New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-09
This Campaign Which She Has in Mind Is No
Petty Affair Such as Attends the Election of
Mere President, but Is Strenuous Mat
ter Which, the Suffragists Believe, Will
Give American Women the Ballot.

, cial standing Of the husbands Of the suf-
frage leaders, a not inconsiderable item. it
would seem
AS the territory Mrs. Batch has men
toned includes both manufacturing and
rural sections. inquire:
do you get quicker and more vital re-
Spouse in your suffrage work from the fac
tory women or the farmers wives?"
1T is much quicker and more vital in
the factory towns. not because the intelli-
gence is higher there but because by the
conditions existing the women are al
ready organized and We can reach them
more easily. The farmers wives and
daughters are scattered, conditions are
often adverse in the matter OF bringing
them together"
do you use the same arguments for both
classes? Is the intelligence of the farmers
wife what IL Is rated TO be by the purveyors
of freside felton,
Mrs. Blatch speaks with great decision on
this point, her beautifully modulated voice
making every syllable tell
The farmers wife wants an argument.
She does not care 10 be told that certain
things exist; she wants 10 know why they
exist. II IS a matter of perfect indifference
to her that Mrs. So-and-So Is to talk al a
certain place. she wants to know why the
particular subject was selected that she is
10 talk on In California II was the farm
ers, not the city jewellers. that gave the
wcmen the vote"
Does the interest OF tho women OF the
leisure class grow or lesscn?'
Interest was never greater than at pres
ent and our roster contains the names Of
women OF the highest intelligence and
culture one OF our most able workers u1
state is Mrs. Edward Everett Hale. whose
husband is a son Of the Boston preacher,
and another woman, of whose efforts too
much praise cannot he spoken, is Mrs.
Frederick Hazard. Of Syracuse For many
generations her family has been associated
with great philanthropic and educational
matters. and she herself IS one OF the d.
rectOrs OF the largest general hospital IN
the city and has given much of her time
and strength 10 this work. Not long ago
she told me that she wished she had con-
centrated her efforts on tho woman suffrage
question for she believed the result would
have been more satisfactory TO her in every
way"
you mean that the results she has aimed
at would have been reached more directly
If she were voter?'
Certainly. Many women feel tho same
way. a conviction reached by actual expe-
rience, in going round Robin Hoods barn"
looked at my questions surreptit!ously.
The name ''Pankhurst" looms large. !
mention II.
Mrs. Blatch is silent long time. During
the interval ! note the amiablc curves Of
her matronly figure and the face whore
tolerance, amiabiity and optimism are
writ so that he who runs may read Tiny
radiating deprcssions indicate the quality =
Of humor, that ready solvent to over
seriousness and Impotence. She has put
herself on record many times that rhe IS /
not a Fabian. that she believes In fighting |
peacefully. the sheathed sword and ready !
tongue her militant outfit
So, now. she absolutely refuses TO make (
any criticism Of the sulfragettes, whom she |
admircs, but who may think along differ
cnt lines from herself To use her own
homely term, 81 was wcaned in suffrage"
and, in consequence, her opinions have the
weight that those Of the fierce faddst or |
the radical beginners could not have.
But she does not hesitate to critcse tho |
government Of England, which has con- |
demned the suffrage leaders 10 nine |
months imprisonment
Il think the Liberal government has |
blundered right straight along. and its last |
act is its browning folly. They have now !
done the best thing for the cause and the |
worst for themselves. because they have |
aroused public sympathy and made martyrs |