New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-28
ANSWER Mr.. CLEVELAND.
Mrs. Gait Refates Some OF HIS
Womass Suffrage Statements.

Tspressntative sufragists were inclined TO
take Mr. Cleveland lightly IN his structures on
ths voting woman. quoted In yesterdays Trio-
rns Mra Florenoe Kelly, newly elected vice
,,-asi6eut OF the National Suffrage Association,
vss discovered preparing petition from the
Consumers League. Of which she is secretary
"a the school authorities. asking for an appro-
rr4stion providing for 10000 additional sittings
= ths schools OF New-York When asked her
,rsuion Of Mr. Ceveland's views Mrs. Kelly
r.i6 that fife was too short TO express an
,,,niou on them" Others responded to the
sane erect
Mrs Theodore WadswCrth Baker seemed 20
ringer with Joy upon Mr.. Cleveland's descrip-
Ton Of the divine policy with relation to the
posttiou o. women
THE DIVINE PURPOSE
.Tof course" said she, 81 couldn't myself claim
- knev anything about the divine purpose. I
Az, rot an authority. don't exactly see how
me can know what the divine purpose is per
rnanentIy, concerning the position Of women In
conditions Of barbarism It seems to be the
divine purpose that women should do al the
work and the men should do nothing.
1.-TWO or three generations ago It seemed the
divine purpose that women should clothe the
world with their looms and spinning wheels as
man had not found out any other way to do IT
future. seeing that it has changed so much in
the past. I hardly think any of Us can tell
~As to Mr.. Cleveland's assertion that woman
suffrage VIII add to the corruption OF public
nfs4 IT is simply G question Of whether there
are more decent women or more corrupt ones
IA the United States Mr.. Cleveland is entitled
70 his opinion on this point, of COURSE and other
people are entitled to theirs"
POLITICAL LIBERTY.
Mrs Carrie Chapman Gait, president Of the
International Suffrage Association, took up Mr..
CleveIand's article a little fully.
Grover Cleveland is convinced that divine
wisdom has assigned a special sphere to women
IN which there is neither a woman's club nor
voman's vote" said she. "a similar revelation
has been made to the Car Of Russia, who with
equal certainty knows that divine wisdom has
assigned a special sphere to the men OF Russia,
and that does not include free speech. the right
OF assembly, nor self-government Nevertheless,
no American will doubt that political and in
tsllectual liberty win come in good time to the
people Of Russia. and no student Of the evolu-
ton Of government and Of human society viii
doubt that the tins Will certainly come when
the women Of ali civilized lands viii be en-
Bowed with the suffrage
"It is doubtless true enough that women do
not use the school suffrage as generally as
might be advantageous to the schools and to
the women Yet the indifference to the suffrage
IS not a feminine trait alone In the last Presi-
Dental election every power Of persuasion was
used to induce the qualified electors to reg
lister and vote. yet seven millions Of men
eligible to vote, as to age qualification. failed
to exercise this privilege. Neither Mr. CIeve-
Land nor any other opponent OF woman Suffrage
has ever suggested that all men should be dis
franchised because seven million men do not
want to vote.
I do not know where Mr.. Cleveland got his
hgures as to the percentage OF women voting in
school elections. He does not give his author
ity' and have never seen them before. II is
notorious. however, that school elections everv
whsre call out an infnitesfual vote, particularly
when the schools are good and everybody Is
satisfied In Chicago. which he uses to illus
trate the scantiness Of the woman vote in school