Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-03
Club News

A resume of the state legislative ses-
! sion just closed, given from the rad
ically different viewpoints of the news
paper representative and the worker for
the cause of equal suffrage, was pre-
scented yesterday for the consideration
of the Friday Morning club member
ship, and while the first speaker, Ed
ward A. Dickson, had as his topic,
"What Has the Recent Legislature
Done?" and the second, Mrs. Lillian
Harris Coffin, related "A Woman's Ex-
perience at Sacramento" the women
who listened really received lesson IN
the first principals of the gentle Cd art
of doing politics.
Mr.. Erickson discussed men, Measures
and Methods" judicially, presenting a
carefully written and sane review OF
the legislative proceedings and making
especially prominent the restraining IN
fiuence of that new political FACTOR
fine neople's lobby but, while his aud
fence recognized the value or his m
tresting paper and paid him that
highest of all tributes, undivided ana
Intelligent attention, he was lmme-
diately relegated to the position or
mere man" when Mrs. Coffin was IN
troduced, every woman present I'M
mediately becoming the captive OF her
bow and spear. :,
Vivacious, keen of wit and bril-
liant speaker, Mrs. Coffin adds to an
unusually pleasing and magnetic per-
sonality an enthusiasm born OF whole
hearted faith in the justice of her
cause Neither has she neglected that
browning feminine charm. scorned OF
old by all true suffragettes beautltui
and becoming raiment, and listening
and watching, one could but wonder
that the walls of legislation had not
fallen down before the demands of this
most fascinating propagandist and her
associates, as did those Of Jericho in
the days of old.
Mrs Coffin holds the office of chair
man of the state central committee or
the California State Suffrage associa-
+jon. was in constant attendance at
the last session of the legislature and
was equipped to deliver well directed
thrusts at the weak points of her OPP
ponents.
The last legislature, she said, diff
fered from it's predecessors only in de-
gree, and while all former bodies had
been perfectly impossible this one had
ben barely possible.
sit is a popularity Of women that
they want perfect things" she said,
and continued:
"Why do we have a legislature, and
then need the initiative, the recall and
the referendum as weapons with which
to tear to pieces the doings of our rep
resentatives? Why not have initiative
and referendum in the first place, and
do away with the expense and bother
of the legislature?
my whole message to you this morn
ing is representative government. Were
you, as women, or were you not, rep
resented at this last legislature? 1t
was strictly commercial body-there
for the purpose of dealing with finan-
cial problems and making money. There
were 1400 bills up for consideration, and
you have to abide by the results and
live under the laws passed. A bill was
passed appropriating S1S,000.000 for good
roads, and that of $1,000 for ethical ed
ucation in the schools was denied, and
this Is a sample of the way your inter-
ests and those Of your children were
protected.
1.-THE suffrage movement Is sure to
win at the next legislature, and you
Los Angeles women can help by TAX,
ing care that the one man who goes
from your district will represent you
women. I believe that no man could
go to the legislature If the women in
his district said no. whether they
voted or not.
Getting the ballot does not confer
political sense. We have got to learn
how to play the game and you and I
must spend the next two years so
studying II that when we get the
franchise we shall not be exploited by
those who know 1t better than we do"
City and county organizations will
unite in honoring Mrs. Coffin with a
luncheon today at the Lankershim,
and at the reception which is to follow
will be assisted in receiving by MEM
bers of the College Woman's Suffrage
association. who are planning to at
tend in body.
Mr.. Dickson said that in his judg-
ment the thirty eighth session just
closed was the nearest approach to
decent and effective lawmaking body
that California has had for a decade,
and deserves credit not only for what
1t ACCOMPLISHED but also for what it
endeavored to bring to pass.
IT do not mean by this" said he,
"that it was an ideal legislative body,
for 1t was not. Nor that all the men,
bers or even majority were credit
to the communities that they were pre-
sumed 10 represent. They were not.
What do mean is that there were
a greater number of good men than in
any previous session Of a decade past.
And 1t was through the efforts of this
group of courageous and conscientious
men in each house-almost but not
quite a working majority-that made
possible an anti-race track gambling
law and direct primary law.
What New York's legislature is re-
quiring two sessions to accomplish,
California's legislature has accom-
plished in one"
April calendar for the Wednesday
Morning club shows the following ar
ray of good things:
April 8. s p. m.-Stereopticon lecture, "Vien-
ma and Budapest" Prof. B. r. Baumgardt.
April s, p. m.-Board meeting at Mrs. L.
G. Crossman's.
FIRST WEDNESDAY
$3.50 a. m.-"Julius Caesar" Mrs. H. r,
Brett, leader. Review. papers and discussion
OF principal characters.
Luncheon.
2 p. m.-Business. Nomination OF officers.
$3.50 p; m.-Music. American wit and HUI
Humor," Miss Virginia Pease
SECOND WEDNESDAY
$50 a. m.--Shakespeare section, Tanning of
the Shrew."
p. m.-Paper ''The Table of our Grand
mothers Mrs. T. r. Coles; piano solo. VIM
cent jenkins; address Modern Dietary Sys-
TENS" Dr. Lottie Davidson.
April ~ ?; m.-stereorticon lecture, ma
pies and the Shores Of Paradise" Prof. B. r.
Baumgardt.
THIRD WEDNESDAY
$3.50 a. m.-Shakespeare section, Tanning of
2 .. m.-vocaI solo, IAN Irish Ditty,'' Miss
Ruth Chapman: address. ireland as Saw
IT, Mrs. Ella Giles Ruddy; readings in irish
FOURTH WEDNESDAY
$3.50 a.. m.-Shakespeare section. "Taming of
the shrew," papers and discussions.
2 p m.-Music. Travel talk. Coaching and
Private Train Trip Through England and the
British Isles" Mrs w. H. Housh: violin
solo. Miss Doughtii.
ICE, the BrisD of the Adriatic." Prof. B. R.
Baumgardt.