The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-16
A Convention Of
Woman Suffrd0i6tS.

/
! The first convention of woman suffra-
gists was held 50 years ago in Seneca
/ Falls. n. Y, in the little Wesleyan
chapel of that town. on July 10. Eliza
beth Cady Stanton. then 90 years old
and Lucretia Mott were the then lead
ers. on the 9th OF the present month
| in the st. Cecilia club house Of Grand
| Rapids, will be held convention of wc-
man suffragists as widely different from
/ that of 80 years ago as can we'll be
| imagined.
Then a woman suffrage gathering was
| a matter for jeers and insults today the
! delegates are sought as honored guests
| in the homes of the best people OF the
| town, and the press devotes columns OF
! space to reports of their meetings.
! In many states woman suffrage IS
past the experimental stage, and in the
new order of things the woman who
does not agree with the theory of the
movement is looked upon as scarcely w
/ to date.
The governor of New York recently
sanctioned woman's enfranchisement
/ by saying in his first message that he
I
administered if women had hand in
them, a position to which the leading
public men of the country are gradual
/ " giving their assent. Among the best
friends of the suffrage workers may be
mentioned Thomas Plat. the head OF
/ the Republican party in the state OF
New York; the Hon. John d. Long. Sec
rotary of the Nay; the late Henry
! George, Senator Hoar, Thomas Went
worth Higginson. Eugene V. Debs. the
labor leader, and hosts of other men OF
brains.
The reason for the change in pSblic
opinion is not hard to find. During the
/ 50 years since that first convention the
daughters and sons of those first wom-
/ an suffragists have been growing up
| and their mothers principles with them.
| The believers in suffrage have not FOR
| one minute ceased to preach their doc
| trines Women's colleges and the use
! full work that women have been doing
in public life are Fastening the day
when they will attain the goal they
seek Given a generation or two more
of sons and daughters taught to be-
Iieve in suffrage. and its adoption is as
certain as that the world goes round.
The arrangements for the coming
convention have been most Hospitality
planned by the people Of Grand Rapids.
All delegates are to be the guests Of the
ladies of the city. and for the spare time
sightseeing. receptions, dinners and
luncheons have been arranged.
Among the speakers will be Elizabeth
Boynton Harbert. Illinois: Evelyn II
Belden. iowa: Anna Caulfeld. Michi-
gan: May Wright Sewall Indiana:
Merrie II. Abbott. Michigan: Rev. Anna
Howard Shaw. Pennsylvania: Abigail
Scott Duniway. Oregon Martha A
Root, Michigan. Carrie Chapman Gait.
New York: Harriet Taylor Upton OF
Warren (O) school board Flora Bea-
die Renkes. school commissioner Of
Berry county. Mich; 4. Emmagene
Paul. superintendent Of street cleaning
department. First ward. Chicago, Su-
san B. Anthony. etc
The convention viii open with an OK
ecutive committee meeting in the com
rnittee room Of the club and viii be fol-
lowed during the week by several
working conferences under the direc-
ton Of Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait,
The presiding officer AT the meetings
will be that remarkable woman. susan
p. Anthony. who. with Elizabeth Cady
stanton. was pioneer 81 the a1ffTs age
movement As a platform SPEAKER
even at IS years 81 age few surpass
her in force and eIoquence. The re-
cent completion q Miss Anthony -B-
photography. one % the most in
terestinE books q rem iniscences pub
Hshed FOR some time. gives special in
terest TO her appearance al the eonySn-
ton
In a recent Announcement sent out -
the officers of the society they have this
10 say q the trend which discussion BE-
likely 20 take AZ the coming gathering
our national Hfe has reached q crisis
~ vital q that q the Revolution o.
the era q Tec0nstructjor- Z Pc Inltfd
states IS entering upon an ErBfs-sfler'-
81 expansion 4 igs territory Tbs as
eociatIon has eHpecial reason - interest
itself n the policy 20 - adopted. Leg
leIatlye acton % the next fsT years
vrUI determine questions most rnogaen-
tous 10 MILLIONS q wCmer-oeth % the
women q our rev possessions. whose
interests wish be involved IN TIE good -
bad administration % these territories.
and 20 the women = fhe United States.
whose sans w4H - brought in;o lcf4-
mate connection with Hawaii Cuta.
porto Rseo and the Philippine. ard
thaz Their healta. morals and barpsss