Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-10-30
THE SUFFRAGISTS
Listen to Reports Of Progress
of the Work.
Annual Address Of the President, Mrs.
Lucy Hobart Day.
$1,000 Tax Paying Women Were on
Petition to the Legislature.

Lewiston, Me-, Oct. 2O.-After the an
nouncement of conditions, reports of
the officers and department superin-
tendents were heard at the opening, to-
day, of the 23d annual convention of
the Maine Woman's Suffrage Associa-
ton, Mrs. Lucy Hobart Day of Port
land, for the committee on legislation,
reported the securing of the names of
$4,000 tax paying women, these names
representing each county and 239 cities
and towns. Letters were sent to all
these women and over 1000 replies were
received. This preparatory work Gull
minated in the presentation of the bill
to the Maine Legislature asking for
Municipal suffrage for the taX-paying
women of Maine" The bill passed the
House but was lost in the Senate the
President casting the vote after q tie
vote had been cast. The affairs of the
association We're shown to be in good
shown by the reports of the Suffrage
Clubs.
President Mrs. Lucy Hobart Day in
her address at the opening of the after
noon session said: Government is di-
vided into four departments, the home
the church, society, and the State.
Women have entered into and become
an integral part of the first three de-
partments. but when they apply for
admission to the State" said Mrs. Day,
they are informed that politics are
too corrupt for women. An admission
which is not especially complimentary
to our male citizens as they, unaided
and alone, have made politics what
they are"
Definitions of the four departments
We're following by the consideration of
various Anti-Suffrage assertions which
have been especially before the people
of Maine during the past year. Among
the topics discussed were:
Suffrage Not an Inherent of Natural
Right" "Taxation Without Represen-
tation Not Unjust" women Would
Not Reform Politics." "Women Wage
Farmers Would Not be Benefited by the
Possession Of the BALLOT" Suffrage a
Duty if Imposed on Women:"
Suffrage Would Involve Office Hold
ing" Indirect Influence" "Woman's
Sphere is the Home;' Loss of Special
Privilege-if Women We're Given the
Ballot"
The addresses closed with a brief
summary OF the beneficial results of
Woman Suffrage in states where
women vote, viz.
Equal nay fer equal work for men
ard women in the employ of the State,
including teachers; the forbidding of
child labor and cruelty to children; the
raising of the age of protection for
girls; making fathers and mothers
joint guardians of their children; en-
largirg women's property rights; estab-
Iishment OF a Juvenile court: and gen.
orally improved conditions along the
line of municipal and State political ad-
,ri1iGtra ton.
Other speakers were Miss Mary N.
Chase, Andover, N. H.. president of the
New Hampshire Woman's Suffrage
Association, and Mrs. Emmelinc B.
Cheney. Lewiston. A parliamentary
drill vas conducted by Mrs. Eta II.
Osgood of Portland. The question for
debate was "Pesolved. That Women
Are Needed in Municipal Politics"
The interest of the evening centered
ABOUT Mrs. carrie chapman CdtI, pres
ident of the National American Equal
Suffrage Association. This is the fourth
time she has spoken before the Maine
Suffragists in convention. There was
q large audience. The preliminary adj
dresses of welcome were by Hon. H.
w. Cakes of Auburn, and Mrs. Helen
S. Atwood, president of the Lewiston
and Auburn Association. Mrs. Eta H.
Osgood of Lewiston. responded. Hon.
Tascus Atwood of Auburn, was also
speaker. Music was supplied by the
Lotus Quartet.
Mrs Gait said that, today, the cause
met no opposition but temporizing. The
legislators do not want women in poll
tics for selfish reasons. The most seri-
Gus problem in modern life is political
corruption. Through the trusts it en-
ters the home. Women, put your
prayers and aspirations into the ballot
box where they will count"
CALLED ON PRESIDENT.