Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-15
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
Continued from page -


| grey when your work is complete.
And / trust your deliberations here
will be as pleasant to yourselves, so
profitable to the great cause you rep
resent, that in the few years in which
suffrage conventions will be held in
Maine. you will again look toward Wa
terville as a good place to hold an
other convention.
Rest assured, ladies. the Equal SUI
frage Club of Waterville gives you
hearty welcome"
The welcome in behalf of the club
was followed by Mayor w. c. Phii-
brook. who was in his usual happs
vein. He gave the suffragists rlos'
cordial welcome to the city, assui ii's
them that so long as they were III Tue
city there would be extended every
hospitality.
His welcome was responded 10 ny
Mrs. Lucy Hobart-day OF Poftiahu'
president of the Maine woman SUI
frage Association. who after n lew III
troductory remarks sald:
1T has been said that we USED TO ask
for suffrage because women heeueu IL
as a means of securing larger oppor-
tunities But the aspect of the woman
question is changed and the women are
now saving as in the days or the war,
",he country needs us These latter
DAYS of the 18th century nave been
frausht with such tremendous changes
for the better that the entire fabric OF
our social system economical and edu-
c,tional life has been transformed by
the hand of progress into more capa-
cious and royal garment than we had
eyer seen and for which we hardly
dared hope.
Il think there has been decided un
certainty in the minds of pessimestic
onlookers as to the probable outcome
of all these advanced steps as the wo-
men of our own and other countries
have assumed new and untried re
sponsibilities. And though | desire to
be as charitable as possible. yet I fear
greatly that there have been secret
hopes that the entire creation would
prove 4 complete failure
'It has not so proven however. but
on the contrary. as we have come 10
realize our own position. privileges and
proper place. the movement has grown
more and more widespread until today
our old time theories and notions are
in the throes of a rapid though bitter
dissolution.
This state of affairs has be brought
about in divers ways and means which
we have not now time to enumerate
but chief among the reasons for this
transformation is the advanced sys-
tenn of education which the women of
the present day demand and in this
connection l wish to say that I am not
mindful of the fact that we are con-
vened in an educational center and ii
gives me great pleasure TO acknoWi-
edge the debt of gratitude which the
woman of Maine owe the institution in
your midst for il history reads Alright.
Colby was one of the firse colleges in
Maine TO establish system OF co-edu-
cation and admit women to her cur
riculum. Since that time scores of wo
men have gone forth from these halls
of learning to n larger, broader HE,
than would otherwise have been
possible for them.
1.-The women of America are only begin
ming to realize the immense possibilities
which are their inheritance by right, ana
although this is called the land of the
free Yet one half of our population has
lived under a lifelong bondage. not only
of political acknowledgements but of popu
lar opinion as well. with a corresponding
lack Of mental and moral growth entail Il
ing a slavery of heart and mind. second
to none in its demoraliZing influence and
effects
1T has been unpopular to speak OF
equal rights for women. Therefore We
must be silent. II has been unwomanly
to ask for the privileges accorded our
brothers. our cousins and our uncles.
therefore We must accept what the gods
gave, asking no questions and giving no
hint of the desires within US for the same
privileges.
Il am glad | can speak of these things
in the past tense. for, today. 1t Is not
considered unwomanly to think indepen.
IDENTIFY or to act in accordance with on.
thinking. The political emancipation Of
| cur own selves is a problem which de
ponds to a large extent upon our indt
| vidual attitude toward it. and the con
stantly recurring question, will IL make
| nations any better. Is presented 10 us
| from all sides. We. the friends of this
| measure must vote in the afiirma tive for
and from our own convictions. We have
1 the open and published testimony to its
/ good effects from the several states which
| nave given their women full political en-
| Reimbursement. and were there time
| could read you testimonials from men
and women in high position, paying Their
| tribute to the beneficial results of wo-
mans influence in political life. In con
| clusion Mrs Day quoted Senator Hoar' ;
statements concerning the beneficial
effects of the rights of women.
| The following committees were then
| announced:
Credentials-Miss Sarah Foster Colburn
Dr. Emily n Titus. Portland.
! Resolutions-Mrs. Zenas Thompson,
| Portland; Mrs. William +. Fernald, Old
Orchard; Mrs. Sarah Fairfield Hamilton,
Saco. r.-..t F..+5-
| Nominations-Mrs Sarah c. Crosby.
Waterville Mrs. Henry NJ. Burns. SacO;
Mrs. j. w. Dyer. Portland.
Memorial resolutions-Mrs. Helen Coffin
| Beedy, Bangor: Mrs. Nellie Wade Whit
comb, Ocean Park.
The selection by the Ladies Quartet was
! followed by the address by Mrs. Carrie
Chapman Gait. who said. in part:
In the beginning Mrs. Gait spoke of the
right given women in other countries IL
vote. Then she spoke of the movement.
in France and finally came To this coun
try. Becoming more specific, she said
that the greatest argument she could find
for the equal suffrage was that womeI
may enter into the fullest and hghes;
type of womanhood. She reviewed the
situation in Wyoming and then said Sn'
found the movement as growing stronger
The men of that state. ii had been found
We're the only men who really knew Wha;
woinans suffrage is. She referred to tn,
sacrifices the worcen of that state made
!. Passing to other countries. she spoke 81
The suffrage She referred most strongly
to what had been done by the women Of
other countries and the privilege thr\
have at the ballot box. Then Speaking
more strongly. she Said sometimes
am ashamed of this Anglo Saxon blood
because we are apt to boast and then for