The Topeka state journal., 1905-06-24
HOPE LIGHTS OLD EYES
Susan B. Anthony, Suffrage Leader
Informs Chicago Of Her Optimism.

Chicago, June 4.-Personihed OPP
timism - that is Susan B. Anthony
now SIS years old, who has been fight
ing for woman suffrage all her life
and who at the present moment sees
nothing but hopeful signs wherever
she looks in the United States not
only for women but for the nation.
Graft scandals merely are an indl-
cation Of public honesty; the poorly
paid workers OF today are but the fore
runners of better paid workers to-
morrow and the descendants Of worse
paid workers fifty years ago. the Wo-
mans suffrage organization is grow
ing but little, yet the idea OF woman S
suffrage is spreading rapidly; railroad
trains do not go too fast. and America
is not in the slightest degree making
too much of god of materlahty-
such is the buoyant enthusiasm Of the
octOgenarian who is in Chicago on her
way to the annual meeting of the Ma
tiOnal An erican W0man's Suffrage as
aociation beginning in Portland, Ore,
June %.
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
"Optimistic2 OF course I'm optimistic
and I am assuredly not one of those
who believe that the United States IS
going to-weH, going to what men all
call the bOWW0Ws," declared Miss An
thony. when seen last night at the res
idence Of Mrs. S. z. Gross, 4s Lake
Shore drive Because a train runs into
an open switch when travelling at rs
miles an hour-is that any argument
against fast trains? Would not a train
going at 40 miles have run into it just
the same?
''I don't think Americans are living
too fast. The eager, ambitious, keen,
striving life of the United States is but
an indication OF the youth and virility
of the country. We wanted to beat
England in running fast trains-well,
we've done it. We want to beat the
world as nation and were dong
that" Miss Anthony fingered the little
American flag pin which she wore on
her breast.
DO I deplore the fact that so many
women are being forced into the stress
of industrial lfe?" she went on in an
sver to a question. Certainly not
hope that 9. constantly increasing num-
bcr of women Will earn their own hV-
ing instead of marrying men with whom
it is impossible to live. 1t is true, OF
course, that the uneducated women OF
the country are not getting as good
wages as they should get or as they
VIII Tet but they are vastly better OIL
than the same class so years ago.
WOMEN AS WORKERS.
'"The cry that women did not work
then is absurd-they did the hardest
kind Of menial labor on farms, and
they toiled a the loom. The difference
SIS this-that fifty years ago, these wo-
men were not paid for their labor
while today, they are.
Tomorrow the factory operatives
shop girls, and other workers of this
country are going to be much better
paid than they are now. and they are
going to get that better pay through
organization.
when the woman workers Of this
United States realize their power anC
the strength that lies in union, they
viii form a huge national woman's or
Eanfzation which will by its sheer bull
and force, wiring from the employer
more pay, shorter hours improved
working conditions"
Miss Anthony was asked whethe.
she thought the national Standard
were becoming more dishonest.
'Most decidedly not" she said
There is a great deal of graft anC
dishonesty coming to light, but thi
fact that it does come to light show
that there is a popular sentiment 70
honesty and not for corruption"