Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-02-26
WAS AN ABLE SPEECH
Address Delivered Under the AUS
pices of Equal Suffrage Society.
MUCH INTEREST WAS MANIFESTED
Meeting Held at the Home of Mrs. j..
c. Bonham-Leading Ladies' of the
City Assist With the Program in
Interest of Equal Suffrage.
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily.
An unusually enthusiastic meeting
IN the interest of equal suffrage was
| held Friday afternoon at the home of
Mrs. j. c. Bonham on North Jefferson
| street. ,-
The program was opened with the
reading of a poem, "Anti-Suffragists,"
by Mrs. Addie Cockeriil. Mrs. N. Mel
son, of Des Moines corresponding sec
rotary of the Iowa Equal Suffrage as
ISOLATION was then introduced and
spoke for about an hour on the t'Ef-
fects of the Ballot on All Grades of
Society from the Home to the Lowest
Slum." In appearance and manner,
Mrs. Nelson is pleasing, magnetic and
commanding. Her delivery is simple
and forceful. She impresses her hear
ers as intensely in earnest in the
work, commands vast fund of infor-
nation and experience, and conse-
| quently develops arguments which
carry weight and conviction. Mrs.
Nelson is an agitator with a definite
practical purpose and will surely ar
| rest the best thought upon her theme
| wherever she is heard. The speaker
| said in part:
"The first convention in the inter
ests of equal suffrage was held in
Seneca Falls, N. Y, in 1S4S. Eliza
beth Cady Stanton was it's prime NOV
er but Lucretia Mott and little later
Susan B. Anthony were leading spir-
| it's.
Twelve years prior to this conven-
ton Abraham Lincoln declared him
self in favor of equal suffrage. The
same broad view was held by John
Greenleaf Whittier, who went so far
as to write poem in defense of it's
justice.
Numerous ERRONEOUS ideas have ex-
| listed. and to a certain extent, do still
prevail concerning the class of women
who endorse the movement. They are
those who are successful home-mak-
ers, but believe in altering customs to
1 keep in touch with the progress and
! creating environments which will tend
/ toward the broadcast development of
their children.
"All women are not adapted to do
nestle service. Allow the individual
4 ity to expand, and if the result is a
writer, why better good authoress
than poor home-maker.
Men are equal gamers with women
in this advance for anything which
benefits women, reacts to the better
ment Of men.
1.-THE ballot in the hands of women
is the only way to successfully con-
i quer the problem of the slums. Noble
work is being done by both men and
women in slum, districts, and should
be given due credit. But so long as
4 the breeding places of vice are allow
i ic+ hni, 70 will
number the reformed.
"The woman of luxury and leisure
may feel no need of the ballot for her
self. In her protected position it is
4 really not requisite to her happiness.
But for the sake of her less fortunate
sister it is duty for her to lend
thought and influence to those things
which will tighten her burdens. In
schools, stores and shops women usu-
ALLY do more work than men in SINH
lar positions and receive less compen-
sation.
In one case in the New York schools
1.-THE ianitors receive one-third more
wages than the women teachers.
Large corporations and business con-
-lcerns would not dare offer men such
low wages on account of the necessity
lof their political support.
/ All equal suffrage asks is equivalent
compensation for the same work.
4 In Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming and
utah, where equal suffrage exists, this
has already been accomplished. The
wage Garner is invariably an advocate
Iof equal suffrage but she is busy from
morning till night--over-worked and
.lunderpaid-and has neither time nor
Influence to exert in her own behalf.
Her help must come from those in a
position to secure it for her and it is
1.-The duty of every intelligent, thought
lful woman to study the existing con-
EDITIONS and do all in her power to allie
lyiate the injustice which the customs
|of an old regime are imposing upon "a
comparatively new class of individu-
4 ais, namely-the women bread win
lners of today
4 Women are not in business thru
lchoice. Most of them prefer the quiet
lof the home, but necessity has forced
them out, and this is the condition
which must be faced.
Then let the bright, progressive and
influential women of the day waken to
their power and possibilities in light
|ening the burdens of the wage earning
|class. Let them rally to the work
Wh1ch needs DuC Cne tOucn OIL Lnel1
limited effort to crystalline the best
moral sentiment into law and place
the bread winning woman on an equal
basis with her working brother.
At the close of Mrs. Nelson's adj
dress, Miss Lieuellen, also of Des
Moines, was introduced and talked
very entertainingly for a few moments
on the comparative conditions of the
women of the north and south.
She emphasized the fact that the
ability to do is the badge that gives
one power-and this is coming to be
ltrue-regardless of sex.
She also spoke of the good fellow
ship existing between business WON
en-. OF the advance in thought from
the detrimental remark of the draw
ing room rival, to the helpful word
which one business woman is ready
and anxious to say for another
Mrs. NJ A. Peck then gave a brief
outline of the work which was former
|ly done in Ottumwa and voiced the
sentiments of all present in express
ling tho hone that If might soon he re-