The Washington times., 1902-02-11
Meeting Of the International
Suffrage Society.
PRESIDENCY STILL IN QUESTION,
Strong Sentiment Obtains That the
Honor should Fall Upon an Amer
Tenn Woman-PrOErnm OF Open
ing Day-Somc of the Delegates.

Who will be chosen president OF the
International Woman Suffrage Associa-
tion, 10 be organized here this week?
This is the question which is agitating
the minds of prominent woman suffragists
at present in Washington. The matter
was gone into thoroughly at a meeting of
the association members at the Riggs
House yesterday.
Honor Due American Woman.
II has been decided that the honor shall
fall TO an American woman. Americans,
It is pointed out, have been the origina-
tors and promoters of the new woman
movement. and il is considered proper
that a leader from the United States
should be chosen as the highest officer of
the international organization.
Miss Clara Barton. president of the In
ternational Red Cross Society. and Mrs.
May Wright Sewell. president of the In
ternational Council of Women. have been
selected 10 present to the convention the
important international features TO be
brought up for the first time
Convention PreIiminarics.
The officers of The National American
Woman Suffrage Association. in session
yesterday transacted all of the business
required before the actual work of the
convention begins. There were present
q. the practically all-day meeting. Mrs.
Carrie Chapman Gait. president; Rev.
Anna Howard Shaw vice president; Alice
Stone Blackwell. recording secretary;
Miss Kate Gordon. corresponding secre-
tary; Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton. treas
urer. and The auditors. Miss Laura B. Clay
and DR.. Cora Smith Eaton.
Crisis in History of Society.
1t is recognized that the forthcoming
convention VIII be the most important in
the history of the woman movement. The
critical stage in the work has been
reached. and it is felt that the time for
the supreme event has arrived.
This evening at o'clock a meeting of
the executive committee will lie held for
the final consideration of the plan Of
work. BY tonight practically all the dele
gates of this country and abroad will be
in the city. and the meeting will be a
most important one
Tomorrow morning at $50 o'clock the
executive committee will again meet for
business purposes. and at II o'clock an
international conference will be held.
The plan for an international organization
will then be perfected.
Mr.. MacfarIand to Speak.
Tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 O'Clock the
convention will be called to order in the
First Presbyterian Church by Mrs. Gait.
Commissioner Macfarland will deliver an
address, while some of the best-known
woman suffrage advocates in the country
will be heard
Tomorrow night Miss Susan B. Anthony,
who has laid down her active work, will
preside over a meeting of pioneers.
Already many delegates have arrived,
among them, some of the foremost women
of the world.
Noted Women Present.
Rev. Anna H. Shaw. vice president of
the National Suffrage Association. is one
of the most pleasing speakers upon the
public platform. possessing as she does
wonderful personal magnetism, a fine
voice, and the power of pointed argument.
Sut 10 Stil-iidOt NoiudH- wig udS
overcome what to some would seem al
most insurmountab!e obstacles. In her
girlhood days, with thirst for learning,
but shut off from all school privileges.
she took advantage of every book and
paper that fell in her way, and thus OBJ
tanned an education which enabled her to
begin teaching at the age of fifteen.
Miss Shaw graduated from the theo-
logical department of the Boston Uni
versity in 1878. She served as pastor of
churches in the southeast part of Massa-
chusetts for fourteen years. The Metho-
dist Episcopal Church refusing her ordi
nation, she received II from the Metho-
dist Protestant Church in 1880.
Studied Medicine During Pastornte.
During her pastorate she studied medi
cine and received the degree of NJ. d. from
the Boston University. She is believed to
be the first woman to have the double dis
tinction of the titles Rev" and M. d.
Her family were opposed to her studying
for the ministry on the ground that she
would be a disgrace to them If she per-
sisted In such an unheardof course. Her |