Fergus County argus., 1902-07-23
POLITICAL
| EQUALITY
Good Audiences Listen to Able Ad-
dresses by Miss Gail Laughlin
OF New York.
CAUSE OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE
Society Formed in Lewistown for the
Dissemination Of knowledge
Upon the Subject.

For midsummer weather two good
houses greeted Miss Gail Laughlin
on Monday and Tuesday evening to
listen to an address upon equal po-
litical rights. Miss Laughln is slen.
der in form. with a bright, intellec-
tual face and bearing that suggests
confidence in herself and the cause
which she SO eloquently expounds.
She was introduced to the audience
on Tuesday evening by Il. Won Tobel.
who took the occasion to say a good
word for Montana, in the liberality
and justice of her laws as regards
the property rights of women. He
referred to the efforts in behalf Of
woman suffrage when he was a mem
ber of the legislature and said al
though the bill was defeated II had
strong support and ne considered II
an honor to have voted in the affirm
ative. He said there was one thing
lacking, but believed the time was
not far distant when women would
have equal political rights with men
in this state. Miss Laughln was In
troduced as a graduate of Wellesley
College and the law school oil Cornell
University, and as a further honor
she had been appointed by President
Mckinley as expert agent for the
United States Industrial Commission.
The gifted woman at once plunged
into the merits of the cause which she
has so earnestly espoused and held
the closest attention OF her audience
for an hour. She was both argumen-
tative and witty and made many
strong points as she traced the pro-
gress Of woman from the dark ages
up to the present time. showing how
every barrier had been torn down by
the light of reason and intellectual
growth.
In early times kings held that Il
:. was their divine right" to make the
, laws and govern The people. But In
time they were shorn of this power
and later. In 1776, came the immortal
D declaration that all men are de.
clared free and equal" In a logical
argument the speaker showed that
this could not have meant men alone,
as distinct from women. She gave
i several illustrations to show the alb.
surdity and injustice of this self.as.
= sumed and self-delegated authority,
: which can be traced back to kings
and despots. King George assured
/. his American cousins that he could
govern this country for them. but
our forefathers thought differently.
< The speaker said that women loved
liberty as well as men and asked what
questions are they that do not affect
one as well as the other. They are
as much interested In good water
!. which was sometimes as dirty as
politics." They are concerned in pure
$ meats. sanitary affairs and morals
A and in all things that pertain to life
Upon the question OF contamination
b. by association at the polls, Miss
Laughlin annihilated what there was
II left of this exploded argument. She
4 asserted that women met at the polls
their husbands, fathers. brothers and
n sweethearts. and II they could en-
dure them 364 days Of the year they
d ought to on election day. The speak
!. er referred in eloquent terms to the
services performed by women during
Il the Spanish war.
Miss Laughlin was most happy In
relating the gradual progress made
by women. There was a time wher
1t was deemed ridiculous for a girl tc
IS study geography and as to geometr,
she could not master 1t LOT lack o.
brains. Even ministers preached
re against II. Now our colleges are file,
with women and they are maxim,
8 their mark in the professions. Ever
women drew their skirts aside in tn
presence OF Mrs. Blackwell. becaus
to she practiced medicine.
To show how women are galnin
'" their rights In the affairs OF govern
ment the speaker said that In Ems
land, ireland, Scotland. Sweden, NeN
" Zealand and Australia they voted o
he municipal questions. In Colorado
Wyoming, Utah and Idaho, the
'u were on political equality with tn
nd men, and they have not been unsexe
nor their homes destroyed. on tn
other hand the census for 1900 show
ed that divorces had decreased |
wyoming fifty per cent while the
had increased two or three hundre
per cent in other states. Women hav
voted in Wyoming for 81 years.
: yer batem report of the address. onl
ut In closing she spoke OF the oppos
nd ton to her cause as gradually disal
M pearing. Senator Daniels OF virginit
ho says there is no argument to be offe
lie ed against 1t. Other statesmen sa
ey they know II is right but they woul