The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-03-25

Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton, Of Ohio.
Among the speakers were Miss Emma
| Gillette, Of Washington; Mrs. Gait,
Mrs. Richard w. Fitzgerald, Of Mas
s%achusetts; Senator Owen, Miss Rose
Sullivan, of Utah; Mrs. Mary e.
| Craigie, of New York; Mrs. Ida Por-
ter Boyer, Of Pennsylvania; and Miss
Gordon, of Louisiana.
Mrs. Upton introduced the suf-
fragists with the remark that she was
not afraid of the Judiciary Committee
or anybody else. She was provided
with a bell which she rang when she
thought the speakers had consumed
enough time. The first time it rang
one or two of the women looked
around in dismay. Once or twice the
bell had to be rung with great in
| s%istence before the enthused orator
would yield to another.
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait opened
the arguments by saying that Great
Britain had done more for its women
in the suffrage line than has the
United States; that South Africa and
Canada had given the right Of munic-
ipal suffrage to their women, while
Norway and Denmark and the other
Scandinavian countries had given
every suffrage right to their women.
The next speaker was Senator Rob-
ert Owen, of Oklahoma, who made a
strong speech for woman suffrage.
Every good principle I have
learned" he said, Everything OF
good morals and good manners I re-
ceived from a woman. And I have
observed in history that just as high
as is the position given to women In
a nation just so surely will that ma
ton rise to distinction and fame
az give my adherence to this cause
with enthusiasm and with religious
zeal, I know when I serve the women
/ serve God. I know it Is a just cause
because I have studied it, and I have
studied it deeply. AS the women are,
so is the nation.
when there are 6,000,0 600 women
earning their living, outside Of do
nestle service, with what face, gentle
men of the committee, do you refuse
! this prayer Of the women? Suffrage
is the only thing that would give
women a fair compensation for their
labor. And one way the State would
benefit is the fact that the women's
vote, as a rule, would be against cor
ruption.
"Some tell us that only the bad
| women would vote. I answer this
by pointing out to you that there
are so many more good women than
bad in the world. The statistics
Eproye this. The records of our peni-
tcntiaries prove it. And I love the
women's cause for the enemies it has
made. It's enemies are the keepers
of saloons and brothels. The saloon
| element always fights woman suf-
frage. 1t was the saloon element
that prevented the women being
! given the suffrage by the Oklahoma
| constitutional convention"
Representative Alexander, Of New
York, interrupted to say that a great
objection to woman suffrage would
be that the immigrant women coming
into the United States would be made
voters.
"The immigrant men," replied Mr..
| Owen, "are educated in the saloon.
Their women would neutralize this
saloon vote and this would benefit
| the State. Besides, they are the
women who will bear our future citi-
zens. Shall we bring up the mothers
| of our citizens in the eternal bellef
that they are a thing apart from our
| Government and have no part IN it?"
Senator Owen at the conclusion OF
his address was given an ovation Oy
the women present.
At the conclusion of the hearing
Mrs linton asked the Judiciary Com
mittee if it could not make a favor
able report on the joint resolution,
to make an ~unfavorable n SO that
the matter might be debated on the
floor of the House.