New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-17


movement, and praising the result Of
municipal suffrage in Kansas.
The convention received many inter-
estine reports from state presidents, de-
failing the progress made in the last
wear in the suffrage movement. Mary
Hutchinson Page. OF Massachusetts, and
Emma Maddox Funok, OF Maryland. said
their cause had made great Roadway in
their respective states, and prophesied
much for the future. A report from Lila
Meade Valentine. of Virginia, was read
by her secretary and DR.. Anna Howard
Shaw, the president of the national as
sociation, said il showed marked prog
ress for a young society, Virginia hav-
ing been on anized only during the last
year. The report OF Rachael Foster
Avery. Of Pennsylvania, was Eead by
Ida Stokes Adams. The other state
reports submitted were: Delaware. Mar
tina s Cranston: Wisconsin, Caroline L.
Hunt; Kentucky. Laura Clay; West Vir-
ginia, NJ. Anna Hall.
The committee on education reported
through its chairman, Pauline Steinem.
The chairman OF the committee on en-
rolment, DR. Mary d. Hussey. and the
legal adviser TO the association. Cath
arine Waugh McCulloch, submitted their
reports. Mrs. McCulloch advised the
delegates TO remember the suffrage
cause in their wills, and promised that
the legal adviser would take care Of en-
forcing the instruments.
The convention voted 70 continue the
collection Of the memorial fund of $780,
600 which is being subscribed for the
benefit Of the woman suffrage movement
in honor of Susan 3. Anthony. and de-
cided that il could be used for campaign
purposes and legal necessities. Kate VI.
Gordon, of New Orleans, chairman of
the Susan B. Anthony memorial fund
committee, reported as to plans for rails
ing the money.
Dorothy Dix, I'm the language and
gestures of an old negro nanny. ex-
planned the needs Of suffrage as she saw
them 10 the convention. The lack Of
backbone Is the reason for women not
having the ballot, she declared. Among
other things she said
'Cose 1 amt a presumin to CTiticlse Dc
Good Master but hit does look LAX TO me
dat when He was q creatin' woman an,
had de whole man TO cut frosl dat dc could
have saved us lot Of trouble Of He had
made Eve out Of Adams backbone insted
Yassum, dats de trouble wild women
down TO dis very day. Dey amt got no
backbone. OF 2 rib dey was made. an a
rib dey has stayed. an nobody amt got
no right to expect nothin' else from en-
Hits becaze woman was made out OF
mans rib--an from de way she acts hit
looks LAX she was made out OF a fioatln.
rib. at dat-an' man was left wild all or MS
backbone dat he has got de cone-upl2nce
over woman. OATS de reason dat We wom-
81 sits down an cries when we ought 20 gu
up an heave brickbats.
The committee on resolutions present
cd a preliminary report affirming its
faith in the VIII Of the American nation
10 do justice to womanhood. protesting
against the backward policy" Of the
Russian government in taking away the
self government of Finland, and depre-
eating the "cruelties inflicted on the
women of England and Russia" for ex-
pressing their opinion on woman SUI
frage. As this was preliminary state
ment, action was deferred until a COM
plete report is received.
Elizabeth j. Hauser, assistant chair
man of the press committee, read a re-
port written by the chairman, Ida Hustled
Harper, on Press and Progress"
Alice Duer Miller, the novelist, pre-
scented a dramatic argument for woman
/ suffrage Mrs. Miller is the author of
The Modern Obstacle" Less Than Kin
and other works, and is treasurer Of the
/ Equal Franchise Society, of New York.
/ OF which Mrs. Clarence II. AIackay is
} president Mrs. Miller said:
/ Il q thousand years from now were
writing the history IF the woman suffra &c
movement in this country l should say
something like this. America was at that
/ time under the dominion OF two ideas.
borne by two currents, often opposing"
( One, her respect tOr effectiveness, her love
/ FOR practical achievement: not only, as
one of her foreign critics said, ner admira-
( ton for slick man, but an honest de-
] sire whenever a piece Of work was TO be
done to help TO do IT. The other-and many
I Tnent of the democratic idea. The woman
suffrage movement Is in complete harmony
/ with both these tendencies.
Max Eastman. OF the Mems League for
Woman Suffrage, of New York City,
! spoke on Democracy and Women" He
saiG in part:
The one fundamental and perennial bust
+ ness Of the politicians OF this country is 70
carry out the experiment OF democratic
government We forget that because we
were not alive when the daring plans Tor
! that experiment we're laid, we ought 10 re-
/ mind ourselves of II every morning. Our
/ business Is To try out the experiment un-
! til the last breath Of hope is gone out Of US.
! The democratic hypothesis is that state
/ is good not when il conforms to some
| abstract eternal ideal OF what state
I ought TO be, the Greeks thought, but
! when IL conforms TO the interests or Its
citizens, all Of them that are In moral and
! mental health; and that the way 10 mo
out their interests Is not to sit on a throne
! or d bench and think about IL, but so and
ask them.
/ But, barring this question OF democracy
! I don't think that the political arguments
! for woman suffrage are the main ones.
! The great thing TO my mind Is not that
! women will improve politics. but that
/ politics viii develop women.