The San Francisco call., 1908-10-04
Women UniOnists Refuse to
Join Equal Suffrage League
in Convention
Miss Maude Younger Declares
Labor Organizations Object
to Being Made Tools
Darkness Ends Discussion, but
Representative Workers
Continue 0bdurate

The ship Of equal suffrage, after a
long day Of squally weather, had
fNal. storm to encounter at the close
\ yesterdays convention, when an
opportunity arose for the discussion
Of a matter that has long been caus-
ing great feeling in the ranks of the
Equal Suffrage league.
That the Wage Earners' Equal Suf-
frsge league, an organization formed
only fortnight ago by several of the
women's trades unions, did not care
10 affiliate with the Equal Suffrage
league, was well understood, but the
members OF the latter, anxious to CO.
operate with the union women for the
speedier accomplishment OF their end,
-iavited Mrs. z. H. o'Donnen, president
Of the wage esrners' league, to address
them yesterday. Mrs. O'Donnell. in her
very convincing and earnest speech,
vent straight TO her point.
1T has been suggested that our
league 5oin hands with yours" said
Mrs. o'Donnell, but that is out OF the
question. We want the ballot for very
different reasons from the ones you
have Tor wanting 1t. Our idea is self
protection; you want il to use for
some one else. We can not Join you
and we can not send representatives
10 your gatherings. Your men simply
smile They won't give YOU what you
want. Ours are with Us heart and soul.
They are telling US 70 so TO It, And
we are Soing 20 set II far sooner than
you ever could. because we have in
fu1nce with the people who can give
r 70 US. and you have not"
lI0N WOMEN STAND PAT
faIrz Lillian Harris Coffin immediate
Dr. rose 70 say with great warmth that
The women present were heartily ia
sympathy with the wage caring
women. but Mrs. O'DonneH answered
mat the members OF the suffrage
league had no conception OF the mean
ing Of the word wage earning"
An animated and general discussion
followed for something more than an
hour, preventing the admission OF any
further business or a formal adjourn
inept The women formed themselves
into little groups OF threes and fours
and argued their points with excited
csrnestncss. The four or five repre-
sentatives OF woInen's unions who were
present stuck firmly to their ground.
asserting over and over that the league
was not in sympathy with them and
thai the league merely wished to gain
. their added strength of members, al
though no pains were spared by the
tnembers Of the league TO regain their
confidence and cooperation.
Its merely q question of sex with
the women OF the league said Miss
3Iaud Younger. but with us-and am
4 union woman ulyself-it is 4 question
Of tie things that affect men and
women alike. The unions have for
some time been unfriendly in their
feeling to certain members OF the suf-
frage league, saying they are using the
unions as tools only, and 1 knew that
This outbreak would come soon, If not
today"
DARKNESS STOPS DISCUSSION
Darkness and the arrival Of jauitors
fcfced the matter to a temporary close.
but 81 viii be resumed Monday in the
suffrage headquarters.
Other business of unusual interest
Zvss transacted yesterday. for the
mornings work opened with an episode
that also threatened TO be unpleasant,
Delays IN the payment Of dues and the
mistake OF confusing a county organi-
zation with 4 local one had postponed
the reading Of the report Of the treas
yrer, Mrs. Ella Mitchell, at which one
the auditors made some comment,
SFhich precipitated a little confusion
and some discussion During the nonli-
nations. when Dr. Mlnora Kibbe was
named as treasurer, however, the mat
ter was cleared up. and Mrs. Mitchell
was assured that the women present
deeply regretted the misunderstanding
and appr eciated the conscientious work
that she has done during the last term.
DIT. kibbe, positively declining the
nominatiOn in favor Of Mrs. Mitchell,
said that she felt that the treasurer
sEould be q san Franciscan, but re-
gretted that anything had given rise
10 the idea that Mrs. Mitchell should
not be renominsted for any other rea-
son than that she is q resident of Oak
land. Seven other nominees TO the
ONCE also declined, and Mrs. Mitchell
was finally urged by Mrs. Sperry and
Mrs Adelaide Ballard. who acted
throughout the day as graceful and
genial peacemakers. to resume her
once.
OFFICERS ARE ELECTED
Mrs. Mary Simpson Sperry, president
OF the state organization for six years,
was reelected by unanimous acclaim,
applause and cheers filing the room
tor several minutes. Mrs. Lillian Har-
Tls Cofin, who has done more than any
other San Francisco woman for the
cause. received 2 like election TO tho
nrst vice presidency; Mrs. Mary Keith
was made second vice president and
1Irs. Shelley Talhurst of Los Angeles,
president Of the Friday Morning club,
The largest women's club in the state,
was made third vice president. The
other officers arc. Mrs. Florence Har-
tell, secretary; Mrs. Nellie Scoville,
corrcsponding secretary. Mrs. Ella
Mitchell. treasurer; Mrs. Alma Cover
If Oakland and Mrs. Adelaide Ballard,
- laitorE-
A subscription taken up yesterday re-
suited IN the donation of more than
81 r00 10 the cause 4 motion was made
-. -