Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-13

| Z
| T-Mrs. Z. w. Hineman of Chicago. +
2 Women should serve on juries i.
| i because men do not get Justice \.
| i Miss Ellis Meredith of Colorado. -
s..s..s-s.,s i. 81; II 5''.'s'
Two of the most prominent speakers
at the county convention of the Los
Angeles County Equal Suffrage league,
| held yesterday in the Woman's club
| house, gave utteranCe to these sent1-
mentS.
Two hundred or more women echoed
them and straightway there will be
something doing.
Can women serve on juries in Los
Angeles? If not, why not? These are
the questions which suffrage women in
Los Angeles will find out.
The suffrage league convened yes
terday morning with Mrs. Bertha
Hirsch Baruch in the chair, elected Mrs.
Florence Collins Porter president,
heard reports from nine ward presi-
dents, reports of treasurer and secre-
tary, discussed suffrage, women's
rights, mems rights and iuries.
"EIow Would the Ballot Help Wo-
man to Promote the Interests of the
Municipality?" was the question of
symposium. "As a Mother" Mrs. Kate
Tupper Galpin treated the question,
"As an Educator" Miss Cora Williams
spoke and GAS a Citizen" was Mrs. T.
w. Hineman's point of view.
1t was in the discussion of the citi-
zen's standpoint that Mrs, Hineman
created much enthusiasm on the jury
question.
Would Serve on Jury
"There is one point which women who
are working for suffrage seem to be-
little, and to me it is one of the most
important" said Mrs. Hineman.
Every woman should have the right
to trial by jury of her peers.
every woman should have the right
to demand that other women be con-
suited when she is charged with
crime.
PUT women on lists to be drawn as
jurors If a woman must suffer other
women must help her. We have a
right to say whether a woman shall
have the custody of her child i'll a case
for divorce. We could put ourselves in
her place. Then let at least half of
the jurors be women.
"I do not know what your California
laws are, as I have not had time to
familiarize myself with them, but you
can find out. Make a point of doing it.
If you have not the right you should
have it, and universal suffrage can give
it to you.
I'VE believe in the people and we are
part of the people. We can never
have a true democracy until women
have a voice in their own government.
1T makes no difference if the bad
women do outnumber the good; it
makes no difference on the merits of
the question if good women do stay
away from the poles, and even If we
admit that women do not purify poll
tics when they have a chance to vote
that has nothing to do with the prin-
ILL
wants to vote and is not allowed to
it is an injustice and is contrary to
the spirit of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence."
Ellis Meredith entered into the lively
discussion that followed and declared
that the woman citizen should be put
first, as the woman citizen will make
the best educator and best mother.
The question box which Miss Mere
dith conducted at the evening session
was the feature of the day.
From every part of the auditorium
the questions were fired at her and they
We're of every variety.
do the women vote?" she read from
little slip which had been passed up
to her.
"That dear old question-every time
I hear it I feel as if 1 was shaking a
chestnut tree" she answered with a
laugh, and then she gave statistics to
prove that in Colorado at least AZ per
cent of the vote cast are cast by women.
"Why are so many intelligent men
afraid of women?" came from another
slip.
Miss Meredith looked surprised and
then told the story of the little girl
who asked of her father whether he
was afraid of this and that. When she
| two 10
thing she said: Papa, isn't there any
thing else you're afraid of but man.
MAJ"
'Is there less courtesy shown to
women where equal suffrage is agi-
tated?
Where there is least agitation there
is most discourtesy," she answered.
when 1 stand on the street cars in
Denver always know there are many
tourists abroad"
"a gentleman does not give you his
seat because you are lady but because
he is a gentleman"
Are women responsible for any Of
the corruption in politics?"
mo" was the emphatic answer.
"Have women purified politics?"
mo, and I do not know that they
ever will-certainly not unless they get
more help from their dear brothers.
"In what condition is the home of the
average lady voter?"
"In just the same condition as the
home of the average woman"
| Without pause, Miss Meredith's s
quick answers were delivered and an
amused smile played around her mouth
as she read many of the questions.
In speaking on the jury question Miss
Meredith said:
"I would like to have women on the
| juries because I want justice. Too
many young men who are hardly more
than boys are in the prisons unjustly.
1t takes a woman to judge man.
woman as a Factor in Modern
Civilization" was the subject of an ad-
dress by Rev. w. H. Rider, and Judge
w. A. Wilkes answered the question,
HAS the ballot been effective in the
hands of women?"
Mrs. Florence Collins Porter was
placed in nomination for president of
the county association by Mrs. Ada
Longley of Pasadena and her election
was unanimous. Other officers are:
|