New-York tribune., 1912-02-24

reported out OF Senator Bayne's committee
in no time at all last Wednesday just by
standing wordless outside the door or the
room in which that committee sat. 1t was
yesterday. at the Broadway Theatre in this
city. that the Senator encountered the
laughing suffragettes, and they certainly
made a bad quarter Of an hour for him
The occasion was the legislative mass
meeting held by the Woman Suffrage Party
Six legislators had been announced as
speakers, but to change a certain text
trihe, "many were called, but few came"
for only two, Senator Bayne and Assem-
blyman Alfred ]. Kennedy, appeared. One
who was not invited, Senator Duhamel'
nobly came In later to fill in.
John Sherwin Crosby, r. c. Beadle, ex-
ecutive secretary Of the Mems League Tor
Woman Suffrage; Mrs. Ruth Lift, Miss
Harriet May Mills and Mrs Richard Aid
rich were alP on the stage when Senator
Bayne appeared, and they smiled all over
at sight Of him, while the women in the
audience applauded madly Mrs. Aldrich
IN introducing him. said it seemed almost
too good drto be true that they had with
them Ehe chairman Of the committee that
acted favorably on their bill. Fifteen
minutes later the Senator probably wished
It wasn't true, but during the opening OF
his speech nothing could have been more
amicable than the atmosphere of that
theatre.
The women clapped when he told them
bow times had changed; that few years
ago no legislator would have come to a
eeeting Of that character upon any con-
hderation, whereas nOw-and so forth.
They clapped loudly when he said:
Women are needed in politics, for poll
tics should have less commerciahsm and
more sentiment and idcality."
So far all was well.
But, said the speaker there are so
many wpmen in this commonwealth, and
In othors, who are devoid OF intelligence.
There are 50 many women who skip those
columns Of the newspapers where public
questions are discussed"
Inc women stopped clapping and lifted
their eyebrows, but the Senator didn't per-
ceiye
Yes nc kept on women are not yet
sutnclenty interested in public questions.
however, / see a change. In time this
oihculty will disappear, and the average
OF women Will be as high IN intelligence as
the average Of men"
're-he!' burst out a woman in a front
seat. "Ha. ha, har' came from another
quarter OF the theatre. Then the storm of
laughter burst-laughter, not amused. but
scornful and contemptuous. II lashed the
speaker. who could only stand silent until
II abated.
fer
Ladies" he pleaded, when he could be
heard, 1T Is not 10 you that i refer. Surely
you know that I did not mean women like
YOU"
but II was no use. Senator Bayne's stock
N the suffrage movement had fallen. In
vain did he cali Wednesday "a red letter
cay In the history of the New York State
senate" In vain did he state that II he
mac his way he would take the vote away
,ron unintelllgent men. The suGragists
nae found their idol clay.
Assemhyman Kennedy got through his
speech without adventure. and pleased tho
women exceedingly with his promises. He
saiq ne would stand by the woman suffrage
oiil at all times and would yote for its
olkeharge from the Assembly judiciary
committee, "if the committee failed 20 con-
sloef H., OF for the submission Of the qnes'
non TO the masses
This question should not rest with th'
GLASSES" he added. "It IS a thing FOR the
Hiassss' the voters. TO deal with"
senator Duhamel told the audience lha
lhe party which went back on suffrage th'
ssieFendum and the recall would surely %
ioot Dir Crosby, in n brief speech, ursec
NO sunragists TO perfect their organization
sao pink badges on the shoulders OK TN