Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-14

for women. were seated in the auditorium
when the gavel of the president fell.
After few Introductory remarks by
Mrs. Shaw. the addresses of welcome were.
delivered by Miss Hilton, president of the
District of Columbia State Equal Suf-
frage Association. and Miss Foster, pres
ident Of the District of Columbia branch
of the College Equal Suffrage League.
Big Organizations to Go on Record.
At the executive meeting this morning
much routine business was transacted and
details of the conventions program of
work were completed. One of the most
important recommendations made by the
committee is that the convention be asked
to pass resolution urging all societies or
organizations. such as the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor, the Grange and other
large bodies OF men to pass stuff age reso-
buttons and to appoint 'womans suffrage
day., which will be devoted exclusively
to the consideration of woman's demand
for the ballot and the best way of OBJ
tanning it.
The greatest harmony prevailed attthe
meeting of the executive committee to-
day. The general opinion of the delegates
seems to- be that there will be no fac
tional differences or petty politics during
the convention.
1t is now generally conceded that Rev.
Anna Howard Shaw will be reelected
president. Few. If any. changes are ex
peeted among the other general officers.
A Matter of Conjecture.
What President Taft will say in his
address this evening on the subject of
woman suffrage continues to be a mat
ter of keen conjecture among the dele
gates. At the executive meeting last
evening the protest of the New York
State Association. opposed to woman
suffrage, which was sent to President
Taft, was discussed. and the opinion ex-
pressed that the President would not al
low it to influence him.
The ''antis'' in New York, when they
heard that President Taft would address
the convention, sent to the White House
the following petition
1T is with great regret that the women
belonging to the New York State AS
ISOLATION Opposed to Woman Suffrage
have heard that you are to address the
advocates of woman suffrage at their
opening meeting this week. Although
You have publicly declared that this ac-
ton is not to be taken as indorsing the
movement, it is impossible to disabuse
the minds of the general public from ac-
cepting your presence there as your
sanction, at least.
There is no general demand among
women for suffrage, and we who are ac-
lively opposed to woman suffrage feel
that in seeking to coerce the majority
the minority who advocated this measure
are not within the bounds of proper pro-
cedure. In enlisting your interest in
their meeting, therefore, they are en-
abled to appear before the public as hav-
ing secured your sympathy, and SO to adj
vertise 1t. and We ask that you speak
clearly on this point in your address"
yesterday it was decided to recommend to
the convention that the association as
sumo the business management of the
Woman's Journal of Boston, which, for
more than forty years. has been pledged
to the cause of votes for women" The
journal has been edited by the Blackwell
famny, and even if it becomes the Of
fetal organ of the association, Miss Alice
Stone Blackwell will remain it's editor
Proper Marriages.
Mrs. La Refine Helen Baker, who will
address the congress on open Air Meet
ings'' tomorrow, it is expected, will
touch upon the subject of proper mar
riages.
MY studies of children says Mrs
Baker, ''all over the world have con-
! WINGED me that not more than 10 ner
| cent of them are children Of love. The
other so per cent are not wanted. and
| this leads me to think that ten wears
hence to be the father of ten or twelve
| children will be as much of a disgrace
as being confirmed drunkard is at pres
/ ent.
ut is quality we want in children. mt
/ quantity. Woman suffrage will result In
| better children, for it will produce bet
/ ter thinking.
| Parents should be taught the respon-
l.vt.x
world, and when they have been taught
that fully nine-tenths OF all the babies
born every year are nothing more nor
less than human culls l believe the birth
rate will decrease and we shall have a
better and a stronger race.
\ why, a few years ago the govern
ment appropriated $250,OOO to breed the
right kind of mule. Millions Of dollars
go to Improve vegetables. We try to
stamp out diseases in cattle. yet, in a
between lepers. What humanity needs
is a Luther Burbank for human plants
ut Is the mental, not the physical. that
rules progressive action today, and
teaches us that the greatest crime of the
ages Is too many children
Today's Program.
| Todays program was as follows:
/ Convention called to order by the presi-
dent Welcome from the District Of Co.
Ilun,bia, Miss Hilton, president DC. State
liz. S. A., and Miss Foster. president D. C..
Branch College Equal Suffrage League:
response on behalf Of n. A. W. 8. A..
Clara B. Arthur, president Michigan w.
is. A., and Kate NJ. Gordon, president
/ Louisiana w. S. A; report of the au-
ditors, Laura Clay; report of the treas
/ urer Harriet Taylor Upton: report OF
4 committee on petition to Congress, Rachel
Foster Avery: report of headquarters
secretary, Mary Gray Peck; reports OF
state presidents. California, Elizabeth
i Lowe Watson: Iowa. Julia Clark Hallam
/ Connecticut. Elizabeth .. Bacon: Louis.
Il lana, Kate ~ Gordon; Illinois, Ella Seass
/ stewart; Colorado. Harriet G. r. Wright
report of affiliated societies. Women
/ Workerss League. Buffalo, and Hornel