Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-16


across the border in New Brunswick. GA
tario and Quebec municipal suffrage has
been granted single women and widows,
single woman and widows OF England
and Scotland and Ireland, enjoying mum
ipal parish and distinct suffrage IN
New Zealand and South Australia full
suffrage has been granted her women en-.
gagged in commerce the right to vote for
Tribunals of commerce.
Some wise people are greatly alarmed
lest political equality disturb economic
laws and imagine all sorts of evil arising
from overstoeked professions men and
women Crowding each other in and out If
lncCupat ons neglected duties. etc. Others
Imagine womens industrial freedom to be
dependent upon her political emancipa-
ton. but we may safely assert that WON
an is as free to choose her profession or
occupation today as man and the ballot
can never give her more liberty in choos-
ing for herself. than she already has.
| This freedom has made itself man fest
| by the presence Of women in almost eV
cry remunerative employment in the nj 4.
| ted States and yet we nave never heard
of any very serious complications arising
| from such proceedings.
"Womans emancipation. thus far. has
| not been conceived in rebellion brought
| forth on the battlefield made tragic by
| martyrdom. Woman has not trundlel
| cannon over the land nor talked treason.
| She has not neglected her home nor her
family. She has studied and thought ana
| reasoned away all opposition not founded
/ in prejudccs. Her purpose is fixed and
her faith strong that her cause will pre-
vail
Those Indifferent ana those opposed
frankly confess their belief in the thou
sand and one organizations devoted 70
| club life. philanthropy is a pet hobby to
be ridden at any and all times. Every
| body knows our churches would die for
good and all We're it not for the women.
| and they are just as ready Ia appropriate
| the advantages of the colleges. Drofes
| Sions, business life. etc. AS anybody else
hey n,aN - n A nm .la NIL
| these advantages possible.
Friends and co workers. shall not our
timcnt contained in the one word, con
| centration.' BY definiteness of purpose
and concentration of effort do not under
| stand me to mean narrownesS of thought
or labor circumscribed The h,liest.
| highest principles of life are nourishcd in
such an atmosphere and we who are la
boring for the political enfranchiSement
of one half Of the human race cannot al
! ford II be other than broad minded,
large hearted dispensers of the gospel OF
equa it, for all and especial privileges for
none"
| After the introduction of the frater-
nal delegates. discussion was opened on
| the question, Resolved. that the En-
reimbursement Of Women Will Make
Better Educational Social and Politi-
cal Conditions" This was opened by
Mrs. Nellie Wade Whitcomb of
Old Orchard. In stating her
reasons for believing in suffrage
for all she said that men and women
are so differently constituted that
one cannever justly represent the other.
She did not believe that the millennium
would come as the result of equal suf-
frage. but that the power TO vote by
women would mean a steady growth,
| mentally and morally. She quoted
| :.
| CO.. educational institution both classes
of students did more and better work
and she held that from this it would
be the same where women had n better
| chance to vote. both would do more
! and better work.
! She then passed on to the statements
of some that a woman's work is ac-
| complished through the silent in
| fluences. If this is so, she said. how
much more can be accomplished by an
| open influence with men and women
working side by side in securing better
political conditions. She quoted
| liquor dealer as saying that as soon as
a woman was allowed to vote the sa
! loon would be a thing of the past.
She was followed by Mrs. Crosby and
| Mrs. Hamilton. The former read
letter from an editor. giving the oppo-
site side of the matter. and Mrs. Ham
| ilton followed with a series Of letters
| in opposition to the movement. con-
| tributed by her friends.
Mrs Gait was then on her feet with
| opposition to statements in the letters.
| One letter stated that the man was the
| natural protector and when he could
| no protect a woman himself he had
| employed police to see that no harm
| should befall her while on the street.
| In reply to this Mrs. Gait asked who
| it was when a woman went out in the
evening that she was afraid of If not
man. and as far as the men paying
for the protection, she said it was the
| women who are property holders who
pay as much as the men. She held
| that one of the worst traditions was
that women had always been taught
not to have self-respect and self-reli-
ance. Give a woman the power of the
ballot, she said. and she will have self
| respect and confidence.
The evening session in the Universalist
church was largely attended. Mrs. Catt.
the national organizer, being the princi
pal attraction. Music was furnished ny
the Ladies' Quartet. the music being on"
If tine features.
| In fact the ladies held fun sway. Even
the ushers were ladies and no young man
was allowed to take a seat without a
| lady'S cscorting him
Resolutions thanking the press. Maine
Central Railroad. the quartet and others
were read The resolutions included the
resolve to work harder for the spread of
the work and urged that wherever there
are five women believing in suffrage that
"A club be- organized.
Mrs. Gait was then introduced by Pres
ident Mrs Day and said: The greatest
power is custom. There is no custom
without reason" She referred to the Gus
tom of women wearing bonnetS in
church. Custom dictated so much that
| women did not dare take off their hats in
church in spite Of the crusade against 1t.
Most of us hold our customs because
| others did The great objection to
mans suffrage is custom. Some say ii
is revolution. 1t is not that. but evolu-
ton
She referred to the struggle during
| colonial days of men for the ballot She
spoke of the different classes formerly
forbidden the ballot "If YOU cut out the
different classes. how few would vote.
In this town if you took out those not
: born in this country how few would bal .
lot She spoke of the struggle for all
men, rich and poor. to have the right to