New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-08
cause" LOSES JOURNAL
Suffrage Party Mourns $1,000
In Debts; Total Loss, $4,000.
CONTRACTS WON'T HOLD
So Miss Alice Stone Blackwell
Resumes Control of Mag
azine Mother Founded.

Seven thousand dollars IN 0ept! an
swered Mrs. Mary Ware bennett. execu-
tive secretary Of the National woman
Suffrage Association. "A defcit OF $lo,-
900 since 1t became our official organ,
in 1870" said Miss Jessie Ashley, treas
urer OF the association. In sad tones
What was IL all about? Why this cloud
over the headquarters of the National
Woman Suffrage Association?
Well, It's that little mix-up over THE
Woman's Journal" which was rounded
by Lucy Stone Blackwell forty years
ago. and OF which her daughter, Alice
Stone Blackwell Is majority stakeholder
and editor in chief-and which was the
official organ of the National until the
other day Miss Blackwell decided she
wouldn't let II be any more.
From Mrs. Dement'S Office, at No. SOB
Fifth avenue. where she and MISS ASH
ley sat yesterday in melancholy contem-
plation of a sheaf Of "Woman's Journal
bills. this statement was given out
signed by Miss Ashley;
1t is my duty to announce that The
Woman's Journal" is no longer the ON
cial organ OF the National Woman sur
frage Association. The connection was
severed by Miss Blackwell on september
80. 1912.
Miss Blackwell, who owns majority OF
the stock Of The woman's Journal. had
made a proposition. in September, to the
official board of the association. that the
contract between The Journal and the
association be terminated by mutual con-
a If tho
citation decided that the board could not
accept this proposition and that only the
convention had power TO terminate the
contract.
This opinion had formerly been held by
Miss Blackwell herself. and was also held
unanimously by the board when similar
proposition was made on June g
"Wouldn't Cut EXPENSE
when, by reason OF the heavy expenses
OF maintaining the national work, includ-
ing The woman's Journal the board
voted to reduce expenses all along the
line. Miss Blackwell refused TO cut down
the expenses OF The Woman's Journal
She then announced her intention OF
whether the board had power to termi-
nate the contract or not.
she justified this course on the ground
that the national association had already
broken the contract by failure 10 pay the
bills incurred by The Woman's Journal
The national has never refused TO pay
the bills OF the paper. and has done 30
10 rs utmost ability.
but a deficit OF $4,000. which Is the
tale OF The Woman's Journal since II
became our organ and We assumed the
pleasure OF paying It's bills. is a strain on
a poor organization" said Mrs. bennett
as she handed over the statement, which
is why We owe 1900 OF 'Woman's Jour
nal debts and are consequently IN a
hole"
why such n large defcit7' inquired the
reporter.
Because" said Mrs. bennett, Miss
Blackwell vetoed every proposition we
put forth for making the Journal live,
up-to-date suffrage paper. 1 don't want
TO be hard on her. The Journal was her
baby. and she didn't want 10 see Its pig
tails cut as its pipsfores heightened. But
| the people OF to-day won't read papers
that are in swaddling clothes, and hence
! the subscription list Of three thousand.
which the Journal has had for ages
some old suffragists-we weren't able TO
! increase. So here we are with all this
debt"
And three OF our funds expire this
year. and legacy We thought wed get
| right away we find isn't payable for three
years." walled Miss Ashley.
But II the contract can't legally be ter
minated. why allow Miss Blackwell TO do
it?" asked the reporter
Contract Wouldn't Hold.
well. you see. that contract wouldn't
hold water" Mrs. bennett admitted 1T
was signed BY Miss blackwell as an in
diyidual. and the Journal IL corpora
ton.
Barring Miss Blackwell, the stockhold-
ers appear to be dead ones; We can't IND
them: but still It's a corporation.
Tho contract was adopted At our con-
vention at Washington in 1910. because
Miss Blackwell Is an appealing figure.
and when II was suggested that We take
the Journal for our organ. and that Miss
Blackwell direct it's policy. and that We
assume the pleasure Of paying Its bills.
the proposition went through with
whoop and q hurrah.
"Emotiopally, just Ike womenF sug-