The San Francisco call., 1909-10-10
JCUFFRAOJcTr DIVIDED
INTOFOUR FACTIONJc
By MARY AsHE MILLER

II ROUBLOUS times encompass the
suffragette in the present year Of
our Lord-in fact conversations
for the ballot lead me to believe that
the cult has never before. even in the
early days of the movement. encoun-
tered more swift and tempestuous
waters
This acute stage is reached not only
through the men-women have endured
the vagaries of mankind with philoso-
ply and even heroism since the begin
ming of time-nor is it through those
women who are Indifferent to the
equality of the sexes along political
lines. It comes from within their own
ranks and is a peculiar situation. Some
one said historically a long time ago,
United we stand, divided we fall" but
the suffra gettes have manag ged. para
doxically. both to unite and divide. and
the result is that the organization is
suffering from what one might term
an indigestion of plans. They are
strong as 20 their principles, but sadly
mixed as TO their methods.
/ am told by suffra gettes-I was not
annual election at the Stockton con-
vention was due 10 a contest between
the radicals and the conservatives.
Those who believe in purusing the
policy of peaceful progress were op-
posed by those who are In favor of the
more aggressive warlike method of
dealing with man. The result was
compromise with the balance some
what in favor of the milder ladies.
To an impersonal observer there
seem to be four classes of those who
fight for their ''Tsghts -four main
divisions, that is with an occasional
subdivision. Two of these are imper
sonal as regards their general attitude
and the other two are determined to
make it a hand to hand. man to man
individual sort of battle. apparently.
First of ali comes the old school of
suffra gists. those. who have not become
accustomed to being ''suffragettes.
those who still speak of "woman's
rights These are impersonal beyond
all others Many of them have spoken
i'm public of the "tyrant man" with
horror in their voices and gone
straight home to be loving. happy wives
and doting, affectionate mothers Of
men children.
There is something very beautiful in
these older women, even to one who
can not hold with them. They have
been so steadfast and heroic The old
school said their prayers very hard for
the coming of what they believed TO
be right and just. Nowadays. one may
remark. a suffragist meeting is never
a prayerful place.
Then they were sensitive, shrinking
women, many of them, who carried
themselves into the arena with fine
coura geous determination. All honor is
due to them and their faith. and be it
Ia
that however much the younger women
may disagree with the modes OF work
of the older ones. they accord. in most
instances, at least, a seeming defer
ence to their pioneers. This branch OF
the movement has become a trifie mod
ernized. but they are consistently dig
nified, sincere and feminine
Of the personal type Of suffragists.
there are. as I said. two parties. and
the first of these is the aggressive.
They say that the old fashioned meth
DDS have been in vogue for 20 years.
and nothing has been gained, practi-
cally. The extremists of these war
riors are the ones who are leading the
politicians and police of London such a
merry lire. They are NOT the martyrs
of 80 years ago. nerving themselves to
the encounter. They glow with pride at
their determined stand and would
bring men to a recognition of their
strength through forceful demonstra-
tions.
In this country. where riots and tu-
mults and prison bars do not prevail.
Legislators are harassed and political
parties are besieged. Political jobbery
is not scorned in many instances. and
the results as regards the women them
selves is not always happy. Some of
the workers become embittered, and
their remarks are. to say the least.
vituperative. This stand is heartily re
gretted by many suffragists. who feel