The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-13
Woman Suffragists Point to
SunflOWer State
AS An Evidence of Good Results
of Equal Suffrage In
MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.
Senate Committee Listens to
the PleadingS
Of Miss Susan B. Anthony and
Her Followers.

Washington, Feb. 13-The senate
committee on woman suffrage gave a
hearing today to delegations from the
woman suffrage convention and the
anti-s suffragists. The suffragists were
introduced by Miss Susan B. Anthony.
Mrs Clara B. Colby sketched the work
that had been done before congress in
bills introduced. She said that progress
had been made each year.
Mrs Rachael Foster Avery read a
paper prepared by woman who had
twice been elected mayor OF a Kansas
town. This described in detail what
had been accomplished in the way of
municipal reform in Kansas and indi-
Gated that there had been a purifica-
tion of municipal affairs since suffrage
to women had been granted.
Mrs. Mary c. Bradford, of Denver,
read a paper upon the effects of popu-
lar suffrage in Colorado. She noted
the improvement of conditions at the
polls. There had been a h CHER stan
dard of candidates for public Office
the women voters had improved them
selves. There were 10000 more women
voters in Colorado than men.
Mrs. Harriet Stanton Black, a daugh-
ter OF Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
spoke on the conditions in England.
Mrs Chapman Gait spoke N a vigor-
| Gus manner concerning the suffrage
movement, referring especially to the
! great advancement women had made
in the century just closing.
Miss Anthony closed the argument
/ for the SuffragiStS. She recited the
/ campaigns that had been fought, and
! declared that where there had been fail
ure it was due to the foreign born
I voters. This allied to the liquor in
/ tereSts, had succeeded in defeating
1 ri oh +o
/ women.
Mrs. Dodge was then recognized to
present the side of the anti-suffrag gists.
She read a letter signed by the state
associations opposed to the extension of
the suffrage to women. 1t was a gen
era1 argument against the question and
concluded as follows:
I'VE know that women are physically
unable to perform the duties which
men are compelled to perform under
every well regulated government The
enforcement of law involves not only
the performance of jury duty, but in
the last emergency, the employment OF
military force, in neither of which can
women discharge the responsibility of
actual service.
mo better Illustration of the diff
cultieS which would arise in case
| women were endowed with the duties
of suffrage can be presented than the
situation which has so lately existed
in the state of Kentucky. Imagine
| women taking part in the strife of that
state, involving insurrection, riot
bloodshed and assassination as the con-
sequences of a. political dispute. II
either one of the claimants of the gov
| ernorship had been a woman, it is per
fectly obvious that confusion would
have been worse confOunded, and that
in the last resort, under the constitu-
ton, the federal authorities would have
| been paralyzed by the necessity for
using military force against the women
of the state. The word chaos alone
gives adequate expression to the state
of affairs which would have existed in
Kentucky if the women as well as the
| men had been compelled to take part in
the unhappy controversy which has
convulsed that state and might have
entangled the general government in
its solution
Mrs. Dodge was followed by Miss
| Bissell, of Delaware, who declared that
where there were thousands of women
who wanted to vote there were mil
lions who did not want the ballot.
At the conclusion of the hearing be-
fore the senate committee both sides
appeared before the house committee
on judiciary.
After the hearing had proceeded fo1
some time sharp differences developed
between the two Sides and in order tc
avoid a controversy the committee ad-
jOurned.