The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-11
CROWDED HOUSE
HEARS sUFFRAGISTs
lcontinued from First rage.l

troduced her as the first speaker of
the evening.
Mics Clay confined herself TO the
elemental principles of the sunra-
gists. telling OF the right of woman
TO the ballot and outlining the argu-
ments for its expedtency, punctuattng
her remarks with kindly thrusts at
I the opposite sex in general and anti
suffragists OF both sexes IN particular.
! Woman suffrage has passed from
the stage Of theory to that of prac-
ttcal politics" she declared. 1T Is
no new theory that is offered the
suifragists standing on the funda-
mental principles OF democracy as
enuneiated in the Declaration Of In
dependence and the Constitution of
the United States and for which our
fathers fought and worked Taxa
ton without representation Is tyranny,
| whether Of men or women, she said.
The burden Of proof is on those
who oppose extending this principle
10 women"
Coming to the question Of eXpe-
diency, Miss Gay said that conditions
have changed since the days of our
fOrefathefs. that we have gone
through a social and Industrial re-
voiution- Where formerly the women
worked under the protection of their
families they now work outside ana,
accordingly. need laws to protect
them. In the making of those laws
they should have a share. Where
formerly they supervised the educa-
ton of their children. the making OF
the clothes of the family and the
preparation of its food, these things
are done in factories and mills
THE supervision Of education Is
now in the hands Of school boards.
elected directly or indirectly by votes
and women have no votes. Fac
tories are supervised by boards of
inspection, chosen directly or in
directly by votes--and women have
no votes. Food is tested by boards OF
health, chosen directly or indirectly
, by votes-and women have no votes
! Women are not going outside their
sphere when they exercise the right
of suffrage; men have invaded wo-
mems sphere and the suffrag!sts wish
/ to recover 4at which has been taken
/ from them"
| There II no social economic, po-
| lItical or moral question before the
! public TODAY" said Miss Clay in con-
! clusion, that can gin to compare
! with this In Importance. The air Of
| freedom Is best for the development
| of men and nature has not been SO
! lax in her work as TO make It string
! for women"
Mr.. Munce, who Is an ardent ad-
voCate of woman's suffrage, spoke
! briefly. asking those present TO aid
| the cause with their money. A col
lection was taken and Eosd sum
| secured.
| Mss Johnston captivated her au-
! dtence and held 1t to the close Of
| her forty minutes talk. She took up
the stock arguments, as she called
| them, against equal suffrage and dis
! posed Of each OF them to her own
/ satisfaction and to that OF her hear
! ers. II viii work, she said and is
| working. 1t will work well, as proven
| in New Zealand and the suffrage
! states Of the American Union. 70 the
| objection that the women would not
! exercise the right should 1t be grant
I ed them she made answer that statis-
! tics show that from rs to 90 per cent
/ Of the women vote where they have
! the right. Tho objection that there
are more bad women than good, and
l that the bad will vote and the good
| VIII stay at home she called coward
| ~ In men and traitorous in women"
| That women are controlled by emo
! tionaliA!n and sentiment she denied,
! Mrs. Valentine closed the meeting
| with a few remarks on the progress
J of the cause in the United States, ex-
/ pressing the belief that it is fast gain
/ ing ground in Virginia
( Other mass meetings viii be held in
! the future.