The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-12
MILITANT SUFFRAGE HEUE
MEANING MRS. HARPER SEES
IN TIE RECENT PARADE.

y NNAAANAA
aud Working women COoperating.
Two years ago in an article In TEE
6pN discussing the aggressive sunra-
gists Of Great Britain the present writer
aid, NO power on earth can prevent
q militant movement for woman suf-
frage in the United States That move
msnt was inaugurated by the recent
street. parade and Union Square meeting
IN New York.
Il II the first step that counts. and
future generations will not BE- able 10
understand the courage it required ON
the nart Of thoss women who made thu
dAriBg innovation Of walking in process
sion through the streets Of this great.
crowded city carrying the hammer OF what
what has been the most unpopular reform
evpr attempted In Great Britain when
women adopted this method Of calling
attention IN their demand for the fran
chise they were not introducing a new
spectacls. for IL had long been customary
Zoe women in al lines Of WORK ~ engage
IN public paEades. OF late years those
OF the United states have few times
joined In provisions Of men, notably Of
the labor organizations and Socialists.
hut this. ~ far a. 10 known, was the first
time a body Of women held their own
parade and outdoor mass meeting.
h does not seem ~ difficult. now that
il ia over and was an unqualified sue
cess and none Of the direful things pre-
dicted took place. but Il was with hutter-
ing hearts and trembling limbs that the
great majority of the women began
that walk through the sweets. For days
beforehand they went again and again
10 the various suffrage headquarters to
have their courage strengthened Many
came 20 say that they were quite willing
n make the sacrifice. but the men Of
their families absolutely forbade IL and
told them that the crowds on the streets
would icer and make insulting remarks;
that the small boys would throw things
that the polioe reserves would have to bs
called out 10 keen order.
On the contrary from Central Park 10
Union Square there was not a disrespect-
ful word or an unpleasant incident and the
services Of even the regular police force
we're unnecessary. The street parade
and the outdoor meeting were established
a. a permanent part Of the work for
woman suffrage. Ara they justifabls and
are they necessary
The organized movement for the en-
franohisemeRi Of women is about sixty
years cid That for the abolition Of negro
slavery was begun and brought TO q sue
oessful end in about half that time. but il
required a Ave years war and the loss Of
thousands u human lives. In all these
three-score years Of struggle for po-
fiscal liberty every act has been consti-
tutional. dignihed. womAnly-and the re-
suit has been practical failure
LOGIC and common sense demand a
change NJ methods The situation in
the United States had been duplicated in
Great Britain Women are not fitted by
nature or disposition for war and blood
shed. iyit a. the daughters Of their fathers
they have some hghting spirit. They
must have a strong leader. however. 1o
make this elective and over there this
leader came forth from the ranks n the
old, conservative suffrage organization.
burning with Indignation and resentment
a. the long years of c0ntemptuous and
contemplate treatment by the political
parties.
We need not rehearse the story Of the
English -suhragettes. which has bern
told around the world When this great
leader, Mrs. Pankhurst. came 10 this
country last autumn she found the Ameri-
can women ready for revolt and % needed
only the vivifying breath Of her eloduenca
70 start the fame which Is now spreading
over all the country
Il was emlnently NJ that the college
women, with the marked prestige Of car
and gown. should have headed the first
suffrage street parade, for they are The
anesf flower ~ the movement for tho
emancipation 81 woman. Education is
the only permanent foundation for prog
ress and IL was practically denied 10 OH
women when the agitation commenced
Tor their political rights That battle il
won. bat even nov the general public
scarcely realizes that to-day there are
5000 women IN our colleges and univer.
stiles and fully that number who already
possess their degrees
II was a beautiful and gratifying sight.
those women clothed In the symbolic
garb Of learnlng stepping fearlessly
forth and saying. DO you dare deny 10
ns a voice in our own government"
Upon college women beyond all others
rests the responsibility - leading in this
contest for they have already received
lie highest rewards and in Themselves
they answer every objection which IL
made % woman suffrage
Less prominent but possibly more SYM
holic we're the twO women who healed
the band. sounding literally and flgura-
lively the trumpet call 90 women 20 fall
In line and loin the onward march %
freedom which never can be complete
until they have power over the conditions
under which they must work. found their
homes and rear their children
Most significant was that part ~ the
parade made np ~ wage earning women.
= that vast new element which has en-
tered into the economic world for all
time and which must henceforth be reck-
oned with in considering all public ques-
lions For many years after the suffrage
movement began this distinctive class
did not exist Women worked lust AZ
hard ~ they Do now. but they we're IN
no sense regarded ~ a factor in indus
trial life Hours and remuneration wye
ssttled by each separate family, and the
possession n a vote by women would not