The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1901-01-31

7B7 others; by Gilmore OF farmer and pc
tition OF J. II. Quimby and COB othersi
by Virgin Of Cumberland, petition OF
Mrs. Sophia Harvey and 40 others; by
same gentlemen pstition Of Augusta W.
Hunt and se4 others; by Clark of Cary,
petition of Agnes A. johnson and 300
others: BY Eaton of Calias, petition OF
Mary A. Pinkhsm and 45 others.
There was no representation from the
Maine women's IN ffrAge association this
year.
Mrs. George S. Hunt Of Portland made
the opening argument before the commit
tee, speaking for about ten minutes,
using no notes, but placing her argu-
ments together with the skill OF n prac-
ticed barrister.
She said that the women came before
the committee to ask Co be put on equaii-
ty with the men In the matter OF suffrage
as they were on equality In every other
good way. she said they would appeal to
the onivalry and justice OF the msmbers
OF the committee and she hoped that be-
fore the afternoon was over they would
agree with the Hon. Thomas ID. Reed
that whatever applies to mans rights to
the ballot applies with equal force to the
women.
AT the last Presidential election, she
said that there were 100000 young men
eligible for the first time TO cast their
ballot for President. In the eyes of the
law these young men were the superiors
of their mothers, but shs asked the COM
mittee to consider for moment and see
II they really were. In the name OF
mother to which she said men were
fond OF saying they owed everything, had
not the time come when women should
cease to be classed with paupers, orimi-
nails and idiots.
1t had been stated, she said, that all
the women did not care to vote and this
was true. But look for a-moment ut the
other side of the argument. The statistics
show that of the total number eligible TO
vote In the last Presidential elsotion, 20
per cent took enough intsrsst to register
and 80 uer cent took enough interest to
vote. But was that sufficient reason for
saying that the men should not vote,
simply because 40 per cent Of them didn't
CAIo 6uOuRu hDOut bnclI bhAtOb w NoSb AsA
She said that she represented 1900 MEM
bers of the WoInAn's Christian Tempsr'
ance Union who desired the right Of
suffrage. Among the Changers. she said,
there was growing sentiment for
women's suffrage. The women farmers
thought that II they could be Of seryice.in
the management of the farms they could
l.,% ha ~ ha nna If
the petitions before the committee con-
tanned the names of 500 grangers. In this
state there are $1,000 women who earn
their own living and they believe that
they have the right to Individual repre-
sentation. Emphasis was added to this
II It was true In Maine, as 1t was In New
York, that more women among the poor
children than there are husbands who
support their wives and children.
She spoke of the long years 1t took to
get women on the school board in Port
land, and now that they were there, the
women had no voice in their nomination
and no vote II. their election. The intiu-
encs OF the women in the school board
argued that woman would be as useful
on experimenting boards OF poor houses
and reformatories. They also, would
shine to conspicuous advantage II they
could have a voice In the lighting and
the condition of the streets. In fact, In
all questions affecting the sanitarian and
humanitarian features Of life, women's
aid would be valuable. And on all
moral questions its influence would al
ways be for the best.
On Manila, she said thAt when women
thought OF the menace to the sanoity OF
the home and American manhood, which
was being carried on under the flag OF
the nation, she felt that every woman
would be willing 20 vote out that plague
spot OF the nation.
She then demolished some of the argu-
msnts against woman's suffrage and
closed by pointing nut what was being
done In the four states where women had
the right to vote.
Mrs. Hunt was followed by Mrs. A. IL.
Crockett of Dexter, who spoke briefly but
forcefully In behalf of woman's being
given the ballot which she said was moth
ing more than justice. She also quoted
the Hon. Thomas b. Reed, ana said that
Maine should have followed her motto
and led the way in this, but as long as
she hadn't the best thing that the state
could do was to follow the example which
had been set by the thrse states alluded
to by Mrs. Hunt.
Mrs Hunt then introduced Mrs. Camp
bell Of Colorado.
Mrs. CampbsIl. as voter of Colorado,
told OF her experisnce of being brought
in,o her belief in suffrage. She began by
being on a commission OF labor, and in
the doing of that WORK. she came to the
conviction that 1t was q necessity for
women TO have the ballot. After years
experience in Watching the effect in Colo
RADIO she became mora firmly convinced of
the practical and moral effect of women's
su ffrage.
Mrs. Campbell was asked many ques-