Evening star., 1902-02-13

Gods shining sun, would be immea surably
lowered by voting upon questions relating
to the taxation CT their own property
THE national president" she said had
made a tour of nine states, attending six
state and various county conventions and
assisted at over forty meetings and con-
ventions. She was both pleased and disap-
| pointed, but rather more pleased than other
wise"
In closing, she said that the word con-
servatism should be erased from the yo-
cabularly of a true suffragist. The day
has passed, If it ever should have existed
she said, when We must apologize for be-
| ing suffragsts."
The Treasurer's Exhibit.
| The report Of the treasurer Harriet Tay-
lor Upton shows the financial part of the
| association to be in excellent condition. The
bazar held In New York last year helped
| the organization greatly. States gaining in
| membership are California Colorado, Ken
| lucky, Maine, Maryland Massachusetts,
| Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico
| Ohio, Utah and Vermont.
| THE receipts for the year were s135S1,
| balance, $3.50. Three bequests were paid
| within the year, viz: Mrs. Jonas Green of
Virginia, 500; DR.. Helen j. Underwood Of
California, 500; Mrs. Charlotte A. Cleve-
| land of Perry. y. y. S2,oo9. New York
contributed more money than any other
| state giving S21o. The five states paying
| the largest dues and, therefore. having the
| largest societies are New York. Massa-
| chusetts. Iowa, Nebraska and Pennsy!-
| vana. The largest per cent of gain was
| made by Kentucky, where Miss Laura Clay
| is president. The membership of the asso-
| citation has increased and the outlook for
| future growth and development is most en-
| couraging.
Presidential Suffrage.
| The report of Henry Blackwell on Pres
idential Suffrage" was designed as a sue
cinct statement Of the situation, and was
| listened to with much interest, He began
| by quoting a clause of the Constitution. He
| said:
! Each state shall appoint in such man
| ner as the legislature may direct, the elect
! ors of President and Vice President. See
article 2. section !. paragraph of the
| United States Constitution, the supreme
| law of the land anything to the contrary
| in state constitutions Notwithstanding. This
| Is the open door for woman suffrage in
| every state in the Union. Any state leg
| islature. at any session, by majority vote
| of both houses, either separately or in joint
session. without any change of state con-
| stituton. can empower women to help ap-
| point the presidential electors on the same
| terms male citizens The power is alb
| solute and unqualified. Let women in every
| state petition their legislature to enable
tant form of suffrage known to the Amer
| lean people.
| It is objected to our demand for wo-
| man suffrage that women do not want it
Il
| is the only method Of testing women's
| wishes to take part in their government.
| If by a general exercise of the right they
| show their public spirit the legislature by
| submitting amendment to their state
| constitution can afterward extend suffrage
to its citizens In state and local elections.
This step will be the most conservative
| way Of procedure. The control will re-
| main as now in the hands of a legislature
| Of men, elected by men alone. If 1t prove
unsatisfactory to the men of the state any
subsequent legislature can repeal the
laws.
One of the greatest obstacles to the ex-
tension of suffrage to women Is the sup
posed need of an amendment Of state con-
Stitut1On to enable women to vote. POlfti-
| cal parties are timid and look to immediate
results. In the present case they have SOW
ereign power and need not fear hostile
| criticism of political opponents.
The presidential election is purely ma
tional. 1t does not directly concern itself
with local questions. The Vexed question
OF license and prohibition OF the liquor
traffic is not directly involved. Happily
several states will move in this matter at
the next session of their legislatures,
| among others Kansas and Minnesota. In
Kansas at the last session the measure
passed the house of representatives, but
was reconsidered.
Limitations of Suffrage.
The Importance Of this measure is evil
denced by the fact that almost all our ex-
listing state constitutions positively limit
| every form Of suffrage to male citizens. In
a few states municipal elections are under
the control of the legislature. But in such
states the suffragists are handicapped by
| the necessity of securing amendments to
| their stale constitutional tedious, dlhcult
and expensive process.
1t Is a maxim Of practical warfare to at
tack the enemy at the point or least re-
sistance. Let suffragists avoid the IN
| trenchments and earthworks or constltu-
| tfonal barriers and appeal directly to every
legislature to enact a law enabling qualned
women citizens to vote In the presidential
election Of 1904.
Especially in the southern states 1t Is
| important to urge upon every legislature
| the enactment Of a law enabling women
to help appoint the presidential electors
| In South Carolina, previous to the recon-
| struction of 1865, even white men were
never allowed to help choose the presden-
| ttal electors. In New Jersey. until 1SO4,
the legislature chose the presidential elect
| ors. In other states the same is historically
| true. With the advance Of democracy the
power has been delegated to the male Vot-
| ers. With the furtheEl advance OF democ-
| racy the power may sbe wisely EXTENDED,
also to qualified women citizens.
Report on Press Work.
In the report Of Mrs. Elnora Babcock,
chairman Of press work. she stated that
ITS 600 articles IN woman suffrage had