Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-15
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
Annual Meeting Of Maine As
ISOLATION at WateryiIIe.
Question Of How to Secure Their
Rights Fully Discussed.
Address by Leading Members. Including MIS-.
Carrie Chapman Gait.

Aia'i 7uiii "Se -NSSocldtlon opened, this
afternoon, in the Unitarian church by
a meeting of the executive committee.
About % delegates were nrasent from
all over the state, they being the wo-
man who have been foremost in the
movement to give women the same
rights possessed by men at the ballot
box.
Among the suffragists were women
who now have national reputation in
the movement. The most prominent
was Mrs. Carrie Chapman-Catt. the
national organizer. she was The mos
central figure Of al Of those present.
Even when she stepped off the train
every one at the station who knew
that she was to be present in the city
turned their heads that they might get
a better look at her. Unconscious Of
the curiosity she excited. she remained
with the group of suffragists who had
arrived on the same train with her
The greater part Of the delegates ar
rived on the afternoon express trains
from Portland and Bangor They We're
met at the station by Mrs. H. A. Les
was no buster person in the CITY at the
arrival Of the trains than Mrs. Crosby.
She was everywhere, assigning the
guests to the places they are to stop
while in this city.
The executive officers of the associa-
ton met at the Ware parlors where a
committee meeting was held. The
business of the committee meeting was
in making recommendations to the new
board of officers and in outlining work
One of the incidents OF the meeting
was the appointment of the commit
tees as announced later in the evening.
The remainder Of the session was spent
in the discussion Of the recommended
tons for work to be made to the new
board OF officers.
The evening session was held at the
Unitarian church at 7.30. The audi
forum of the church had been very
Hastily decorated for the occasion. but
prominent among the decorations were
three large sunhowers. giving the col
ors of the suffragists. The reading
desk was Hastily decorated with cur
flowers and on either side Of the
church were jardiniers of potted plants
and ferns with asters mingled in to
give a bit Of color to the whole. The
whole arrangement was very pretty.
showing the excellent taste Of the com
mittee having the decorations in
charge.
The session was presided over by
Mrs. Lucy Hobart-Day Of Portland.
president of the association. The
manner in which she presided was
easy and graceful. showing the perfect
command she has of parliamentary
rules. Of rather slight build she is
hardly the woman what at first would
be selected as the president Of the
Maine Suffragists, but when her decis-
ion was seen. then her whole appear
ance was changed. With her on the
platform We're seated Mrs. Sarah g.
Crosby. president of the Waterville
Association. Mrs. Chapman-Catt. the
national organizer. and Rev. +. l..
Marsh.
a ladies' quartet, Misses Josephine
Berry. Ethel Lindsay, Mrs. Freeland
and Mrs. George Davies, commenced
the programme by a selection. This
was followed by the invocation by
Rev. f. L. Marsh, pastor of the Tenn
Mrs Sarah G. Crosby welcomed the
guests, saying:
In behalf of the Equal Suffrage
Club of Waterville. whose guests you
are, it is my pleasant privilege to be
first to welcome you; and / do this the
more gladly because. last year. at
Hampden, when you promised to hold
your next convention here, there was a
good deal of uncertainty as to whether
YOU would be able to fulfill your prom
Use. because there was to be a session
of the Legislature between times and
nobody could tell what would happen.
Then it is especially gratifying to us
to have a suffrage convention in Wa
terville. where, only few years ago,
there was hardly more than one suf-
fragiSt in the whole town. Now there
is almost a city full of men and wo-
men who really desire to see the en-
reimbursement of women. And this is
partly because we have learned that
the urgent reforms can never be push
ed to a successful issue until the wo-
mans vote is counted. Besides, we
know it is not just that in a govern
ment professedly by the people. one
half of the people should be derived
the rights of citizenship and be gov
erned by the other half.
You are here in the interests Of
equal suffrage and you bring to your
work the clear head and steady pur-
pose of mature womanhood. Those
who have preceded you by 80 years
have grown grey in the service and
many of them have dropped out Of the
ranks. But they have done their work
grandly. Fifty years ago, the higher
education was denied women she was
not permitted to speak in public.
There We're few ways by which she |
could earn a livelihood.
But such women as Lucy Stone, |
Susan B. Anthony, Mary a. Livermorc
Mrs Stanton and the rest, Numbered /
at the doors of colleges until they
were opened to women. They swept |
away obstacle after obstacle until. to- ,
lay. every profession, every avenue of
is as free to woman as
man. And they have left the one last
work for you to do-to secure |