The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-12
VIRGINIA WRITER
TALKS SUFFRAGE
Miss Mary Johnston Tells Her
Views Before Going to Europe
for Holiday.

New York. June 1l-Mies Mary
Johnston. the writer. having finished
her la tost book and story of the Civil
War. Tho Long Roll" is about to
start for Europe for a few months
holiday. 1t is trip she takes every
two or three years. when she has
cleared her literary conscience and
gives the public something new to
read. She is now in New York, and
Will sail from here en- route to Hol-
land, Brittany and the Pyrenees with
her two sisters as companions 5
Miss Johnston Will not give inter-
views or talk about her books, but
she did tell a reporter something
about woman suffrage in Virginia,
where she Is one of the vice presidents
OF fcurishing Richmond society,
with number Of offshoots. which is
doing good propa ganda work. The
f suffrage cause is Miss Johnston'B
latest and favorite child, though in
\ principle she has been woman sur
fragist oil her life. she says. She
has always believed In the political
equality OF women, but 1t Is only
within the last few years that she has
como out definitely Tor suffrage. and
within the last year and half. with
the formation OF the Equal Suffrage
League OF Virginia, as an active
4 worker ind writer for the cause.
rhe league Is formed of some OF the
best people OF Virginia. numbering
many writer's among the women. be-
sides Miss Johnston. Ellen Glasgow.
Amelia Rives and Louise Collins, VIII
: cox. and among the men DR.. Lyon G.
Tyler. president OF the College OF VIII
liam Mary, and various educators and
settlement workers. among others.
Mrs. 3. B. Valentine is the president.
This coming winter, when the bien-
NAL session OF the Legislature will
BIO held in Richmond. the league will
present q suffrage bill. Miss John
ston Will go to the hearings and speak
for 1t, and she says she is sure N by
that time good minority of the wo-
men can be shown to be favorable
To II that tho men of Virginia Will
be glad TO grant It, there being no
Il emigration question as in New York
to complicate the question.
"But wo could not have it in less
than seven years. at any rate" Gays
Miss Johnston. ''as 1t is IL compiled ted
matter with us. and the Legislatures
meeting only bi-annually. and we shall
do we'll II we get the suffrage within
ten on twelve years"
Miss Johnston's view OF suffrage is
broad one. She is cugenist. she
says, and her desire for the advance
mcnt OF women is for the benefit of the
race. or her reason for being suf-
fragist. she says:
II am an educated and Intelligent
woman and ] cannot understand how
1T Is possible for an Intelligent woman
not to be interested in question OF
such world wide Importance. not only
TO the women. but to the race--a re-
form SO necessary and SO vital. The
race cannot be emancipated until all
IT'S members are emancipatec.
Piece of Rond building.
II regard the fight for the franchise
as n piece of road building. One and
all OF the women who are engaged in
this piece of engineering are the ser
wants OF the woman who Is to be-of
creature great and strong and wise
and free and lovely--a woman magnifi-
cent beyond to-day's most wonderful
dream. She may not come In the full
ness OF might and beauty for 500 years
but she could pot come at all but for
the road we are building to-day She
must come over that road. So we bItld
In faith end In the service of that great
woman and OF the children she shall
bear. and II is work Of great religious
Significance"
4 Miss Johnston stopped there to say
that she was developing too many fiow-
ers OF speech, but Let 1t co. ak
The work of the Virginia League has
been quiet and educational. For q long
in the South wns only academic, Miss
Johnston says. the women after the
war having more Vital interests to
command their attention. Miss John
ston herself inciines 10 conservative
view of the suffrage work She at one
time came out publicly to express her
self as opposed to militant work for
suffrage. She speaks less definitely
now. and says that though standing
with the conservatives. she hopes al
ways 10 keep an open mind.
75i have friends among the militant
4 and the non militant Sunragists In
Z england. and suppose II I was Obliged
\ to take sides should be with the nom
\ mtlitants Some time ago was very
much opposed TO the militant tactics
Everything l heard about them came
from the English papers and people
who were strongly opposed TO suffrage.
l 90 believe In doing everything posi-
BILE peacefully. But 1 suppose we do
not understand the conditions In Eng
land, and at least ] recognize the hero
Ism of Mrs Pankhurst and her follow
ers. their courage and intrepidity,
their service to the general cause, and
I desire to keep an open mind" Miss
Johnston will not go to England this
year. MT mn 1.l'i-
The Virginia organiza ton, besides
now having n large number of meir
+ among its members. is looking forward
4 20 lne establishment or mems league.
me Labor Federation Of Virginia has.
z taken stand for the women. and other,
y mems organizations are expected to
4 join. Miss Johnston said that she did
4 not consider obtaining the franchise
Tor women as an end. but only as q
means, n portal to greater things
Asked II she was going to write a
book on suffrage, Miss Johnston said
she might do something of the kind
/ before she had finished with this world.
She has written ma gazine articles upon
suffrage and leaflets for the league, but
at present she has nothing more def
mite in mind She sails on Tuesday of
this week, tho 18th. with no feeling of
superstition because of the day.
IF tho boat sails on the 18th, sail
with it," she says.