New-York tribune., 1909-04-24
MRS. MACKAY ON DIVORCE.
U1hen WOmen Tote There WiU Be
Uniform LazCs, She SaUS.

The women who want to vote and the women
who don't met In ba tile array a the~1Vomans Uni
yersity Club. No Il East 26th street, yesterday
afternoon, and endeavored to lame each other with
reasons in the presence of an audience Whlch
crowded the clubrooms 10 suffocation. The
sion was all the more interesting because it was
the first time outside the Genate chamber that the
''antIs" had consented to meet the suffragsts in
public. All previous tits one Of which was at the
Colony Club took place behind closed doors, and
the only reports OF them were those that leaked
out Yesterday the press was invited. The COM
batants on the suffrage side were Mrs Henry Vii
lard, daughter of William Lloyd Garrison and pres
ident of the William Lloyd Garrison Equal Rights
Association, and Mrs. Pearce Bailey, Of the Equal
Franchise League: and that of the 'antis.' Mrs.
Gilbert F. Jones, chairman OF the executive COM
mittee Of the National League for the Civic Edu-
cation of Women, and Mrs William F. Scott. Of
the State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage
Afterward there was informal discussion. in
which Mrs. Clarence Mackay, president Of the
Equal Franchise League said in reply TO
statements about the relation of suffrage dvorce
'I am perfectly that one Of the first things
that women Will do after they get the franchise
will he to unite TO uniform divorce laws
throughout the union
Mrs Pearce Bailey led off with the statement
the whole question resolved itself into choics
between being bond woman free
Many women have told me-" she said. that
they preferred being bond women. They preferred
to be taken of, and only the who
takes care of herself is free
Mrs Bailey said that under present conditions
woman whose family has grown UP and left her
is obliged take to bridge charity. of a
or less futile kind, the time OF greatest capacity
for usefulness" And she referred to the Pope
IAN old bachelor who doesn't very much of
women" and who has passed the time when men
open new ideas.
.'Political power must always rest with physical
power" said Mrs. Scott. The vote is the right
Of no man and no woman. It is utterly and
entirely a matter Of expediency. I; women voted,
they would either with men. in which
their would make change they would
vote in opposition them in which
would have face the possibility OF a womans
party which would introduce a strife into
society infinitely more dangerous than that OF
labor and capital. Women have right for the
sake Of their own temporary interests interfere
with the welfare Of the II they wish the
race to end, they right IN laying hold of every
power they can get. If they DO not they must con-
slider the race BY striving for political power they
are interfering with the nature Of woman herself.
This will not be felt first. but at the end Of
hundred years IT will begin to be felt. and at the
end two hundred years woman will be a different
creature
Mrs Henry Willard expressed the opinion that
the woman movement was the greatest movement
for the uplifting OF the race that the world has
and that its further progress depended on
women themselves.
This demand for equal rights IS meeting with
more and more favor from men," she said. and
believe that they only waiting for women
themselves to become aroused to give all
ask. At the present time organization is being
formed to render to our sex this great service. Is
not this the very flower Of chivalry? The move
nlent is sweeping rapidly that Its op-
ponents will not long be left behind"
Mrs. Gilbert Jones could not believe that Ameri-
can men would be guilty OF great injustice
as to keep the vote from women while they
franchfsed millions Of aliens IL there
fundamental reason for the exclusion, and she
found this IN the theory that government in a
democracy rests the physical power Of the
voters to maintain II and in the burdens which
nature has placed upon It is injustice.
but chivalry, she thinks, which keeps women from
tho polls.
Mrs. Jones. IN referring to her phiIanthropic work
mentioned incidentally that the difficulties she
encountered were lack of money and politics. and
the audience, which appeared TO be largely sut-
frage in its sympath thies. shrieked with laughter.
When she had taken her seat Mrs. Mackay said
that she thought supreme authority in this country
was the Supreme Court and not the army. Mrs.
Jones replied that the authority Of the Supreme
Court rested on the power OF the army 10 enforce
Its DEGREES.
Mrs. Julian Heath argued that women had mere
influence with the legislature because they belonged
no party, and told of the courteous treatment
received at Albany.
That's because they weren't afraid Of you," re-
marked Mrs. Willard.