Norwich bulletin., 1912-06-12
BIG AUDIENCE ATTENDS
 WoMAN'S SUFFRAGE MEETING
Mrs. Ernest Thompson- Seton, Miss Emily Pierson and Mrs. Thomas N. Hepburn, the Speakers.

At the meeting for the furtherance of the cause of woman suffrage held at the Y. M. c. A. building Tuesday evening, there was an audience which filed the auditorium to it's utmost ca pacity Banners bearing the slogan, Votes for Women" and others with ''Wyoming, ls6S," California, 1s9S," all in green, white and purple, were dis played about the hall Mrs. William A. Merton presided at the meeting and introduced as the first speaker Mrs. Ernest Thompson Seton, who spoke in part as follows:
 I will give a few reasons why I am a suffragist. First-Because I recog- nize the fundamental difference of the sexes. We do not wish the vote to he like men, but because realizing the great difference between men and wo- men we desire to SC tins other ele- ment represented in the government. The next thought is democratic. Un- der constitution of. by and for the people we are not adequately repre- septed
 Warm Greeting for Miss Pierson.
 Miss EmilY Pierson of Cromwell, who spoke here a short time ago. was the next speaker and met an enthus- iastic welcome. She spoke in part as follows:
 Woman has not the opportunity for development in the home which she had one hundred years ago. Her work has been taken out of her home. It means that the work formerly carried on in the home on ones own judgment Is now in the factory without indi- yidual control.
 Working erds Eager for Suffrage.
 Thousands of these working girls gre eager for the opportunity to help themselves by the suffrage.
 In the shirtwaist strike in New York when 30,060 girls left their work, thousands were arrested and of these SC per cent. were fined. These girls were. striking because it was impossi- ble to exist under the oppressive con ditions surrounding them.
 Workers Know Their Needs.
 Many express a fear of the ignorant vote. In my opinion the working we- man who knows the needs of the working class by actual contact with conditions is as well or better able to cast an intelligent vote than you or l, whose knowledge is of an abstract nature. These people will soon real ize the power in their numbers. We don't want them to have to demand the suffrage. We must give it to them before they are ready to demand it. Will the oVte Help2
 The third speaker of the evening was rMs. Thomas N. Hepburn Of Hartford. She said in part:
 The question. l believe, in the minds cf the majority of us is whether thC vote will help the working women The practical question is whether tht
 woman can do more with than with cut the vote. Jane Addams, who hai | probably done more in reform worl than any other woman in the country says that according to her experience | the suffrage for woman is necessity Those Not Wanting Woman Suffrage Who does not want woman suffrage 1 The liquor dealers and dive keeperi oppose it. If they thought woman suf. | fFage would increase vice they would 1 favor it. They believe that with Wo- man in power vice would decrease 1 Child employers and employers O cheap labor oppose it.
 Woman suffrage is bound to oom' whether you favor it or no, because i IS part of the great progress of wo- l Iran. There are questions with whicl men are admittedly unable to deal l These are largely questions pertain ] ing to women. Why not give thu women a chance to cope with thei own problems? We women don't wan l to do mems work We want the vot' | to help us in our own work, l At the close of the addresses ques | tions were answered and collection | for the New London county campaign | was taken It was stated that a sub stantial sum had been raised by thu ! New London Womans Equal Fran chise league for the cause here.