The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-19
Association oush, to pass /. vote Of thanks 10 Mr..


The ex-senator raises another question that
has been much discussed Of late, !, e., whether
when they are not forced by necessity 70 do so
This topic will he considered next week.
Mrs. Percy Widdrngton. the young English:
woman who In lecturng in this country In behalf
OF the Fabian Society, fully confirms all that was
said by Lord Mayor ITALIAN Of Dublin. as 10 tho
nsdva1iages OF having women on ne Poor Law
Guardians OF the Poor have much more 70 do
In England than in the United States because
They have to care for paupcr lunailcs, the aged
poor, the innrm, the tramps and vast number
q panper children. The service Of women as
Poor Law Guardians Is admitted by all TO have
hcen pure gain. Men are not interested in tho
intricacies Of domestic manage mt, and. without
It'll, abuses creep in. AS soon as women were
elected they went prying about among the kiteh-
ems and dormtorics Of the buildings that shelter
they found ont ali sorts OF little cstravAs ancics
and little dishonesties. and ways In which tho
lines Of The assd and N. poor we're mads need.
tended 10 introduce a more humane system to
abolish the paupcr uniform, 10 give little outings,
TO lie, aged couples stay together, instead Of part
ing husband and wifc-small things 70 the rate
pavcrs but great ones 70 the poor.
women on the boards have helped to revolu-
toniHe the treatment OF pauper children. They
used TO be hcrded together by hundreds in great
bare buildings fed on a meagro dict clothed In
school, with no Individual care, and no effective
means taken to prevent the spread Of physical
AMI moral diseases among them When this sye-
TEN WAS perceived to he unsatisfactory the children
were al nrst boarded out In respectable poor fam
spcctors were sen, around 10 scc that they were
well treated but this took great deal Of inapcc-
ton, and even in respectable but rough work:
mems families the children were not surrounded
by the atmosphere OF the best home life. Within
the las, few years this system has fallen into dis
favor and cottage homes are being substituted.
From eight To sixteen children are placed in cot
tage, with a mairon to act a. mother To them. We
are able to pay pretty good salaries and to secure
q superior class vi matrons In the case Of tho
boys the matron ~ married woman whose hus-
band shares the caro- with her There L. nothing
IL is a paurrr Institution: the children wear no
uniform. and they 20 to the public schools Med.
ical and dental officers inspect them regularly
Commissioners at the recent election In Now York
State has been the cause Of re jotcing among tho
friends Of the schools Mrs widdIington says:
most importan, school boards IN England ii is
looked upon as mark Of back wardnoss for any
lcrgc town to be without one. The woman men-
Der 81 the board always looks especially After the
women teachers She tries u raise their social
Position their Sualihest IN, and !hei, Pay and
the boys. when swimming tank is provided
fOr the school, for instance II there IL woman on
the board she sees tn IL that the girls as well
the boys are taught ~ SWIM otherwise II IL apt 70
h the boys only that are given the use Of the tank
gent and rational interest In public affairs, and
realizing that good government means happier
homes for average women. We md that our
women are brnslened and strengthened by their
interest n politics and that they are no, robbed
Of any Of their disunctively vomAnly qualiuea'
An object lesson as to tho need Of women on all
county boards that have the care Of the poor may
be found in the report lately mode 70 Gov: Voor>
hces by the New Jersey State Board ~ Children Q
Guardians Il shows a randalous condition Of
things In number OF tho county alnshousoa
Here are samples:
Huntington county Pemberton. Amshou.e-
Sexes not separated Records show startling
facts in regard TO ll.,idra:e births
Salem County hmshouse-Two children In
the aimshouse With their mother. who l. hired By
the county committee: were born In the aims
house; are illeciumn'e ono black aud one White
Sexes not separated Records show startling
facts in regard 10 ilegitlunt- births 0ns mother,
minded mother. 2; years old With three iiiesit-
mate children, one colorcd, all born In the alEs-
Similar facts arc reported from Ter a. and Other
States hey arr an argument not only for women
On the boar Is but for equal suffrage. where
be raised as n their eligibility 70 serve and whether
there were women on the board or not no county
officers would venture to let such state q thinss
prevail II half the constituents upon whom their
reelection depended vero women
Another object Lesson on the ncod Of equal sui
New Orleans has for year. been almost the only
city NJ ia size without a regular system Of sewer
age and drainage Again and again IL has been
the Vnitod States Every effort W levy a srociai
tay for the introduction Of sewerage and drainage
taypayers Al iength>i otllsiana esve taIpaytns
women the right - vote on Questions Of taxa
ton: and last summer the women taxpayers al
and their votes CARMEL the city In favor OF sp~ia al
tax levy for sewerage. drainage and pure wafer
srntua,,t them The resnl, Of Inc lat eIs.r@n
has shown, however, that u Ia not enough for
women ~ have vote on the levying 81 axes:
they need also IN have = vote for the officers by
whom the tax money will be spent Al the time
NJ the victory, Mrs Caroline + Merrtck, Mira
EVELYN " Ordway and other New Orleans women
who had been artve in the movement for improved
sanitation prorh"siet thHttHe need Of the women's
votes would bc bitterly felt by the friends of good
GOVERN cnt when the fall election approached.
For weeks pest the New Orleans pap~rr have hecn
urging the women 10 use their indirect inhuenge"
u elect an honest municipal govctnment Tho
women tried N do ~ but thew have found that
influence minu vote II much lees potent than
innurnc" rlus votes In sp's Of their efoftA
the old corrupt ring that Ia opposed N sewerage
drainage and all improvements has been PLACED
in power again In New Orleans The women
who worked SO hard In the Sewerage and Drnin-
age League thus see the results of their victory
brought IN nsught The chances are that tho
money appropriated for Aanitauon will be en-
vii continue To 800 their chiircn die OF yellow
foyer because tho mothers have no votea
The election return. from the equal suffrage
States show II IN b. still true. as Judge Kinemnn
Of Wyoming wrote years ago, that In keeping
order the presence Of a few ladies Is worth whole
squad Of police A cartoon published In the
Dsnrsr Nsps the dav after election shows two
street scenes one Is labelled 'On Election Days
Years Ago" IL represents two voters rolling
on the ground locked together In desperate
scuf'le and policeman hurIying toward them
with a club In one hand and revolver IN tho
other The second picture shows Young lady
being bowed into the polling place by polite
seton Officer, and an old lady and gentleman
peacefully following arm In arm. while a small
boy with Juvenile chivary offers his hand 10 a
little l.irl N help her up on tn tho curhstone I'm
dernenth IL written Effects Of tho Austria lian
Ballot and Of Women's Suffrage" An oficor
NJ the law IL represented fast asleep In n corner
with the legend, Special Police Useless Luxury
Nowadays"
ALICE STONE BLACKWELL.