Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-17
. voters, League, for Woman Suffrage of

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New York.
"One woman in every five in the United
States he said, is out in the competl-
tive world trying to earn her living, ana
most of them have no choice as to wheth-
er they will get out there or not. Many
of them are working in conditions cor
ruptive of health and motherhood. There
fore vital problem for the future OF
our race is how to render the conditions
of Industry compatible with the physical
and moral welfare of women. The first
step dictated by our system OF govern
ment in solution, Of that problem is to
give to those women themselves the de-
Tense and assistance of political recogni-
ton.
Like the workingmen, they have got
to improve their lot through organization
and organized demand. and everybody
knows that the fundamental guarantee
of the effectiveness of an organization
of poor people is either gunpowder or
political standing. The ideals of our gov
eminent, and the pressure of this new
concrete problem of women in industry,
alike dictate to us the duty of giving to
the female sex political standing.
But. barring this question of democ-
racy, | don't think that the political ar
guments for womans Suffrage are the
main ones. The great thing. to my nina,
is not that women will Improve politics.
but that politics will develop women. The
political act. the nature it demands and
the recognition ii attracts, will alter the
character and status of women in society,
to the benefit of themselves. and of their
husbands. and of their children, and Of
their homes.
Spirit of Comradeship.
Alice Duer Miller spoke on The Sis
terhood of Women"
1--WE have been taught to admire the
eighteenth century," she said, because
~, lett
tion 1t broke down some of the barriers
between man and man and between
groups of men. For within groups men
always have had the spirit of comradeship
And how they have valued 1t. They did
not get it in domestic relations, however
happy, nor in friendships. however warm.
They got it, or rather, they found field
in which to exercise 1t, in the impersonal
activities of their lives. in their crusades.
and guilds. and colleges. and labor
unions. and clubs"
Dorothy Dixs subject was "Woman's
Lack of Backbone" and was couched In
the dialect of Mirandy, the old black
negro nanny, who is, Miss Dix says,
her familiar guide, counselor and friend
Mirandy declares that the reason that
women have not got the ballot Is be-
cause of their lack Of backbone.
II amt never been one dat run on
after ev'ey new belief dat come along
an OATS de reason dat l amt never
took up wild dis heah doctrine about
things not bein' made at de start, but
just havin' growed. Cose. everybody to
dere taste, but hit seems lax to me dat
dem folks what laks to claim a monkey
for dere grandpaw has got mighty little
pride and mighty little call to brag on
dere family tree.
But l amt ever had no trouble in be-
levin dat woman was made out OF man s
ribs. What worries me Is why de Laud's
choice fell on de rib, which amt nothin
chfst an swell hit out, an make him
look proud. but dat amt nowise i'm
portant in hisself, an dat hit is about de
easiest thing dat a man can spare widout
missin hit
The Lack Of Backbone.
Oats de trouble wild women down to
dis very day. Dey amt got no backbone.
OF rib dey was made. an a rib dey
has stayed, an nobody amt got no right
to expect nothin' else from 'em.
"'We'se just hoanin' for de franchise
an we might have had hit any time desc
last forty years Of we'd had enough back
bone to riz up an fit one good fight for hit,
but instead of dat, we set around hold
in our hands, an all wese done is to
say in a meek voice, Please sir. don't
lax to trouble you, but eff you'd kindly
pass me de ballot, hit sho'ly would be
agreeable to me-
An tnsted or glVln nit 10 us men Has
kinder winked one eye at de odder an
said, Lawd, she don't want hit. or else
she'd make a row about hit. OATS de
way we did. We didn't go after de right
to vote wild our pink tea manners on
Virginia and the city OF Richmond are
represented for the first time in ma
tional woman,s suffrage convention. The
Virginia delegation is headed by the pres.
ident Of the Equal Suffrage League of
the state, Mrs B. B. Valentine. Miss
Mary Johnston. the well known writer.
is the delegate. and others are Misses
Eloise Elizabeth and Coralie Johnston,
Mrs j. B. Kidd, Mrs. Charles V. Mere
dith, Mrs Everett. Mrs. A. NJ. Tyler.
Mrs ]. Tyler Jobson, Miss Johnston Mrs
Clarence CABOT, Mrs. Charles V. Mere
dith and Miss Adele Clarke.
Miss Clarke read the state report. which
was favorably received, and gave an out
line of legislative and civic work carried
on by Virginia women during the past
winter.