The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-03-02
TIE CAUSE OF WOMAN.
TIE MOST INTERESTING Part
OF A SUFFRAGE CONVENTION.

OF A SUFFRAGE
N II the Comments OF the Newspaper
an the Meeting -Pew OF Them Pai
to Dtscuss the Assembly-Th DoinEs OF
> the Recent Conventions I'm Washington
The most interesting part Of a national
suffrage convention Is the comments OF
the newspapers. and there are very few
of the more prominent hat have not bad
somsthing to say about the n which has
just closed In Washington. In order that
those persons who have not had access TO
the reports of -four columns daily In the
papers Of that city may horm an Intelligent
opinion, q few choice extra cts shall be given.
Az TO the personnel tina New York Prsss
says:
No two bodies Of women could be in moro
striking contrast than the Women sufra-
rists and the ID. A Rs. The sunragists
convention resembles q prayer meeting.
The audiences are distinctly unfashionable.
The few women who pay any attention TO
~sartorial details standing out oonspicuously
among the others. In The evenings there
u Q sprinklins Of men. Of the bind that are
taken by their wives to church
And this 10 the way II looked 10 the special
correspondent OF the Richmond (Va.) Dis
Ssach'
The wsmsn Of the suffrage movement
may never get Q vote or win the goal OF
victory but they have evidently found the
ssorst Of perpetual youth and beauty. aud
ere adopts in that most charming OF all femi-
nine scienoes-ths art OF moving how TO
dress.
These women were sblaZe with Jewels
end ordera and their evening t~oilsttes would
have grsoed Q diplomatic reception
d you represent the prossi' was asked
q I made my way 10 a table about which
clustered q bsvy OF scribblins women and one
lone man.
20, yes,- I answered. q little ~overawed
by the brilliant woman In pale blue elk.
With a dazzling golden oahlia set with dls-
monds. throbbing above her laocs.
While, instead Of the prayer meeting and
'sprinkling OF men. the kind that are taken
by their wives to church. the Philadelphia
Times tells US:
Every meeting has been attended by such
throngs as have filed to o~verfowtng the
First Presbyterian Church. one OF the largest
In the city. and the enthusiasm has been
unboundsd. Not in the whole history OF
the movement has there been observed such
an accession OF influential men lending the
weight of their indor ement TO the claim OF
women to the ballot. From the greeting OF
the Hon. Henry d. mcfarland. President
Of the District Commissioners TO the dis
course entitled The Justice OF It. delivered
by the Hon. william Dudley Foulks Of In
diana, Civil Service Commissioner. there
has been q succession OF male voices lifted
In favor OF the women's claim.
Among the other speakers are mentioned
several United States Senators, the editor
of a metropolitan daily, and one Of New
York's noted reformers. The reader can
$1,000 xht,havar ~ fhasa rsports cofnofdaa
with bis wishes.
The Chicago Inter-Ocedn says
Women have advanced In every dirso-
tion except In the activities Of political life.
and on that question they stand practically.
and by their own choice. where they stood
when the National Woman's Suffrage Asso-
odstion was organized In 1868.
The Hartford Comm Times thinks
There Is no doubt that the d Of woman
suffrage II gaining ground while III New
London Comm Telegraph declares, I'm
doubleday It does progress. and the tend
ency Of the times Is toward giving woman
the ballot
The Chicago Chronicle 10 Of the opinion
that The theory Of woman suffrage appears
10 gain little with the masses Of intelligent
women and the New York Times flnds
this excuse;
Where the men Of the educated classes
arc not easily and regularly attracted to a
political life. as they are not In this country
the women Of the same Glasses are naturally
more Indifferent still. And II 10 with the
educated women that the movement for
women's suffrage must find It's support, II
at all. At present there IL little evidence
that they have other than a languid. academic
interest In the idea.
1t seems from this that the ~surragists
are mistaken In their claim that 1t Is almost
wholly the educated women who arc ask
ing for the franchise. The Boston T-dns-
eript. however. offers this encouragement;
In no way. undoubtedly. Is the organized
work OF women for women's wider indus
trial and commercial opportunity and more
equitable status under the law more useful
TO the nation than In the varied endeavors
represented In the National Suffrage As
ISOLATION. The growth Of the suffrage move
ment and its steady advance and Increasing
success give the promoters OF the work good
ground to expect It's continued progr ess
the world around.
They are a little slow in Maryland and
cole ylrginny,' and the Baltimore American
observes that at IL rare to hear even the
most advanced OF modern women pine
for the suffrage Perhaps this Ia because
they don't pine loud enough. The Ro-
anoke (va.) World says:
So little has been said or written con-
corning woman suffrage In recent years
that the question appeared to have died
9 natural death. This Is q mistake. how
ever. The National Association met In
Washington Wednesday, and the delegates
seemed as live and aggressive ne In the years
gone by. AZ the fair ones must have come
thing TO employ their time, Il would not be
fair for the men to disturb them.
So none OF the men from the Old Domin-
Ion crossed the line into the District to
create any disturbance. But the editor
of the Lynchburg (Va.) Advance takes a
more serious view Of the case. If It could
be ascertained beyond a doubt he saws,
that women really want tho suffrage,
the very chivalry Of man would prompt
him TO grant what women ardently desire,
but the attainment OF that end would be
the death blow to ohivalry. Tho woman
would then ave TO fight her own way In
the world by the strength OF her own right
arm. expecting no favors on account of
sex.
The women Of Virginia must choose.
therefore, between letting the men do the
voting or being turned out en- masse 70
fight their way henceforth with their own
right arms.