New-York tribune., 1910-01-14
HECKLE SUFFRAGISTS
" init Questions Galore at
Garden Theatre Meefing.

It was well that at yesterdays meeting
Of the Equal Franchise Society at the Gar
den Theatre. the platform was defended
by q quartet Of lighters, for, after the
speeches, anti questions and comments
were hurled at them from every side
As from well planted guns in a siege
came the heckliag OK the enemy, but
Forbes -Ro oertson, who presided, and DR..
Anna Shaw, Mrs. Harriet Stanton Blatch
and Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait, who were
the speakers, proved equal to the attack
Even when a blond young man with eye
glasses impugned DR.. Shaw's veracity she
kept her temper and downed him with
statistics about the financial status of
women in the states where women vote, a
point on which he had professed a some
what sarcastic desire 70 be enlightened.
Mrs Gertrude Atherton, the novelist. who
always announces that she isn't an anti"
but always talks like one, arose to say
that the fact that she was a woman and
voteless had never hurt her in her work.
In fact, I'm better treated by publishers
than men are" she declared.
Let the lady change her occupation OF,
novel writing for that OF shirtwaist maker
said Mrs. Gait
You said all classes OF women were af-
fected." retorted Mrs. Atherton-
HAS the LADY, asked Mrs. Blatch, any
opinions on the subject OF copyright
Mrs. Atherton said she had.
We'll, you cannot express them, Mrs
Blatch informed her.
"I signed a petition to Congress only the
other day" shrieked Mrs. Atherton.
"Oh, we can sign petitions" Mrs. Blatch
agreed, with vast meaning
A woman in the rear of the theatre said
she had heard it stated at an anti meet
ing that woman suffragists believed in
polygamy.
There is absolutely no limit to the
things you can hear about woman suf-
fragists at anti meetings" said DR.. Shaw.
las to myself, I'm an cid maid, and have
tried neither monogan1y nor polygamy-
FoUhes-Robertson opened the meeting
with an earnest defence OF the English
militants.
II don't say" he remarked, that I de-
fend every act of these splendid women,
but in every great cause there are some
who lose patience and go, perhaps, a little
too far. But the reports of the British
press about what they are pleased to call
the 'ourrages' of the militants are most
just, libellous and false. The latest absurd
statement is that Mr.. Asquith is afraid
that vitriol will be thrown in his face Be
IeNc AbIAluE the BTILlSl pdpEIS Sdy dppuI
the militants: they distort it all"
The speaker. whose parents stood. he
said with John Stuart Mill in his fight for
woman suffrage begged the ''hoverers" in
the audience TO eome forward and put their
names down for the cause
The 'antls' say it is a bad cause" he
declared. but why is it that all the hrera-
ture they can oppose 10 our splendid array
OF books consists OF a few feeble pam
phlets that could be contained within eigh-
teen inches OF space"
i had the joy or attending an anti
meeting the other day-n1y first one" be-
gan DR.. Shaw in her speech, and / came
away armed with a new motive for, the
Etrife. desire TO save the souls and the
self-respect OF the anti women.
When women can declare from the plat
form. as those women did. that we as a
sex are unfit TO take part in the govern
ulent,' ignorant incapable Of forming an
opinion, it is time 10 do something 70 save
them from themselves
Mrs. Belmont occupied q front seat. Mrs
Iohn Winters Bronson and Mrs. Clarence
afaczay had box parties Mrs Araekays
guests were. Mr. and Mrs Lewis Chanler,
Mr. and Mrs Laurence irving. Miss Emma
FrohnAn. Mrs. Edmund Randolph Mrs
Richard llVin, Mr. and Mrs J. d Prince
James Barnes Miss F6rbes- Robertson,
Mrs. Fersythe Wiekes Mr. Macksy and
Dir, Morton