New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-10
OPPOSE STEVENS BILL.
Anti-Sufragists Regard It with Suspicion;
Call It "Disingenuous.

Call It "Disingenuous."
The delegation Of women appointed by the New
YORK state Association TO appear before the Senate
judiciary Committee yesterday. in the Senate
Library. 70 give their reasons Tor opposing the
Stevens bin, which was introduced In tire legis-
lature 70 confer upon the female citizens Of the
state who have che qualifications to ana
residence required herein for male electors the
night 10 vote in the election districts OF when they
shall at the time be residents. and not elsewhere
for, and make them eligible TO- the Office Of school
commissioner and school trustee. and every other
Office heretofore hereafter created. which shall
confer upon the officer elected power manage and
control any public school or schools" was composed
OF the following:
Mrs. Arthur N Dodge. Mrs Julian Heath. Mrs
Alfred Meyer. Mrs. Gilbert E Jones' Mrs Francis
S. Bangs and Mrs. George Philips OF Newly ork
City; Mrs Tuns Bergen and Mrs. Lindley Murray
Of Brooklyn; Mrs Richard X. Noye and Mrs. Ralph
A Kellogg OF Buffalo: Mrs. Philip Schuyler Van
Patten. Of Mount Vernon: Mrs. James Meade Bel
Gen. OF Syracuse. and number from outside towns
Mrs. Arthur NJ Dodge introduced Mrs. Julian
Heath. president Of the Jacob bis Settlement
House. who read the paper prepared by Mrs
Francis IL Scott a. follows:
We appear before this committee to-day once
more to voice the opposition OF women to the ex-
tension OF the suffrage. Tho conviction that this
extension OF the suffrage 20 women would be a
political financial and social blunder grows with
the years. and the wider the education of women
more settled becomes that belief The reasons for
this have been rehearsed very often before you and
We do not mean to recapitulate them now-our in
tention is only to emphasize with all the force OF
which possessed the concrete fact that the
body OF women who do not want the suffrage
tho great silent majority occupied with the work
OF the world outside the region Of politics. where
there IL plenty TO DO, enough to occupy all the
women OF the world. II they VIII put their hands
10 IT, The present bin IS opposed by our associa-
ton because it IS dislngenuous. Is not what #
appears its face to bea fact which II IS neces-
sary TO call 10 the attention o: astute body Of
our legislators On its face educational measure
this bill IS only another attempt TO steal forward
step in the advance upon the integrity Of the
present suffrage laws
EDUCATIONAL ADVANCE OF WOMEN.
This association since its inception has stood
always on the side OF the educational advance OF
women. but II has and does array itself against
the putting OF Up 20 run for elective offices
ass proposed by this bill; that selected women
should be eligible for nppointive office in the edu-
cational structure OF the commonwealth is a mani
fest advantage hut this bill is attempt 20 foist
upon the public arrangement OF words which Is
80 clevcrly confusing that while It appears TO be
an advance along educational lines It IS really only
another I'm the long list ~ attempts 20 undermine
the present status Of the suffrage. Such bills as
this before YOU to-day are only efforts 10 diSin-
tegrate by inperceptible degrees the solid wall or
opposition. We are mere 10 protest h-si4t9t t-4'''
attacks. and to protect the bulwark which wisdom
has preserved between the work Of men and
women"
4 paper was read by Mrs. Alfred Meyer. who
said IN part: 1T may. indeed. fairly be said
that IN direct ratio TO womans dstase for the bal
lot is her reluctance 20 support OF even ally her
self with any movement TO prevent II. This Is not
an epigrarn- 1t Is q plain statement Of facts. on
the other hand as 20 the best OF my knowledge
the suffraEfsts DO not suffer from any such dim
dence tho reported strength OF their association
may safely be assumed TO be its entire strength.
Now Notwithstanding the reluctance OF the aver
ace anti-suffraEists 20 engage in strenuous DIS
cussion. there are some who deem II their duty 20
combat the assumption 10 speak For their sex, and
assure you We are not. as we have been de-
scribed by our suave adversaries. women OF the
leisure class. who have not coma IN touch with the
higher aspirations Of women on the contrary We
think Il peculiarly significant that among the most
active workers OF our association are journalists.
editors authors wage earuers Of ull kinds lu fact,
the heads OF some OF the most important indus
trial phfanthropical and educational movements
% the State Ex-Secretary Long IN appearing tho
other day before the Massachusetts legislature al
though In favor OF woman suffrage. had the grace
20 say We the very same women who I'm social
life arc doing all sorts of good deeds IN lettering
social conditions. IN charity in reform. in the
. school. and in every other form OF lie
THEY WOULD HAVE TO VOTE.
The sunragists say 10 us. why do you not let
us have our voter Nobody Is going 20 make you
vote against your WILL but they well know that
n the suffrage IS conferred upon US notwithstand-
ing our efforts Notwithstanding our protests or
cur conviction OF its unwisdom. should then be
under moral obligation TO vote. We who are now