The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-23

In the high pulpit illuminating her ooun-
tenance, he said to his neighborr What
a beautiful faee!' When she sat down he
The Official dinner given by the British
Suffrage Association at the fashionable
Princes restaurant was handsome
affair. the 800 guests seated at the round
tables representing literally tho progress
sive movement OF women throughout the
world. had the pleasure Of being placed
woman Mayor elected In Great Britain.
and also next to Mrs. Grant Richards,
editor Of the o magazine The English
roman u.
DR.. Anderson, who presides at council
meetings, hears cases., decides municipal
questions and performs all the usual
duties Of a Mayer r. =, s;r one Of : .se 10, m ,eSt
the battle for the admission OF women
to. the medical profession, was a pioneer
suffragist, has always been in pubic
life and Is a complete re~iutation OF the
haokneyed charge that 1t will destroy
the feminine instincts.
So were the great majority I the other
women at this congress. One OF the gen
tlest and daintiest was q delegate from
New Zealand. who has been a voter and
taken an active part in politics Tor the
last sixteen years. A delegate from Italy,
who Is a leader Of the suffrage work there
and who. made one Of the best speeches
during the congress. looks to be IS. and
seven children.
In fact there is not an argument OF any
kind as to the effect of the suffrage move
ment on women that wal not thoroughly
refuted by the personnel and the pro-
ceedings OF this congress. Lovely young
girls from various. countries we're much
In evidence, one OF the most beautiful a
ho opaoa from Finland 10 vaara old
In every country the young college
women are reported as coming into the
suffrage work, bringing the inspiration
of their freshness and enthusiasm and
learning from the older women dignity.
self and methods Of. speaking.
forward the suffrage movement They
offer very little encouragement TO those
who prophecy that II is only transitory
and will eventually die out.
One of the strongest speeches wal
made at a public evening meeting by
Armitage Rigby, NJ. P, a political leader
in the Isle OF Man. Manxm e in 1881, he
on the same terms as exercised
by men; they used it in as large a pro-
portion and took a keen interest in po-
litical questions, and yet there were no
more domestic women on earth. |
An excellent address was made by the
member Of Parliament. H. j..
Stanger. who has charge OF the women's
to be misled into waiting for an adult
bill and said that when the Gov.
eminent should bring in its electoral
bill the suffra giste in h House
would propose a clause putting women
on the same footing as men and Provid-
ing that when husband and wife were
a house os EN-. ,.unnt and
to vote.
Miss Margaret Ashton. who made many
friends in the United States nil visit
ing her sister, the wife Of Ambassador
and who was introduced as a mem
Der Of the Town Council Of Manchester,
made a stirring plea for the rights OF Work;
ing women. in which she was supported
by a number Of delegates. 1t Is often
said that the English people are phleg-
matte and unemotional; there has been
more enthusiasm shown at these suffrage
meetings in London than could be aroused
this question in the whole United
There were present at this Congress
from national associations OF
twenty countries. nc local societies being
and therefore action taken
in regard to any particular object meant
organi zed work for It in practically all
civilize nations. One important resolu-
ton adopted by a large majority was that
each national association should prepare
which place az q disadvantage
in regard to property. earnings, mar
rage, divorce. guardianship. OF children,
industrial conditions and
political rights.'
A statement OF this kind has already
McLaren, vice-president Of the Women's
7 iha raj EaHorpfiOn in a OF
sixtv-seyen pages entitled .fhe Women's
Charter of Rights and Liberties Its
exposition Of the unjust laws for women
shows clearly why they have risen. up, a
million strong TO demand a voice IN the
election Of the lawmakers.
States can show worse ones, but our
women are lulled into a fancied security
because men as a rule do not take ad-
vantage Of these laws, and Judges as far
as possible ignore them. In Great Britain
women are made to feel their full weight.
During the congress the London papers
headiined a case where a woman brought
her husband into court for brutal assault;
and the Magistrate dismissed it, saying
that wives must expect q certain amount
OF abuse from husbands and should be
willing to put up with 1t for the sake OF
a husband!
There were surprisingly few clashes in
lHS CouklOco al NiS hboi |
minded character Of the delegates and the
great difference in nationality. language,
and conditions in their
respective countries. As a result OF a
decision to recognize only societies having
the acknowledgment OF women as their
sole object two fraternal delegates from
the Adult Suffrage Society of Great Britain
withdrew from the convention, and this
was the only ground for the cabled re-
ports OF "a serious split in the alliance
A considerable furry was caused by a
resolution presented by a militant dele
gate from Russia: This congress re-
cords with pride that 3sl women in Great
Britain have gone to prison for the cause
and thus aroused in the whole world a
deeper interest in the women's move
Instantly the English delegates
were up In arms protesting vigorously:
the fraternal delegates from that branch
Freedom Lea que attempted to stampede
the congress. and there wal evidently
much sympathy on the part OF the
representatives from many countries
that II looked as II the resolution might
carry II allowed to corne to a vote.
This would have been a deadly insult
to the conservative national association
Of Great Britain, under whose auspices
the congress was held, and would have put
militant methods, but by the clever gen.
eraiship OF the president. Mrs. Chapman
Gait. the Russian delegate was finally
induced to withdraw her motion and the
tragedy was averted.
As a result Of sober second thought
the next day the delegates unanimously
adopted a resolution presented by
Woman Suffrage Alliance. by mutual