New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-03-26
MILITANT METHODS
Mrs. Mackay's League Plans Ag-
greSsiUe York for the Fail.

A consnicl,o,,slv militant atmosphere character
szed the meeting OF the Equal Franchise Society
held yesterday afternoon az The home OF Mrs Car
ence Mackay, No. "a Madison avenue. The society
may not intend 10 hoist the yellow banner at the
street corners after the manner Of the sufragettes
but it evidently intends 10 be formidable element
IN civic affairs "s~~fs q
Yesterday it voted to concentrate its efforts upon
municipal suffrage. which, Mrs. Mackay said. would
be splendid opening wedge" A bill will be in
troduced into the Legislature next fall. and the
summer VIII be devoted 10 preparatory work This
motion zes carried with only dissenting votes.
Mrs Harriet Johnston Wood voicing the objection
OF the minority by saying that il would be Just as
easy 10 get the whole as a part To this MIS-
Nackay replied;
There q great many men and women VINO
are not convinced that women capable OF eXer-
cising the fun franchise, hut who would hep Us III
getting municipal suffrage"
Mrs James ". Finch thought that definite work
for municipal suffrage would answer the question
50 often put 20 members Of the soclety' l@'
ere you doi1ge" She also suggested that the so
cte+v should interest Itself in minor reforms Tor
the sake Of convincing the public that women
didn't want the ballot simply as a plaything.
.'One thing we might do she said, is to help 70
mt Young College women in places where they
On serve the community. There is an enormous
field Cor them tnspectorships Of various khlds'
but whenever salary is attached TO such an once
tt becomes a political asset and viii be reserved
for voter unless some pressure is brought TO bear
Mrs. Harriet Stanton Blatch haa se|ei01 iI--'
tant suggestions.
s.o1ei+l7er the new greater New York Charter nor
tbs old .. she said makes the appointment OF
xro-,e7 On the Board Of Education mandatory, and
. ,l,o,a series Of Mayors not seen Mt 10 avail
themselves Of tie permission 70 appoint women As
commissioners Of education This society ought 70
sppont a committee TO see that that provision ls
made nandatory-
MIS-. IDA r4usted Harper. the chief speaker OF the
a., Vas fairly bristng with militant suggestions
we mast go into politics, she saio' ana We
shall never get votes until we do. The EngIsh
women are trained in politics, as American women
are not ana they have learned to punish their
enemies We must DO the same The most haru-
s,ed legislator would hate 10 have an organized
movement OF the Of his district against hln
and that is 5ust what every member OF IT'S coIi'-
-r;+-ee at Albany who voted against reporting Ia
zo-sblv on our measure ought TO meet when he
rornes home And every one Of the New YORK men
n, the COMMITTEES Gid vote unfavorably
This society,"" continued Mrs Harper. should
divide the city into districts and organize a group
of workers in each one 1t should Try to teach the
so-called working women. No one class can do so
MUCH as they and they are scarcely touched 1t
should establish clubroorrs in these districts 1t
should see that every reading room and settlement
Is supplied with suffrage papers 1t should eeno
speakers 10 the womens auxiliaries Of the lodges
and 10 the Young Wonen's Christian associations
and II should welcome every method that forwards
the cause. Wage earning men have more respect
for the sfragettes than for this society," but moro
conservative methods are better with other classes
Mrs Harper said that American women would
have TO work harder than the women Of any other
country for various reasons. one being that they
have 10 convince majority OF average men that
they ought 10 have votes and not merely parma
rnent Of selected men
Every part Of the British Empire now has some
firm Of woman suffrage, she said, land If the
Emitted States were a dependency Of Great Britain
we might hope 70 get votes much sooner than we
will