Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-04-15
Shown President Of the
United States by Women
Who Had Invited Him to Ad-
dress Suffrage Meeting.
II Would Seem They Needed Some
thing Beside the Ballot.

had the courage to confess his opinion
| and was Missed. So great was the
thropp that sought admission TO the
hall that hundreds were turned away.
President Taft was welcoming to
washington the delegates of the Ma
tional Woman's Suffrage Association.
He had frankly told them that he was
not altogether in sympathy with the
suffrage movement and was explaining
whv he could not subscribe fully to its
PRINCIPLES. He said he thought one OF
the dangers in suffrage for women was
| that women as a whole were not inter-
ested in it and that the power of the
ballot, as far as woman was concern
| ed, would be controlled by the less de-
| sirable class
When these words fell from the Pres
| ident's lips the walls of the convention
hall echoed a chorus of feminine Kisses.
1t was feeble demonstration of pro-
test. The combined Kisses sounded as
| if a valve on q steam engine had brok-
en-.
President Taft stood unmoved on the
platform during the demonstration Of
| hostilty-for the Kissing continued but
| a momant-and then smilingly answer
| ed the unfavorable greeting with this
retort:
"Now, my dear ladies, you must
show yourselves capable of suffrage by
exercising that degree of restraint
| which is necessary in the conduct of
| government affairs by not hissing."
| The women who had missed were re-
| buked. The Presidents reply apparently
| took instant effect There were no more
Kisses while the President continued his
address. which he charactized 'as my
confession of the woman suffrage ques-
ton" At the conclusion of his talk he
was enthusiastically applauded and some
of the leaders of the convention express
cd to him their sincere regret over the
| unpleasant incident. The President as
sured them that he had not had his feel
ings injured in the least. In his address
the President said:
When l was 16 years old and was
graduated from the Woodward High
school in Cincinnati | took for my grad
uation subject Woman Suffrage" and at
that time | was as strong an advocate of
woman suffrage as any delegates to this
| convention. | had read much on woman
;, L..
| The women cheered the President at
this point. The hall was a mass of wav
ing handkerchiefs. but the waving ceas
ed abruptly when the President resuming
said with emphasis:
SO at that time | was orthodox (ac-
centins that timeD but the actual eXpe
rlence which | have had has modified
my views of this subject somewhat. In
the first place the proper republican gov
'rhfneht we approve and support because
on the whole every intelligent class
'liat u.s. every set of individuals similarly
situated in community, intelligent
enough to know what their interests are
is better qualified to determine how
those interests shall be cared for and
preserved than any other class, however,
altruistic
But cal attention to two uualifica-
ions IN that statement. The first is that
the class must be intelligent enough to
Know their own interests. The tbeorv
that the Hottentot or any uned,,cated
class is fitted for self-government 7
wholly dissent from. But that is not
applicable to this situation tonight.
mis- utter2nce injected into the CON
course of feminine delegates a feeling of
good nature. soon to be dispelled Tho,
laughed heartily.
But there IS another qualification
which Is that the class which has suf-
lrage should care enough for tboir in
'erests to take part in the exercise of no.
iitical power If conferred upon them IF
they DO not, then 1t seems to me the dan
ger IS. II the power of suffrage is grant
,ed 1t will be exercised by that part of
the class which is less desirable"
That was the signal for the demon
stsatlon by tn. Presidents hearers The
leaders of the convention who sat on the
platform surrounding him, blushed as
IN" Kisses burst from their associates
lips. Those III the audience who did
not hiss franticalIy endeavored to re-
strain those who were Missing, when
thc president took the situation into his
own naids and told the ladies what he
Thought of their action He did not
speak at all angrily and immediately
proceeded.
II ccuid be sure" he continued
'"". women as ii class would exercise
INC iiahchAse l would be in favor ONT
"a, present there exists in my mind con-
s'oeraoie doubt. In certain states vbic1,
nave tried the experiment. states in tho
ROCK! mountains. where tbore is no
ee"' concentration of population TO
cope with, equal suffrage has MT hoo,,
laiiure. 1t has not made thir,,
any d'stihcf difference. though II is
p'SS'1i TO say that It has shown so,,o
Improvement in the conduct of ,,,,,;,o
,tnairs' Permit me to say that tho .aa,.
| before sou in establishing vour ,o,;.tan,
| .lshts is not in convincing the men. Int
| III convincing your own class
| lhat is my confession of f.i.h
! 1n'ec'' am glad to welcome Won 49,
recognize you as a class of wor,or
o',. III your desire for political rao
and earnest ard high mirao.,
80 .'e cause of good government -"
II l disagree with you, not in nr;ro ven
'u' IN the application of it to tb,. 80.
e"' situation 1 hope you will NOT aaes.
me ungracious in saying as ,nucb ss ~
nave. came here with the u,dau
standing by your COMMITTEES as 70 W
PROBABLY would say They kneu ~.
would not subscribe to ali vo, 49,
| cate "u'o'