New-York tribune., 1912-03-13
JERSEY WOMEN, TOO, RISE
Special Train Lands 300 in Tren-
ton for ''Votes" Hearing.
ANTS ALSO BEFORE SOL LONS
Resolution to Amend Constitu-
tion for Benefit of Fair Sex the
Topic of Discussion.
IBy telegraph to The Tribune.

| Trenton, n j., March 12-Three hundred
women, undeterred by the stormy weather,
swooped down on the State House to-day
| to attend the hearing before the judiciary
! Committee of the Senate on Senator Geb-
/ hardts resolution to amend the constitution
to extend the right TO vote TO women.
| They came here on Votes for Women
J Special on the Pennsylvania Railroad,
nearly all Of them carrying pennants on
which were inscribed the words, 1--WE want
votes for New Jersey women"
Not all the women at the hearing were in
favor of extending the right Of suffrage to
their sex, however. for a number Of them
spoke against Senator Gebhardt's amend
ment, among them Miss Minnie Bronson,
formerly with the Department of Commerce
and Labor at Washington who used some
strenuous arguments against the right of
women TO vote, at one time saying: when
! there is difference of religion in the fam
| ily there is trouble, but when there Is a
difference of politics there is hell"
Mrs. George +. Vickers, of Jersey City,
and Mrs. Clara Laddy, president OF the
New Jersey Woman Suffrage League, led
the suffragists and put forth arguments as
TO why women should vote. Mrs Vickers
was accompanied by her husband who is
! Assistant Prosecutor of the Pleas of Hud-
son County, and he spoke in favor OF the
amendment.
Among those who spoke for the resolution
were Mrs Henry Willard, of New York:
Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Miss
Malinda Scott, of Newark. Miss Scott said
she represented the organized hat trimmers
Of Newark. Women, she argued needed a
voice in the making of the laws for the
| benefit of their own industrial condition.
Mrs. Gilman told Of the spread of woman
suffrage in this country and Europe and
| said women needed the ballot for two rea-
sons One was TO protect themselves in the
matter of legislation; the other was 10
establish in this country complete democ-
racy, participated in by all citizens, regard
| less OF sex.
When Mrs Gilman had finished her
speech a woman in the audience arose, and,
pointing TO yellow banner over the top
| of Senator Edges desk. shouted: "Mr.
| Chairman, ] rise to a point of order ]
protest against the chairman's desk being
decorated with a partisan banner" Sena-
tor Edge removed the decoration. although
most of the women shouted to him TO let
II
| II alone.
| Mrs. Florence Howe Hall, a daughter Of
Julia Ward Howe, also spoke in favor Of
| the amendment.
II stand here" she said. mot as single
woman, but as a mother and grand
mother and a citizen OF the United States"
! Mrs. Gilman. In answering Miss Bronson.
said
The ballot will procure for woman what
she wants as II does procure FOR man all
he wants II is not question OF sex. DO
not be afraid Of the vicious women. They
are in small minority compared to the
good women, anyway. Woman has rlght
10 make the laws that punish her"
Mrs. Clara Fisher, who conducts an anvil
factory in this city. and Mrs. Hugh f. Fox.
wife of the executive secretary OF the Ma
tional Brewers Association, also spoke
against giving women the right to vote.