The times., 1898-02-14
THEY WANT FREEDOM
Annual Convention of the Woman S
Suffrage Association.
Preliminary Meeting Opens With a
Sermon BY the Rev. Anna Shaw
Business Begins Today.

The thirtieth annual convention of
the National American Woman's Suf-
frage Association and the celebration
of the fiftieth anniversary of the first
woman's rights convention were begun
with religious service at the Column
bia Theater at 8 O'Clock yesterday af-
ternoon.
The theater was crowded with a
large gathering, women predominating.
although men were scattered here and
there throughout the audience.
The boxes were also filed by many
of the more prominent delegates and
their friends, and the leaders of the
Miss Susan b. Anthony, president Of
the association, presided. Seated near
her was Rev. Anna Howard Shaw, the
speaker of the day.
The theater was decorated for the Oc-
casion, the boxes being hung with the
emblem of the order, a large American
flag, with four yellow stars, represent
ing the four WOman's suffrage States,
on the blue field.
The meeting was opened with pray
er and the singing of the hymn "Old
and New A vocal solo was rendered
by Guelma Mclean Baker.
The address of the Rev. Anna How
ard Shaw was on the subject. One
Shall Chase Thousand, and Two Put
Ten Thousand to Flight"
She said in part:
There has been from the very be-
ginning of time longing in the hearts
Of tFh h. frna In Nrr1fc arr
there has been the unrecOgnized but
continual cry for freedom. They had
no voice to speak, but they had heart
to ache. They had longings toward
that which they had not attained. Then
a little band of women met at Seneca
Falls, n. Y, just fifty years ago, and
since that time the thousands of preju-
dices and conservatisms of man have
been put to flight. A new time dawn
ed with the meeting Of the first con-
vention. What was the object? To
vote? No. That women should have
a right to be professors? No. Not any
one thing, but to do anything that was
To be done. That was the object Gods
human children We're created with eyes
to see, ears to hear, hands To toll.
minds to think and mouths to speak.
The spirit of that convention was that.
being human. woman should be given
the right of the precious exercise of
her human powers; that she should be
law to herself; not that class should
be arrayed against class. but that no
one body should lay on another body
burdens they might not bear.
1T was asked who are these that
they would disturb the calm. peace and
quiet Of woman's life. The press howl
ed, Is il not remarkable that women
We're content until these few discon-
tented ones told them that they were
slaves?
Nineteen hundred years ago men
created with brains lived in Rome as
though they had been created for a
day They lived like beasts of the
field as for day only. There came
in their midst prophet, and that
prophet told them they were born of
kingly race, that they were endowed
with divine possibilities. and asked
them why they did not open their
hearts and let sunshine into their souls.
He was born in a manger, and the RO-
mans asked. Who are your ancestors?
From what kingly race are you come
that you desire to tell us these things
He was rejected by those at the pal
ace. and scOrned by those descended
from kings. but His coming ran
-
throughout the world, and Rome is
fallen. 1t was the same way with those
who taught that women should believe
in themselves. and that there is a re-
ward for devotion. Your future should
not be the kind where there is reward
after death, or a reward for submis-
sion Your future should depend on
self sacrifice, that which means not
seif-effacement. but self-assertion.
The woman that always seeks her
own good has always been source of
weakness. Woman must not live en-
tirely for self-that would be to die
There is no death compared with that
of the man or woman who lives for his
ognition of that which they owe 10 9TH
ers.
But now the fields are white for the
harvest. and / trust that | have given
YOU the chord of the convention when 1
tell you that the harvest is ready.
What is now needed is not the creating
of sentiment. but the gathering of sem
timent."
The convention Will open at o'clock
this morning with preliminary meet
ing OF the executive committee in a
committee room of the theater.
The program Of the convention prop
er for to-day is as follows:
10 o'clock-Convention called to order
by President Susan B. Anthony: roll
call by Alice Stone Blackwell, secre-
tary; appointment of time-keeper; an
of committees on finance,
courtesies. credentials; report of vice
president at large, Rev Anna Howard
Shaw; report of corresponding secre-
tary- Rachel Foster Avery.
Afternoon session. O'clock-ShOrt
addresses by State presidents: Arkan-
sas, Kate Cunningham, proxy; Califor-
MIA, Mary A. Swift: Connecticut, Isa-
bella Beecher Hooker: Delaware. Mar
garet W. Houston. proxy; Georgia, DR..
L. d. Morse. proxy: Illinois, E1mna
Springer, proxy; Iowa. Julia Clark Hal
lam. proxy; Kansas. Loura NJ Johns,
proxy; Kentucky, Eugenia b. Farmer,
proxy.
4 o'clock-Special executive commit
tee meeting.
Evening. s o'clock-Opening address
by the president, Susan b. Anthony;
Our Defeats and Our Triumphs," by
the honorary president. Elizabeth Cady
Stanton. New York: "A Voice from
South Carolina" Virginia D. Young:
THE Changing Phases of Opposition
Rev Antoinette Brown Blackwell. New
Jersey: violin solo. Joseph Douglass;
Women in Church Philanthropics,'
Frances Stewart Mosher, Michigan,
and w oman in Philanthropy" Mary
Seymour Howells, New York