The sun., 1908-05-12
SUPFRAGEHTES DRESS GAYLY
FIND THAT'S ONE WAY TO CATCH
THE HARLEM PROLETARIAT.
At Least Their Glad and Joyous Ralment
Won Applause When Talk Didn't-Open
Air Meeting Moves South a Blt Owing
tOstreet Repairs Crowd OF I 800 Out.

~ Least Their CLAD ana Joyous halment
Won Applause When Talk Didn't-Open
Air Meeting Moves South a Blt OWING
20 street Repairs Crowd OF 800 Out.
Owing to the fact that the roadway
on Seventh avenue just north Of l25th
street ls being repaired the suffragettes
held their meeting last night about a hun
dred feet south Of the old stand.
The sight OF dozen uniformed police
men and the consciousness that twice
as many In plain clothes were scattered
among the crowd had the same subduing
effect that was noticeable last week. For
the first fifteen minutes the proceedings
bore all the hallmarks Of a memorial meet
ing.
Then Mrs Sophia I,oebinger, whom no
amount Of obloquy has induced to dis
pense with her turquoise earrings, infused
a little life by telling instances OF women
who had had nearly everything TO do with
building up the fortunes Of their millionaire
husbands.
When she shrieked in tones that several
persons on the outskirts Of the audience
Of 800 said carried way out over their
heads, "You can't dispute II and you needn't
grunt about 1t > she got a round Of applause
She scored again when she explained that
the reason the Women's Progressive Suf-
frage Union didn't hold it's meetings in the
Waldorf was that nowhere but in the streets
Of Harlem could they draw such magnih-
cent audience Of the people as now stood
before her A very respectable cheer evil
denoed the approval aroused by her dis
elimination, and when she assured her
hearers that she was not giving them tahy
they cheered anew
Things didn't really get going, however
until Mrs. Borrman Wells, wearing a skirt
Of apricot panne velvet, blouse OF bebe
Irish lace, chiffon scarf that toned with
her skirt, a check ulster and a white leghorD
picture hat trimmed with green plumts
and green velvet. mounted the packing box
platform and regarded those who stood
below her with an indulgent smile.
aA-a-a-a-hl" they murmured with one
voice. Then they broke into a storm OF
applause,
Mrs. Wells smiled again and said that she
was very glad they were 80 pleased to see
her. Then she went on to lot them see
that she knew all about muck raking. In
spite Of the fact that she hadn't been very
long in this country she declared she knew
all about the politicians and Doodle and
graft and pull and election frauds and the
other dreadful things that happened in this
sham democracy. ~
Democracy indeed" she shifted What
sort OF democracy is 1t that goes hobbhng
along on one foot with half OF its citizens
disfranchisedY
Nellie, the beautiful cloak model" volun-
teered another admirer, az Mrs, Wells put
her hands way down deep in the pockets
Of her ulster and asked the crowd what
they were going 10 do about 1t all. she
got another cheer as she leaped TO the
ground.
But not all Of the applause and cheers
and whistles called forth by her and Mrs;
LOebnger and Mrs. Commander combined
bore any comparison in volume TO the
mighty burst Of vocal admiration that
went forth az Miss Mary Coleman OF the
New York bar in black and white striped
Madam Butterfly suit, a pale blue silk
blouse, a gold ccinture studded with enc
raids and black Merry Widow sailoC4
covered with pink chrysanthemums, ar
rived with one bound on top OF the rostrum.
Miss Coleman, on account OF the peda-
RoRical sweep Of her dminutive fore
finger, is popularly known as the pretty
am.
The stern expression which she had /
upon her habitually smiling |
wasn't Q bit worn on by the |
welcome. She very quickly let |
every one Of those whom she subsequently !
denominated as fools and idiots know that |
she was there for business. In the first
place, she told them that 1t was her purpose
10 teach them the famous verse composed
by Mrs Commander. which has become
the sufragette slogan
For the long work dSl
For the taxes We pay
For the laws We obey
We want something TO say.
She more than kept her word She
really taught il TO them for the process Of
mental absorption on their part was obvi-
ously involuntary. How could they help |
themselves when she repeated the lines
twenty-seven times2
They stood with bated breath az she ad-
vanoed so far forward that one-third Of her
Gibson ties were supported only by the
atmosphere. There were EXPLANATIONS Of
terror as the thin boards which had been
strained to their capacity by some Of the
previous speakers, oreaked ominously be-
meath her emphatic tread They breathed
a sigh Of relief as, slowly pivoting about on
her high heels. she recited once more the
immortal verse and descended.
After DR.. Mary Smith had informed
every one who was listening that there were
So, 900 women in New York city who we're
their husbands and children,
many thousands more who we're looking
out for children deserted by. their fathers.
and still other thousands who were COM
PEELED to support their children while their
husbands were serving term in prison,