The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-22

NeW orleans Is largely the center from
 "hlch public opinion is formed for the southwest" says Kate NJ. Gordon in her call for the annual suffrage convcntion Miss Gordon herself has done much to make that opinion favorable to the nro- gress Of women. The niece of General John 5. Gordon. she had the prestige of brains and family behind her. Clear headed. strong and enthusiastic. she he came interested in the woman movement. She began her work in New Orleans and lS owing to her effort not little that the ladies of New Orleans have been wakened to take an interest in munIclna I affairs. On her election to the secretarv- ship of the National American Woman Suffrage Association two years ago she removed to New York, the better 10 fuI. fill her duties.
 The geenral headquarters of the N. A w. s. A. are in New York city. with an office in the American Tract Society building. There Miss Gordon attends to correspondence from all parts of r,o world. for woman suffrage has beco,ne question of big business. The presi- dent of the N. A. w. S. A. is Mrs. Car re chapman Catt, who also has her office in the American Tract Society building Mrs. Catt has been identified with the woman suffrage movement since she was Q young lady and her name was Carrie Lane Chapman. She was married Tn George William Catt at Seattle, Wash, in 1890. Mrs. Catt is one of the most effective of the woman suffrage orators ana she has spoken in perhaps every State in the Union.
 Many Of the sturdy pioneers of woman suffrage are yet hale and strong enouph to attend the convention. It Is surpris- Ing when one comes to recall them to ind how many of these pioneers are vet living, most of them well along in their eighties. Henry B. Blackwell inc youngest, the husband of Lucy Stone is about eighty years of age. The next youngest, Isabella Beecher Hooker tbs last of the original Beecher family Is elghty-one' Hon. Henry L. Dawes of Massachusetts, lifelong woman sur- fragist. was eightysix years old when he died. Susan B. Anthong. who,never said that women should regard man os the common enemy, is eighty-three years old and bids fair to see a number more of annual national woman conventions There are so many of these fine old folk yet surviving in good health and mental activity that one might almost say. If you would live long, go in for woman's $ rights"
 Yet this year the assembly rnissss greetings from one whose greetings never failed before at an annual convention. ever called in the world, Elizabeth Cgdv Stanton. who died last autumn within two weeks of her eighty y-seventh birth day. The first woman convention was held in Seneca Falls, N. Y, in July. 1SIa At that gathering Mrs. Stanton threw her whole powerful individuality and in tellectuslty into the woman's cause. and continued to fight the battle for her sex till she passed from earth.
 From year to year the delegates to the annual convention report progress the world over The convention itself is more and more fully attended, attracting delegates from every State in the Union Each year some distinct gain for woman Is reported in the line of increased pros perity, political or industrial rights; nay. these enthusiastic suffragists draw victo- " even from defeat. This year the jubi- lant note sounds because in two or three of the States bills for the enfranchisement of women have been rejected by smaller ajorities than ever before. Much gain, too, is reported along industrial and pro- fessional lines. especially in the greatly increased appointments of women to state and municipal offices.
 bright idea of some resourceful wo- man connected with the association was that of designing and printing suf- frage stamp which the faithful might stick along with the United States post stamp upon the backs of their letters