New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-11
THE BOOK FULL OF MISTAKES.
so SAYS ALICE STONE BLACKWELL OF
HELEN KENDRICK JOHNSONS
LAST WORK.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The latest book against equal suffrage
('Woman and the Republic" by Helen kendrick
Johnson) is remarkable for its inaccuracy In the
matter Of dates statistics and historical facts
Take few instances chosen almost at random:
on page % the author says speaking OF New
Jersey I'm 1890 her Constitution. through an error
in wording admitted all inhabitants with certain
property to vote" On July 2. l776 the New-Jersey
Constitution Convention at Burlington, on motion
OF a Quaker preacher named Cooper, struck out
tho words male frccholders worth ESQ.," and sub
stitutcd "all Inhabitants worth $50 for the ex-
press purpose Of enfranchisng women. In AZ" al
election law passed which uses the words ne
or She and Ibis her ballot. This does not look
ike an accidental error In 1891 reactionary Leg
isature took away the suffrage from taxpayihs
women and taxpaying negroes who had been en-
franchised by the Quaker influence.
That Is ancient history; but this author IS equally
inaccurate in regard 10 modern events she says
page eW: I'm Iowa the question was submitted 10
the people In 1896, and resulted in defeat In Iowa
the question has never been submitted TO the peo-
pie.
The author says (page 3D. "Since January, 1891
ten States have dealt with the suffrage proposal
and all but one rendered adverse decisions. the.
favorable State Washington" South Dakota
took favorable action at the same time as Washing
ton.
The author says page 17s: in Wyoming statute
declares: No town. city or municipal corporation
game licensed as provided for in this chapter
Excusabe homicide Is also detned pr, Py statute ,r no
such laws the statute book The aGcusaitiSn
the MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION Opposed to the , ex
tension OF Suffrage 10 Women! ana mas since Deeh
concuslvely proved to be falsehood.
4S E PaEc s2 70
the proportion OF woman suffragsts TO the popula-
ton in the different States The figures showed the
ISOLATION to the population which is very differ
emf matter. Thus in Massachusetts, in 1895, the
bers: but in that year the so-called referendum
100 2li persons in Massachisetts voted Tor woman
Association has only $500 paying members, but ovet
800 600 persons in NewYork State pettioned the
Constitutional Convention for suffrage or course
everybody who believes in suffrage ought TO join
the Suffrage Association but II is notorious that an
do not These false statistics have been repeatedly
yet the ANTS continue 10 publish them, and TO
give 1.-THE Womans Journal as their authority:
mitted IN the chapter on Woman Suffrage and the
Home" The author quotes from The History OF
Woman Suffrage" some resolutions in favor Of free
lions were carried The resolutions not car.
convention the Business Committee reported a
series of resolutions which made no reference 70
divorce 4 member Of tho convention then offered
the free divorce resolutions quoted By Helen Ken
drick Johnson. They did not meet the approval OF
the convention. and Wendell Phillips moved that
even their having been offered should be expunged
from the records William Lloyd Garrison and the
majority o, the convention decided that the min
u'es should record the facts-i g.. that such resou-
lions had been offered and had not been passed
The other set OF resolutions uhose reported by the
Business Conmittee) were then adopted without a
These merely samples OF the gross errors Of
'ac' III ""ch 'hg fItnne s aRSHng7 BLACKWELL
Boston July 0. iSi.