The sun., 1909-01-24
SUFFRAGISTSTHEREALA ANTS
ANTI HOME, MEN AND WOMEN
MRS. MEYER SAYS.
whereas the so-Cslied AntIs Are . Con.
structiye FOrce-What II Men should
Say How Are You Doing Your Own
Work." 49, shiyers TO Think OF IL.


Say How Are You Doing Your Owl
Work." - shiyers to Think OF IL
Mrs. Annie Nathan Meyer, who spok,
yesterday morning at the hudson Theatr,
under the auspices Of the League fol
Political Education on reasons for not
granting the suffrage to women, said thai
she wished that some one would invent
better name than Ants for the women
who wero endeavoring not TO have the
| responsibility Of the ballot thrust upon
them.
1T is really, the suffra gists and not we
who should be called ants" she con-
tinued. "for they are anti-home. anti
men and anti-women."
Ono of the sufiragsts had admitted
Mrs. Meyer said. that she didn't believe
that there was a single woman who didn't
in her heart wish she were n man, and
Mrs. Meyer could perceive this spirit Of
rebellion beneath nearly all the utter
ances Of the fighters for franchise
Mrs Meyer explained that the ants
did not deserve a name which merely
implied negution. because they reilly
were doing a constructive work, They
believed in the higher educa tion Of women.
although not necessarily along the same
lines as that given to men, and they be-
leved that women could help in civic
affairs by investigating conditions, gather
ing statistics serving on hospital boards
and engaging in various phila nthropic
enterprises. She believed, she said, that
many Of the suf'ra gists sincerely believed
that women's votes would do much to
uphft politics, hut that their belief was
founded upon ignorance of facts.
Putting the right men in office m cant
something more strenuous thun simply
casting ballot. 1t meant attending
primaries and mixing in practical poll
tics
Mira. Meyer announced that she would
say something about the speech made
at luncheon on Friday. January 10. by a
woman whose clothes were always de-
scribed when she appeared anywhere.
She then proceeded to characterize Mrs.
Mackdy's argument that women should
have the right 10 vote because mothers
would he even more careful than fathers
regarding legislation affecting children
and the home "a delightful but mean
ingless phrases"
She then scored Mrs. Borrman Wells
for her statemonta about half starving
women and hungry school chldie en-.
whose sad condition the suffragette orc
tor attributed to the poor management
of men.
There were two types Of sufrra yst,
Mrs. Meyer said slIdragist who
wanted the franchise becau use she believed
that the State needed the votes Of women
and the one who believed that women
needed votes. Mrs Meyer said she had
more respect for the second type. but
that she was perfectly sure that the vote
would not give to any woman any more
rights or privileges than she already
had
Of the privilege and rights which women /
hP"o urdcr the lew in thts State" she I
rided. "hut II yon want 70 know just
nSk a lawyer a woman lawyer If you wish I
for wages | an perfectly sure that the |
possession of the ballot " ouli not increase ]
them. as they depend upon economic .
forces
As for women hettorine the state by (
lking part in politics. We have great
iesi VI confidential testimony from \
prominent persons in tho four States
\ here women vote. 60 tho effect thTt the 4
-csults Of their eafranchisemen have hot
,een good A, tor Mira We,ls's phrssc.
housek eeping. many women |
\ no h,vo not hitherto cared much Fhout I
v matter OI fact. the best housekeeperS
pro mon They ran hotels. hospitals,
50 NJ tr -ilnl- md various institutions IN
the most admirable manner.
y sometimes shiver when ] hcrr thess
'rfragiSt diEtrl5oS upon men and their
legislation. lest the men turn ui.cE upon
IS I'D fsh hrthor wc have done 80 we'll
The work that is essentially ours that wC
'an Sford 20 arraign them for thor fail
.ras
"Thc sTfra gists, continued Mrs Meyer.
talk . good de al Phout the double stand
,rd Of morality fo- men and women. but ]
ave yet to meet ? SUM- gist who is en-
iclvoring to raise the standards ~ men
hey would let down the standards Of
omen
Mrs Moycr paused for second and then
aid. Il h"ar y groan and ! am glad Of II.
.""ause II gives roe a chance TO speak
more explicitly. ! merely mean that the
'ITraCists in their o"Sir" to hn fair do
lot perhaps realize that it does not raise
h" standard uf morals to be more lenieNt
With ono class ( or'cnGor' simply because
he may have lcnn treated more SO
crely than another class. What we need
) a greater SEVERITY for the other class
Mrs Mcyor concluded her address
which several suTraglsts said was the
,est anti one they had heard. by explain
ng that the Ia xation without representa-
W" ''' ~ W WV
o nothing, because there was no direct
onnection between taSpaying and
oting.
Mrs. FroTerjck Nathan held a supple
nentary meeting in tho lobby rs the
udience was dispensing and endeavored
o undo az far as possible any impress ion
hat might have been made by the elo-
uence of her sister. Mrs. Nathan
alked about the work OF the women in
dwelling particularly upon
he election of Judge Lindsay. i
Many Of the leaders on both sides OF the |
reat struggle turned out to hear that
irs. Meyer had to say. The suf fragists
'ere represented by Mrs. Anna Gar
md Spencer. the Rev. Anna Shaw. Mrs.
Iarriot Stanton Blatch, Mrs Rheta Childe
'orr and the ants by Mrs. Richard Wat
IN Glider, Mrs Henry Flagler. Mrs.
ossiter j. johnson. Mrs. Julian Heath
nd sauaral hnnArad nthers