Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-08-09
A BRIGHT AND ABLE WOMAN.

Tuesday, August ., was Woman suf-
frage day at the Venice Assembly
which we suppose our readers viii un-
derstand is a great gathering Of noted
puolic speakers on different subjects, at
the new city IN southern California,
built after the fashion Of the ancient
city Of Venice IN Europe, II IS stu
sted about fourteen miles west Of Los
Angeles and viii doubtless form one OF
the great attractions for tourists on the
Pacific coast A description Of the
place has already appeared in the Des-
eret News
The principal feature on the occasion
10 which we have referred was the
presence address and replies TO ques-
tions made by Rev Anna II, shaw
Susan y. Anthony made a few remarks
hut Miss Shaw was the great attrac-
ton, and her quick wit and ready re-
partee entertained the assembly and
slenced many opponents, From tho
reports that have appeared IN the news
papers, particularly the Los Angeles
Times, II II evident that the old, stale,
exploded arguments against woman
Suffrage were presented In the form OF
questions and that Mrs. Shaw, while
exhibiting some contempt for their
pueriity, disposed Of them in man
ner that closed the lips Of the querIsts
and vastly amused the audience,
The hrst question was;
40 statistics show that voting makes
good wives and mothers?"
Another wac
what is to become Of our home life
n women vote?'
Miss Shaw heaved great sigh, but
looked quite resigned as she exclaimed
YEARLY, THAT same old chestnut
Breaking or a reply she said;
Here, you come around 10 my house
and see whether J am a good house
keeper or not, Come around and sec IL
you find any untidiness there.
You would think that woman
naturally hated a husband and a baby
20 that she couldn't be Induced 10 have
either n she had sense enough not TO-
from such questions as are asked on
this matter
"Why, men used to be having this
same variety Of panic when women
first went into the business world They
said, n women grow TO be Independent
Of us they won't marry us,
Huh! they must think that woman
only gets married when she IL starved
Into It. But n you starve them down
sufficiently, and give the alternative Of
starvation or marriage, they may weak
en- and choose marriage. DO YOU sup
pose woman only loves baby when
a man stands over her with O club and
tells her to love babies or hc clubbed2"
For half an hour Miss Shaw kept up a
series Of answers TO similar silly oues-
tions but one Of them deserves special
mention, II was this
what shall! we DO 10 elevate our
Mormon slsters?'
Looking reproochfuny over her eye
glasses, she replied
Elevate yourselves 7 have seen
several OF our Mormon sisters who
could elevate us considerably YOU are
too anxious TO reform other people"
We venture TO say that Rev Anna
Shaw knows more about Mormon"
women their true character and spirit
and lives. than do ten thousand OF those
good Christian sisters together who de-
claim against Them and look down upon
them from a PharisuiCul standpoint.
imagining an kinds of conditions which
do not exist Anna Shaw knows better
than 10 confound "Mormonsm" with
The notions entertained concerning rs
relation 10 marriage and social order
She has mot with many Of our Nor
mon sisters and found them TO stand
ns high In feminine character IN
strength Of mind IN vgor Of intellect
IN culture, intellectually. spiritual light
and purity Of conduct as any women
living No wonder she felt contempt
for the ignorance exhibited in the ques.
tlons propounded to her
Rev Anna Shaw Is no advocate of
polyeamy nor Of the peculiar tenets Of
the Mormon faith, but she under.
stands, to some extent, the Mormon
people and what they have done. and
particularly the nobility and eminent
virtues ot Mormon women whom sh,
has met Sha has the courage Of her
convictions, and is not afraid to stem
the tide Of popular opinion when It /,
moving against truth and bearing II
its flow the prejudice and passion arts
Ing from ignorance and intolerance. Il
there were more women like her IN IN,
lecture field and in the Organization,
FOR the elevation of womankind, n
would he a great deal better for In,
cause Of woman suffrage, as we'll al
other movements tending toward llb