New-York tribune., 1909-01-24
WHO ARE THE " ANTS?
Sufrag1sts Because They IRE De
structive, Says Mrs. Meyer.

The women who want to vote and the women
who don't want 10. with few male sympathizers
on either side. made up audience which packed
the Hudson Theatre yesterday morning to IFS top
most gallery. the occasion being the presentation
the anti-suffrase case under the auspices of The
League for Political Education. by Mrs Anne
Nathan Meyer. The suffrage side was gwen last
week by the Rev. Anna Howard Shaw. president OF
the National American Woman Suffrage Assocla-
ton Mrs Shaw came to listen to her antagonist.
sitting in box with Mrs. Robert Erskine Ely, ana
close beside her was box full of 'antfs, iaclud-
ing Mrs. Richard Watson Glider, president OF the
National League for the Civic Education OF
Women (anti-sufrage>; Mrs Gilbert Jones Mrs
Henry F1agler, Mrs. Julian Heath and Mrs Ros-
sitter Johnson Among the suffragists present were
the Rev Anna Garlin Spencer, Mrs. Robert Ahbe,
Mrs Harryot Stanton Blatch, president or the
EQUALITY Lea que of Seif-Supporting Women Mrs
Frederick Nathan. president OF the Consumers
League and Professor and Mrs Louis Anspacher-
The anti part of the audience applauded vigor-
ousiy from time to time. The srffragtsts made no
sign except once when Mrs. Never said she heaFd
a groan 1t vas when she said that in protesting
against double standard of morals sufragists
showed a tendency to lower the standard TOT
women rather than to raise it for men
"T do not mean' she hastened 30 add. aiiudinS To
the groan aforesaid. that they do 1t consciously
But that is the virtual effect of saying that The
moor women ought not 10 be punished so long as
the. men are not Il would be better to begin by
heiHss more severe TO both.
Although introduced the standard bearer OF
the "antis" Mrs. Meyer protested against tms
word. ~
! ..I would like to offer prize" she seid, ITO any
one who will discover better word 10 designate
ms our position is not negative, but constructive
The sufragists are the real an'ls ne ~
anti-honle an:i-meu aad anti-women There sp-
Dears 10 he in the sufragist spirit OF repeIIto'
a,-ofpe, the hand that fashioned her. rebellion
AGAINST wonlan's crown Of glory a dehia! ol "nat
should lie her inspiration. a prominent Suii'as'S'
saws that there is woman who mas not At sunni
time wished in her heart that she were man. I
don that for l have never at any time wlshen
40 ba = man anl am sure there are thousahdS
Of others who would say the same thing
Mrs Never admitted that society was in Bad
va. E,,t maintained that giving the vote to
women would only adding difhculty 10 dncuitE.
that the best did not want tie he'p OF
u.or,ap as voters though they welcomed it in other
WAYS. ~,
..Tbere is a prominent suffragist," said Mrs
,,o,.o- .., woman whose clothes are always de
e.ribed every time her name ts mentioned ate'
C1orapca Nackav" murmured the surrasis's'
..This woman" Went Mrs. Meyer 'sald recent
~ that the world needed the mothers Vo'es' iHese
words have delightful ring ike so many Oh me
deIfehtful and meaningless phrases OF the sur
s.r;s.s Fathers are Just true 20 their chi-
dren ag mothers, and. moreover mothers nave
been in politics from the beginning -, 'nsS 20
done their duty there would pe no Po''lO@' ~
1.r,e This same woman told MS TO beware Oh
So .i,bo,t responsibility. jauntiiy ignoring
The greatest Of responsibilities as thoigh tue re-
sno,eibiItv of the could equal the reSp"hSi-
hiI,tv ~ collaborating and chil1-reaF'ns
when hear women saying 20 men, we coul1
do your work better. shiver lest the men should
t,r1 around and say, What have You done with
the work that has always been yours! have you
r,ade our homes so delightful thai many OF US DO
not nrefer the saloon? Is food so well prepared
that we have craving for liquor Have you
stariehtened cut the tangles OF the domestic prob
lem so perfectly that you have right 10 say 10
ne Won have failed: now let US try?
Mrs Meyer declared that there was no reauon
whatever between voting and taxation. William
Waldorf Astor held great deal of property In
New York did not vote here and the
Revolutionary War not nearly so much
matter of taxation people thought. She did not
blame the suffragists for the presence OF women
in industry but criticised them for rejoicing more
over one wage-earner than over ninety-nine house
keepers" She also complained about the inter-
meddling Of foreigners like Mrs Cobden-Sanderson
and Mrs Borrmann Wells, in American affairs.
She thought It time that this international CARPET
apPif1c- should cease