The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-04
LIFE OF MISS ANTHONY
BIOGRAPHY THAT IS A NOTABLE AID
DITI0N TO THE YEARS BOOKS.
Mrs. Harper's story of "a Remarkable
Career and PersOnaIity-Fifty
Years of Reform work.

They are two formidable volumes that
come from the press of the Bowen Merrill
Company, of Indianapolis telling the story
OF the life and work of Susan B. Anthony.
The biographer Mrs Ida Hustled Harper,
offers in her preface an explanation of the
writing and publication of the work during
the lifetime of the subject, but this is
hardly necessary. Miss Anthony has been
before the public for so many years and so
much has been said concerning her that it
is but natural that she should wish an au-
thoritative history of her career to go to
the world while she is living. in order that
her contemporaries may know the truth as
to the reform for which she labored and
that she may meet any disputed points.
For this biography is authoritative; is
IN sense, autobiography, for the material
is made up in part of her personal recol-
lections narrated directly to the writer
Other material used in the preparation of
the volumes was derived from letters and
documents to the number of %, 600, the accu-
mutation of a lifetime, in Miss Anthony's
possession. Her diaries of over fifty years
and full set of scrap books beginning
with 1850 were also of great service There
was, indeed, an embarrassment of riches,
and the problem which evidently presented
itself to Mrs. Harper was that of selecting
from the mass Of material, all relevant, that
which would best tell the story. When one
looks at the two volumes of five hundred
pages each the first thought is that more
matter might have been rejected, but in fol-
lowing the narrative the places for the edi-
torial blue pencil do not readily present
themselves. The biographer has woven her
materials skillfully into a story that goes
forward with little divergence, and that, as
a whole, forms q record so unique that it
occupies place to itself in the field of
biography. No life OF any man woman
fcc1f hxyr
men and women have labored arduously and
earnestly for the promotion of reforms,
but few have dedicated their lives to such
work, giving up all that makes life dear to
most, sacrificing personal preference and
pleasures and subordinating even family
ties to the interests of a cause whose sue
cess would benefit others most.
AN UNSELFISH LIFE.
In one respect the sacrifices of the clois-
tered sisterhood bear a likeness to those
recorded in the history of this woman,
whose life was spent in the fierce glare
of publicity instead of the seclusion of stone
walls, in making appeals from the platform
instead of offering prayers upon her knees
in a chapel. Both the nun and the profess
sional reformer give up what women find
most dear, home and family, with all their
charms and absorbing but welcome cares,
but the abnegatiOn of the one involves some
thing of selhshness from which the other
is free. The one who seeks the cloister be-
HeveS that in so doing she promotes the
general cause of righteousness, but she also
believes that her heavenly reward is as
sured thereby-a worthy motive for her
course, no doubt, but narrow. Miss Anthony
throughout her long career seems to have
been animated by altrulSm as pure as IT is
given to imperfect human nature to feel.
She had few personal grievances of which
to complain, her protests against the exist
ing order of things were made for the sake
of other women whom she considered in
jured and oppressed. She worked not for
them for all humanity. The fact that vast
majority of women did not at the begin
ming, and do not now. feel their chains or
appreciate her efforts, did not make her
undertaking easier. And probably few even
of those who understand in some degree the
character of her labors realize at what per-
ordeal she underwent. Not much is said in
the biography of her feelings when the press
rldlculed her, as 1t did mercllessly Tor years
or when her audiences jeered or threatened,
or when men calling themselves gentlemen
publicly insuited her, as happened over and
over but the genuine W0maniness and GER
tain delightfully."- feminine traits revealed in
this story indicate to the discerning some
thing of the crucifixion she must have en-
dured in the earlier period OF her crusade.
1t is not necessary to accept the doctrine
of woman suffrage which she has cham
pioned so long in. order to recognize the re-
markable character of this woman or her
influence upon her time. She represents
phase of social and political development
whose beginning may be seen, but whose
future cannot yet be measured.
AN INDIRECT VICTORY.
Suffrage, the end that she worked for,
has not been gained, except in a very linn
tied way, but it cannot be said that she has
not won a very real victory. She builded
better than she knew, and in trying to ere
ate a sentiment in favor of the ballot for
women she succeeded in calling attention to
the unjust laws under which women suf-
fered, with a result that in most States
these legal disabilities are removed. The
present advantages in educational, bust
ness and professional life that women
of half 2, century ago never dreamed
of are not all due, by any means, to the
equal suffrage agitation the change has
been brought about by many agencies, chief
among which was, perhaps, the civil war,
not before thought Of But the suffragtsts
did their part, and it was the difficult work
of pioneers in a new and unpopular move
ment. Miss Anthony bore the brunt of this
unpopularity. Other women shared 1t, but
somewhat spasmodically retiring from the
field at intervals when the struggle proved
too hard, or other duties called, and return
ing when it pleased them. With single
ness of purpose and a DETERMINATION almost
if not quite unprecedented, Miss Anthony
followed up the work she began nifty years
ago and still has no thought of laying 1T
down while aught remains to be accom-
Her activity during those fifty years was
ceaseless and her labors carried on always
with indomitable energy and at least OUT
ward cheerfuiness, were tremendous. Read
in these days when the way Is made so
smooth for all the undertakings of women,
the recital of the difficulties she was COM
PEELED to overcome and which she did over
come is appalling. For nearly twenty
years her labors were mainly confined 10
the State of New York. The list of meet
ings and conventions of one kind and an
other which she called during that period,
and for which she made all arrangements,
including the raising of the money Tor eX-
penses, is bewildering. Time and again she
canVassed the State, first in the temper
ance cause. then for suffrage. then for the
Abolitionists, then for suffrage again, visit
ing county by county regardless or weather
and of poor accommodations, and OF the
slow and primitive means or travel. Ihese
tours about the country in midwinter were
enough to appall the stoutest heart, put II
Miss Anthony's weakened the fact IS not
made known. Her hopes were often dashed
hy the failure Of the public to cooperate or
of the Legislature to pass desired meas
ure but she was ready at once TO renew
ny HER FIRST WORK.
Miss Anthony's public life began with her
part in the formation of a temperance soci-
ety. and in view of the work being done by
women in temperance now it is interesting
to note that the movement was regarded
even by the Sons of Temperance with
great dsfavor the women who took part
being advised to remain in their homes.
They were also informed that if they must
attend the meetings of the IS societies
Ill. IT lea.