Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-05-05
EQUAL SUFFRAGE CONVENTION
A recp Hchind the scenes NJ tho Great
Gathering In Washington-pcport
by the Vermont Representa-
tive,
To the Editor of the Free Press

them as fncir delegate t\ orn0nt IS on
titled to but one) in tho national suffra sc
convention Of last week. I hereby kindly
Rsk you to present my report through
Your paper. believing that in this way II
will reach tho greater number interested
The fortr-second annual convention Of
tho National American Noman's SUI
frage association with delegates present
from every State was hold Mt the audi
torum of the Arlington Motel. from April
II TO April 10 inclusive, giving five days
of three sessions each
The work Of the convention moved
rapidly with keen. clcsr-cut and deci-
sivc movement, whether It vas IN the
reports OF tho organized ana affiliated
societies. or given ny the presidents Of
the various state societies. The addresses
usually about four or five in number.
at each session were given NY both mcn
and women. No speaker suffered by
comparison with any other, all eNtcm-
poraneous. and arrumortatiVc I'm nuai-
itv. Neither were old arguments review
ed or rcvampcd. or ospecia value to tho
listener 7 hereby quote few " the sub
iccts and speakers: The Making Of
Democracy" by Frances Squire Potter,
professor of English in the University OF
Minnesota. and corresponding secretary
~ the association: "VhY Women Should
Have the Suffrage" ny Senator owen. Of
oklahoma; tho annual addrcss by tho
president Dr. Anna Howard Shaw; Re
pubiics VS. Women" Kate Trimble Wool
soy. "Womans Suffrage from q Socialist
Point Of View" Meta l.. Stern, The
Real Reason Why Women Cannot Vote"
ctt ipv ftl
ing Things CO." Florence Kelley. The
English situation" Alice Paul; The
Call OF the New Acc to College Women"
Harriet F. Grim Max Eastman of New
York, president Of the Mems League for
Woman's Suffrage, also professor Of
Logis, ~ Columbia. gave an address very
strong in argument and reason for the
cause, and hard 70 gansaY. A. likewise,
n forcible address, by Ny Henry Wilbur,
of the Friends Equal Franchise society Of
Pennsylvania; with remarkable ability
and incontrovertihle argument, was tho
address Of Charles Edward Russell sub
iect: self Defence or the Demand for
Political Action" Rose Schniderrnan and
Mrs. Raymond Robbins, OF Chicaeo,
spoke along the lines Of the industrial
problems and conditions affecting women
as workers. as wives. and mothers Of
workers, and the consequences of these
conditions TO motherhood and 10 woman
hood. as demonstrated in the white slave
srafflc Thes. were followed ny MI. Ray
nlond Robbins, an attorney 81 Chicago in
most searching and convincing way
Subject. The Worker, the Law and tho
Courts
No speaker In the convention presented
, stronger appeal for the cause and one
Shich would challenge all argument Of
lhe opposition than the address OF Carrie
Chapman Gait. president OF the Interna-
,onal Societies for Woman's Suffra GO
given al the close Of the eVenin. session
IN Friday. subject. Caught in snare"
10 aggressive and militant was the spirit
IF this address. and welcomed with such
unmistskabe conviction. mat copies
we're ordered printed and sent 10 every
politician in the country. to the chief
executive and his cabinet and to every
member Of Congress. Airs. Gait is n
woman of sweet and magnetic personal
iiy with round, deep chestcd voice. and
II ia pity that every man and woma n
in tine land could not hear these herones
Of the flesh. who have sacrificed Tina
democracy. She is woman. who it is
said knows more q bout politics than any
politician in the country. and when ask
I'd If she is in sympathy with the az
gressive policy, replied: 81 certainly am.
We have seen after thirty years d.
couraging experience that the legislators
of the states and that Congress have
no intention OF permitting the discussion
Of our cause on tho floor. l. Is quite
time to abandon drawing room srd pink
Tea methods, for they vii only give 10 -
their consideration. when they learn tina.
the women Of America, even u they have
nor the ballot. can be powerful in elect
Ing or defeating candidates The only
way 10 bring wonan's suffrage homo to
the men is 10 work for those who are
with lie. and for tie de-eai OF those who
are against us
MIR. Henry WilhGr o' the Friends
Equal Franchise association. urged tina,
tho women must have tho erit and the
grace and the sumption,' to make the
politicians declare lust whore they stand
on suffrage. The American School Peace
I.eaRue made declaration after declara-
ION against the policy that would dc
llde people Into the belief that n huge
ana costly navy Is a national police
Tn"v will help the rising gcuere ton TO
zee through the sophistries which are
permitting us to let our pockets be pick
% under the prcteXt that Il Is FOR
national defence. The women of this
country VIII also wage campaign Of
education and peace before the third
Hague conference in 1918.
Open air mcetiugs were hold each day
on Pennsylvania avenue, conducted by
Harriet Stanton PlaIch. Of New York
Intelligent young women ma King five and
ten minute speeches from carriages and
autos, soon attracted audiences II" the
hundreds, mostly men. Men serious and
attentive. There was no sncerinc, no
shouting down. All was orderly. Otner
Young women circulated Leaflets, petit
tons for signatures and their hats for
contributions. and responses were made
to all. Tho spirit of the convention was
for an intellectual and political democ-
racy, the kind granted 10 every citizen
ty the constitution of the United States,
where one-half Of its citizens must go 10
work and win its battles all over again,
il is not an academic interest only. bat
one that Is willing to suffer ana 10 cone