The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1907-03-23
MISS BELLE KEARNEY ON
"WOMEN In THE ORIENT"
The Talented and Distinguished President of the
Mississippi State Suffrage Association Deliver
ed Interesting Address on Conditions and Gus
toms Effecting Women in the Far-East-An-
nounces Campaign for Female Suffrage.

Miss Belle Kearney, of Mississippi
president of the Woman's Suffrage AS
sociation of Mississippi, delivered to a
medium sized audience at the Methodist
Church on Tuesday night her lecture,
"Women of the ORIENT. Her delivery
splendid, this gifted and cultured woman
for nearly two hours interested her
hearers with the sociological, religious
and political conditions of the countries
of the far East, as seen and studied by
herself on her tour around the earth a
year or two since,
1t is distinct loss to those who were
unable to be present and to those who
were kept away by false impressions,
to hear this lecturer, author and travel
Ter tell in her graphic and vivid style Of
the customs, practices and abuses that
obtain in the far-off countries. Taking
her audience first to Egypt, she carried
them through India, China and Japan,
where women are subjects of slavery
and debauchery, where females are bar
tered for gold and sold in marriage while
yet in infancy, to become plural wives.
Due to the effects, and as a result, of
missionary work, these malpractices
were becoming less, for the splendid
work of civilization was being carried
on with much success and telling results.
In Japan, for instance, due to the civil
izing influence of outsiders, the tortur-
GUS practice of breaking the feet Of
female babies was being gradually abol-
ished. Miss Kearney said in the course
of her remarks that the American woman
was queen with a sceptre and crowned
power for good and that much in this
direction was being accomplished.
The lecture was not temperance one,
as this impression seemed to have kept
so many people away, but, aside from
its beautiful descriptions and phases Of
instruction, it was a noble and well-set
plea for woman's suffrage.
Miss Kearney was introduced by her
friend, Mrs. Elizabeth Lyle Saxon, in a
neat and wellworded address, and Mrs
Helen L. Behrens, another lifelong
friend, was presiding officer.
Miss Kearney made a splendid ~
preston upon her hearers, and the wish
is expressed that she return at no late
date, when, we feel sure, a large aud
ience will greet her, as has been the
rule throughout the State.
Miss Kearney announces that de-
mand for presidential suffrage will be
made by the women of Mississippi at
the next legislative session, and de-
termined effort made to secure a consti-
tutional amendment permitting the
gentler sex to vote for presidential elec-
tors.
eve will ask the legislative enact
ment at the next session." says Miss
Kearney, 'sand l feel confident that it
will be granted. Aside from the moral
principle that women ought to be
allowed to vote, the matter also has a
political aspect, for it will double our
Democratic .majority and render the
# the negro from politics
an absolute c'-rtainty."
81 shall devote the present month and |
a part of April to the woman's suffrage !
in Mississippi" says Miss
Kearney, "visiting as many towns as
possible during the period.
"The campaign will be systematic,
and the branches thus far formed are |
active and enthusiastic. Literature
bearing on the subject will be distributed !
amorg legislative candidates and the
voters given an opportunity to familiar
ize themselves with the question:
Miss Kearney will be out of the State
a good portion of the summer, but her
expect to keep the campaign !
alive. She goes from this State during
the latter part of April on lecture tour
through Alabama, Georgia and Vir-
ginia, and during the summer will visit |
the New England States, in Canada, |
home to take an active part in |
the agitation when the legislature is
convened in regular session.
Mississippi Oysters in Abundance.