
Of of , mUli ssrlaiS' MSm sn,p and IN make .Iee a ' Speech eda''n''
You have asked me to tell you something
about mountain climbing: It takes a sound
the snow mountains like Mont Blanc or Orizaba
in Mexico. But to tackle the Matterhorn re.
quires oven more. Above all things is the steady
head necessary. One must never get dizzy. must
be able to stand on the very brink Of precipices
do fifteen hours walking in one, day: The
strength required Is not so much. though. as TO
mountain climbing have been done by women in
the future.
have been asked to explain the difference
between mountain climbing in Mexico and in
Switzerland. In the Alps the requisites arc
more of O gymnastic character. One has to per-
form such muscular feats as going hand over
hand to reach necessary places. II one has no
fear it is q most exhilaraling pastime.
"In Mexico the sound heart and lungs count
the most. When / climbed to the top of Orizaba
and started out, sfoot the next morning; At
first it was possible to go seventy feet without
battling, but later we could scarcely do sixteen
feet, while toward the end we sank down ex-
to make the climb with me. One quit at the
continued to the end with me-, The pleasures OF
mountain climbing are great. moro so in the
Orizaba is being able to say, I've done it,
However, recommend the practice to you all
as M Z s0 Pr sxhiisf Is. msscR Psssf%s responded to tho
toast, .".Woman's Inspiration Then and Now"
some time ago I heard an address on the
subject of the patriotism and courage Of tho
Pilgrim mothers. and ! asked myself nfterward
deeds they performed ! 1t could scarcely, be
said to be patriotism and love of country. when
country they had ever. known. l looked far
down into the hearts of the Pilgrim mothers.
talent. amounting in some TO genius. 1t was a
genius for self-effaccment and for self-sacrifcc,
and I knew then that that was what inspired
these women. 1t was their love of liberty. of
honest lives, of their children. 1t led to patriot
ism then; 1t is leading to it to-day.
II believe that the genius of women has de-
scendcd from the Pilgrim mothers OF centuries
ago to the Pilgrim mothers of to-day, and is
being shown by them as they go blazing their
way through tho fields OF prejudice, clearing the
way for tho women of future generations. Home
is AS dear to women to-day ms IL was in 1920.
when the mothers came here for religious lib
erty. Home Is the Inspiration of the women
who to-day go forth. and endure contumely and
aspersion for the sake of political liberty.
1.-THE woman of the present day takes all hui
mRnity to her heart, and nothing that is human
is foreign to her. What ~elevates woman ncccs-
sarlly %elevates man. He is side by side with her
and cannot gel away