New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-25
BY Ida Hustled Harper.

Philadelphia, Nov. 4-Even on the
fourth day of the National Suffrage Con-
vention, its proceedings still occupy the
first page Of the Philadelphia newspapers
and the cameras do not cease their ac-
| tivities. The reports are fair and dlscfiHh-
mating, with a commendable absence OF
fiippancy or facetiousness. One nouceS
that they do not show quite as accurate
knowledge I'm the spelling of names ana
assigning Of proper positions as is no"
possessed by the seasoned New YORK re-
porters, but Philadelphia has not had as
many tens of suffrage meetings as mat
| city has had hundreds, not TO say thou-
sands. Considerable space is given to de-
scrptions of how the different women are
gowned, but these are set off by them
selves, and the attire OF the delegates is
not really stimulating TO the society re-
porter, as 1t is too businessllke and cor
ventional. Still. there are manifest
enough alleged creations of noted dress
making establishments to give the neces-
sary tone" to the meetings.
THE Press" long known for its hos
tility to woman suffrage. devotes the lead
ing editorial of its Sunday paper to the
question, and declares ihat "the ability,
dignity and fine character Of the women
who are foremost in the crusade secure
adherents 10 the cause wherever they go.
1t refers 10 the standing and conse-
quence given TO II by the great gains OF
recent years" and to "the masculine re-
spect secured through its increasing pow
eT and prestige" In other words i
shows that nothing succeeds like sue
cess, and that the results Of the recent
election have done more 10 make favor
able public sentiment than years Of edu-
cation and organization. And yet, with
out those years OF patient, unrewarded
work. these victories would not have been
possible.
Still moro significant, perhaps, is the
Sunday editorial in the old, conservative
Public Ledger" calling for women on the
police force, Mrs. Alice Stebbins Wells,
wul has proved so efficient an officer in
Los Angeles as to be commended by the
city officials, is making an extended tour
TO persuade other cities TO put women on
the force, and nothing could be more
amusing than the expression on the faces
of the stalwart policemen who keep order
at the street meetings while this little,
feminine woman tells them the necessity
for this The Ledger" concludes its ar
gument by saying that in police work
"the cooperation Of earnest intelligent
women is more than desirable-it is ac-
tually indispensable
One of the objections TO woman suffrage
which was always considered sufficient 10
end the argument was, Women cannot
serve on the police force" Now It seems
that they not only can but they do in
many cities, and they must in the rest of
them This recalls an incident that has
Just happened here. one OF the most
prominent anti-suffragists I'm New York
City, talking with a woman whom she
supposed TO be also an anti, said:
There is no use for us to fight the suf-
frage any longer, 1T is coming and
the only thing for us to do is 10 get ready
TO take the Offices"
Partisan or NonPartisan.
The echoes Of yesterdays debate on the
non-partisan amendment continue 10 sound
almost as loud as the original noise, ana
the assertion is frequently heard that II
will result in a permanent division or the
association. While the enormous majority
Of ten TO one reversing the forty-three
years policy OF the association might seem
to be decisive, II must be remembered
that the whole force OF the official board
was used against the amendment in order
TO keep Miss Adams as one Of its MEM
bers. and that she herself made 1t clear
in her appeal to the convention that she
would not remain II it passed. The second
national vlce-president, Miss breckenridge.
dean Of women in Chicago University. or
gained the parade Of women mat