The Cairo bulletin., 1908-12-05
SUFFRACETTES
MAKE BIG NOISE
NEW YORK STORM CENTER or
ARGUMENT FOR AND AGAINST
VOTES FOR WOMEN.
LETTER BY ROOSEVELT
Read BY Or. Abbott to National Lea.
que Of Civic Education of Women,
Denounced BY Leading suf-
fragettes.

New York, Dec. Anew York was
The storm center today OF an arGu-
ment for an against woman suffrage
and in the very voreX tthe whr+
ing winds there remained suspended.
as il were, letter on the subject
from the president Of the United
States.
The storm centered in the meeting
of the National League for the Civic
Education OF Women, whore the sub.
ject of Universal Suffrage for We
men" was considered The organiza-
ton is opposed TO women suffrage.
DR. Lyman Abbott was the princi-
pal speaker and il was he that pre-
sented letter from President Roose.
velt The letter was interpreted in
various ways by the auditors ana
Dr. Ltman Abbott was often inter
rupted by applause and by shouts of
disapproyaL
The climax came when a score or
more of suffragists united in a denun.
citation of the attitude of conserva.
tism which the president had taken in
his letter The shouts of the suffra
gist leaders became so troublesome
that policemen were asked to seek
out the offenders They were threat
ened with ejectment and finally the
disturbance was quieted
At the conclusion of the lecture
however the suffragists withdrew to
the sidewalks where an Indignation
meeting was held.
AT the meeting proper. the theater
was well iilled Richard Watson
Glider presided and said that he
members of the society did not be
lieve women should be burdened |
with politics.
President Butler, of Columbia Uni |
yersity. spoke in sympathy with the
leagues work and read a letter from |
Secretary of State Root which was
rather unfavorable TO woman suf |
frage.
DR.. Abbott's lecture, including the
reading of President Roosevets lei.
ter, was in part as follows;
New York, Dec. president
Roosevelt's attitude on the subject
of woman suffrage was disclosed to-
day by Rev DR.. Lyman Abbott in the
course of an address on that subject
delivered before the National League
for the Civic Education of Women
Or. Abbott read a letter from the
president which he said was not
written for publication, nor for this
occasion, but which he permits me to
read. II precents a not uncommon
opinion among men and women both
in It's mild approval of woman's suf
frage in the opening sentence, and in
its strong presentation of the argu
ments against woman's suffrage
which occupy the rest of the letter."
The Presidents Attitude.
Personally believe in womans
suffrage says Mr.. Roosevelt at the
outset OF the letter which is dated
November TO- 1908. but l am not an
enthusiastic advocate of it because
/ do not regard it as a very import
ant matter: | am unable to see thar
there has been any special improve.
ment in the position of women IN
those states In the west that have
woman suffrage. as compared
with those states adjoining them that
have not adopted it. do not Thick
that giving the women suffrage will
produce any marked Improvement in
the condition of women. | do not be {
lieve that it will produce any of the c
evils feared, aud | am very certain \
that when women as a whole take d
any special interest in the matter d
they will have the suffrage IL they /
desire it. But at present think I
most OF them are lukewarm; | fini 0
some actively for it. and some active
Iy against IT, | am, for the reasons
above given. rather what you would
regard as lukewarm or tepid in my
support Of # because. while believe =
IN il. | do not regard il as Of ve-y :.
much importance. / believe that man .
md woman should stand on an equal 4
ty Of right. but | DO not believe that b.
quality Of right means identity Of s.
junction; and I am more and more
convinced that the great field. the IL r
field. for the usefulness d
II women is as the mother Of the q
amily. II is her work in the house !;
lold. in the home. her work in bea--
ng and rearing the children. which ]
S more important than any msn's
york and il is that work which
hOuld be normally the wOman's spc-
isl work, just as normally the mans j
york should be that Of the bread i
yinner. the supporter of the home 2
nd il necessary the soldier who VII \
ght for the home There are excep- "