The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-03-26
FAIR ONES IN A P0UT
CHICAGO CLUB WOMEN DO NOT
LIKE PAYNE MEASURE.

Are interested in Every Item Con-
sidered BY the Trainers Of the
Bill, Declares Mrs. F. Quincy
Stubs, Municipal Suffrage Work
er; Mrs McCulloch Talks Some.
Chicago, March 23-"Is the new
tariff bill fair to women? We could
not expect report by a committee
composed wholly of men to be fair
to women. If there had been few
women among the trainers of the
bill, if there were a few women in the
senate, and a few in the house, and if
back of these there was a substantial
body of women voters, then we might
| hope for bill that would be fair"
Such was the thrust directed at the
Payne tariff measure and its apparent
inequalities by Mrs. Catharine Waugh
MeCulloch today. She was one of
many prominent club women to decry
the work of the tariff adjusters in
what was described as its efforts to
satisfy the demands of the stronger
interests, and its failure to relieve
the burden that falls upon women and
the home.
But not alone upon such items as
gloves and woolens and cotton goods.
a rpH h. hon lo &c
households vitality interested in the
work that is to monopolize the atten-
ton OF congress in its special session.
Still less in such frivolities as soaps
and perfumes is the sex concerned.
Interested in Every Item.
Women are interested vitality in every
item considered by the tariff makers
that concern the welfare of the citi
zenship of this country" declared Mrs.
F. Gurne Stubs, the municipal suf-
frage worker. I'VE are as much CON
cerned in the tariffs that affect struc-
tural iron as the schedules that affect
hosiery. All that concerns the house.
hold, concerns women. That means
everything that contributes to the
needs of mankind"
The women were not inclined, at
that, to hold the men who may be
responsible for the measure with all
its faults and virtues, personally re-
sponsible, for the condition of inequality.
They recognized the, law of expediency,
they said, and they knew that as long
as women failed fto represent poll
teal force, practical politicians would
be unable to effect full justice to the
sex.
Il am not critical of the men," said
Mrs. Mccullough in explanation of her
comment that fairness could not be
expected of the masculine trainers of
the new revenue instrument, for it is
not altogether their fault They can
not acquire a. woman's way of looking
at things. ISL
when women have part in ma
tional legislation there will be fewer
war vessels built; there will be plenty
of revenue for the purposes of govern
ment, and there Will be smaller bur-
den upon the average man of the coun-
try as well as upon the average wom-
an. To this end we will conduct our
| fight. In the meantime the burden
of few cents here and there, which
added together, make few dollars
here and liberalization without rep
resentation-must be borne.'
What to Help the Women?
| whether women's interests have
failed of protection in the new tariff
BILL" said Mrs. Edward L. Upton,
president of the Chicago Woman's
| club, Il cannot say until | have had
time to study its contents further.
But women have the right, [ think it
may be conceded to ask what has been
done that will help women, along with
the things that have been done to
aid many other interests.
Il am a bit skeptical of the need
of protection of some of the interests
which the tariff bill purposes to as
slst And when these particular items
are OF concern to women we have ad-
ded reason to question the justice of
what is done. We are not complain
ing about soaps and perfumes. But
what is the necessity of protecting the
glove making industry when everyone
knows that you cannot buy American
made gloves? Shall we term gloves
luxury ?"
The law of expediency was recog
nized by Mrs. H. B. Signor of tine Nike
club, and possibly errors in the work
OF the tariff, trainers weree found to be
not without extenuating circumstances.
The ballot was viewed as woman's
weapon of defense.
Must Have Votes First.
NO measure can be fair to women
that was made without consulting
women as to its contents" said Mrs.
Slgnor. "Of course we might have in
sisted upon being heard from. and /
think 1T is true that the members of
congress are glad to heed the voice
| of their constituents. Nevertheless the
law OF expediency must be recognized,
and until woman's opinion is backed
by a .woman's vote it cannot have
much weight 2.
1T sometimes happens that what is
| right can only be ACCOMPLISHED bv