Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-07
why SHE WENT TO PRISON
LECTURE BY MRS. SAN.
DERSON LAST EVENING.
Daughter Of Richard Golden Of Eng.
land Advocates Woman's Suf-
frage Before Large Audience.

An audience Of about 800, mostly ladies',
gathered in the banquet room of the New
Willard Hotel last evening to welcome
the noted daughter of Richard Golden
Mrs. Anna Cobden-Sanderson, one Of Eng
lands foremost suffragettes. who, under
the auspices of the Equal Suffrage Asso-
citation of the District of Columbia, made
an address entitled why 1 Went to
Prison Mrs. Jessie Waite Wright, the
president of the association. presided, and
H. B. F. Mcfarland. president of the
board of District Commissioners, intro
ddced the speaker. In his Introduction
Mr.. Mcfarland reminded the ladies that
they now have a much greater power than
they imagine. for, said he, every day and
every hour you are the most potent fac
tors in holding public opinion, and that
is more effective than the ballot. When
the women all agree that they want the
ballot, have no doubt that they will get
it, for they are always irresistible.
Il am here, however" he added, ito
pay honor to that famous woman, Susan
B. Anthony. to welcome to our city the
distinguished daughter of that famous
man, Richard Golden, who was the friend
Of all men. and to subscribe to the doc
trine of equal rights for man and woman
before the law
Substance of the Address.
Mrs. Cobden-Sanderson is handsome
matron and rather pleasant and per-
suasive talker. Her lecture was not argu-
mentative, but rather a conversational re-
cital Of the history of the woman's suf-
frage movement in England. At the out
set, quickly catching up Commissioner
Macfarland's challenge, Why" she re-
marked, shall we wait until all women
are united upon this question? Did men
wait until all men were united before
freeing the slaves? Why then hesitate to
give parliamentary freedom to the wom-
en-? John Stuart Mills she continued,
believed woman's suffrage the greatest
of all questions.
Experience in New Zealand and Aus
tralia where women have been granted
the right of franchise, shows that IT.
makes for greater purity in politics and
a cleaner and more honest administration
of affairs After cursorily going over
the advancement of the movement In her
own country and setting forth the good
suffrage in municipal affairs. In 1867, she
led up to their later struggles, eliminating
in the arrest of herself and few others
who had dared to brave the lion in his den
and demand suffrage Of the prime minister
Of England in the halls of parliament
For this she and several of her CO.
workers were haleo to court and put I'M
der bonds to keep che peace. They re-
fused to furnish the required bonds, Mrs
Cobden-Sanderson alleging that as they
had had no voice in making the so-called
laws they were not amenable to them
They were then sentenced to two
months in prison. but were released at
the expiration of a month because OF the
effect their Imprisonment might have
upon a pending election.
I'VE cannot look to the aristocracy for
relief, the speaker remarked, for history
has shown the 'aristocracy to be corrupt
in my own country. We cannot hope for
it from the middle classes. because they
are our greatest obstacle at the, present
day; but to the laboring classes, men and
women who have suffered. to them and
to them alone we must look for the sue
cess of this movement and through them
it will ultimately come"
On the Platform.
Seated on the platform with the speaker
were Commissioner Mcfarland, Mrs
Jessie Waite Wright, Mrs. c. c. Farrar.
Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey and Mrs.
inertia Caswell. A corps of handsome
ushers composed of the drill team of
Mount Vernon Hive, Ladies Of the Mac
cabees-Misses Edith Van Ness, Lillian
Gray, Anna Mace. Mary Meinkling. Lo-
retta Fitzgibbons. Mary Fitzgibbons.
ley and Maud Kidwell-demonstrated their
superiority over the male in quietly and
quickly seating the audience.
Among those present were noticed Mrs.
Belva A. Lockwood. Mr.. Terence v. Pow
derby, who eloquently seconded Mrs.
Lockwood's motion for a vote of thanks
to the speaker, DIR. VIM. P. Tindall and
Mrs. Tindall. who is member of the
executive committee Of the National
Woman's Suffrage Association; Mrs.
Katherine Reed Balentine, Miss Emma
Gillett and others.
1t is stated liberal sum was realized
for the benefit of the Susan B. Anthony
memorial fund for campaign purposes,
which is the object for which the lecture
was given.