New-York tribune., 1910-09-20

IF were told that must choose be-
tween the electric chair and talking from
a platform she said yesterday, 4 would
reply. I am not yearning for clectroeu-
ton. but I would prefer II to speaking
from a platform
Miss SeaweII abhors the methods of the
English suffragsttes. but she isn't at ali
worried over the fact that DR. Anna Shaw
and Mrs o H P. Belmont have come
back from England burning with the de-
sire to adopt those methods here
American women have too much dig
nitv to do as the English miIirants nave
done" she declared Think. for instance.
Of those women who stood up IN the audi
ence at an anti meeting and shouted ar
Lord Crorner the speaker. LiaT
TT has been said that the English news
papers risrepresent the su1ragettes- II
that is so. why don't the suffragettss sue
the newspapers for Hbel2 II should not be
forgotten that there is a body OF diguified
suffragettss in England who -deplore the
violence Of the militants-
II have no fear that American women
Will lower themselves IN their pursuit OF
the ballot
''Of course. there are eXcepttons-ror sX-
ample. the women who went to the night
fered an insult 20 the Judge on the oench-
The Judge. I think. would have been
justified in causing the arrest OF those
women"
What about the women watchers ar the
primaries? We're they out OF their place,
Not so much 50. said Miss Seawsil-
They had a legal right to go there. but
don't think they did any good In fact
their presence caused disorder. and did nOr
their arrests Indicate what might happen
at the polls IL women votsd2 A certain
disturbing element would always make
trouble for women voters continually, ara
the women couldn't always hope 10 find
magistrates who would treat they a. kindly
as Judge Kernochan did
Why do women want 20 v0ts7 Most
women think that q vote would give them
some mysterious power some mastery OF
conditions which they do not now possess
Few realize that in acquiring vote they
would lose any privileges. but votes and
privileges do not go together
Their silent tnfiuence7 Or the right to
hang from a strap n a subway while
men sit?''
II never saw a man sitting while =
woman stood" answered Miss Seawell. I
have seen creatures in trousers sit while
women stood. but I did not call them men
And. as for the silent influence OF women
rather distrust a silent woman The nor
nal woman is laxative. she continued.
and it may be observed that though Miss
Seaweu may not be able. as she says. ID
crate from platform, she can talk from
an armchair in a hotel sitting room with
considerable facility.
When I speak OF woman's privileges Z
include her property privileges. her right
10 maintenance from her husband. her
dover. etc"
Don't you think in time OF war that the
women who stay al hume suffer as uaucn
as the men who DO the nghttng2'
NO In war everybody suffers. but the
soldiers who do the marching and the
aghtins and the starving and the freezinz
and suffering. and the sailors. who face
disaster In a thousand terrible forms. arr
the greatest sufferers.
When will women get the surrraSs -
I do not think they are nearer to il tnan
they were twenty years ago" said Miss
SeswelL
But the agitation has certainly created
an uneasy feeling among public men Tacy-
don't know just how strong the suurlgisJf
are. and il worries them Most OF the pub
lie men. l thank. are opposed TO woman
suffrage. But they are not 50 stronsl.
asainst IL as women are.
II want TO say" Miss SeswelI added
that I have some dear friends among the
Mrs Frances HOdgson Burnett
Is my friend: so is Julia Mariowe And
also wish to say that the comments that
have been made by suffrsgists on my ar
ticle in The Atlantic Monthly have all
-.
"Of course. the sufrragists deny my arEu-
ments. but nothing has been said about me-
did you ever attend an antt-surrage
meetinge
Never in my life But I once attended
A suffrage meeting some years ago. IL was
conducted with much dignity. ane Ihe wona-
an present talked and acted ike natural
persons. u was an admirable -outrasr e.,