The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-12

MISS Johnstons visit and her Lecture
 next Tuesday evening.
 "The main thing that people want to know" said Miss Armes yesterday, when
 she was chatting with me about Miss
 Johnstons visit, 'is why certain women
 espouse the cause of Suffrage. Miss Johnston, for instance. A woman whose
 life is filled absolutely to the brim with
 all that goes to make up happiness and contentment. She has not had to become a Suffragst to win fame or notoriety, to 1 occupy her time, to come into the Lime | light-then why? they ask. Let me tell l you something that I know about Miss Johnston and WHY she is a Suffragist With scarcely a single exception, the lead ing authors both men and women, of this
 country have joined the Suffrage Cause.
 None has been more prominent since she
 became interested in it than Miss John
 ston, whom both Birmingham and Rich | mond claim as their own-in fact, she l has been a Captain in this crusade the
 past several years. Together with both of
 her sisters, she has worked day in and
 day out in behalf of this great move |
 dustry and money-an enormous amount
 of money, by the way-to advance propa- ganda work
 And with her retiring nature it is odd | that she should ever have affiliated her l self with the work l suggested.
 "Odd and especially difficult, for a
 young woman of such reserve and diff adence as Miss Johnston has,, said Miss Armes, and to adopt the Lecture plat l form is still more difficult. The con
 stant write ups which are a part of it; 1 to face immense audiences, bow to public | applause-all that sort of thing-is hard | to endure. She is constitutionally opposed
 to it. By birth, by breeding, by every natural taste and habit she prefers se- 1 clusion, the light and sweetness of the | quietest, the simplest sort of life. As A matter of course! Who of the philo- sophie mind does not prefer this, when all is said and done? But she has con quered the tendency toward the hermit 1 life for the sake of the cause, for the
 sake of right justice and humanity She has learned how to face an audience of I thousands, of people and with a quiet dignity and the most excellent good sense you ever heard tell Of speak sin words
 as strong as cannon balls in behalf of 1 Votes for Women."
 1 And you were going to tell me some or
 the reasons why Miss Johnston has done | all this" l remarked.
 1 First. as working woman herself, a maker of books. she desires to be lifted l from the class of ineompetents into which 1 women are placed under the law" said | Miss Arnes. Surely she has proven her | mettle. Secondly, as a property owner
 she sees no reason why she should be taxed without her knowledge or consent. | In fact, she believes that taxation with | out representation is tyranny; and you l know it isn't quite altogether democratic, l She has winter residence in Richmond, | a country place few miles out. and much other real estate here and there. | Her hired men are at liberty to vote as to
 all that pertains to her properties, but no. she"
 The earnings from The Long I,oll.
 to Have and to Hold-in fact, of all of
 her novels-have netted her a fortune. continued Miss Armes, and returns ! come in daily Yet Miss Johnston is
 disfranchised,''
 (Which in itself is sufficient reason f., her attitude toward Suffrage l ventnred. "Furthermore, apart from being a
 working woman and a property owner, '
 Miss Armes said Miss Johnston is also
 a housekeeper. Her four walls are not
 bounded by her quiet garden, but the
 whole city Of Richmond determines now ! her housekeeping affairs shall be con ducted. The sanitary conditions of her