Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-07-01
Good. Attendance at First
Meeting of Its Kind Ever
Held in This City.
HOPE TO FORM LEAGUE
Mrs. Fsickert, State Presi-
dent, Gives Sound Reasons
Why Women Should Vote

Woman suffrage its results and
benefits, were expounded in convinc-
ing terms last night at the first con-
certed effort to start q woman's suf-
frage league in Perth Amboy. 1t was
the occasion of a meeting of the Wo-
mans Suffrage Association of New
Jersey held in Goodwill hall. The
attendance was excellent and the
speech making was of calibre GER
tain to make converts for the cause
If there were any to be made. The
meeting was conducted by Mrs. Lii
liam f. Feickert, president of the
stage suffrage association.
Many good reasons why woman
should vote and incidents of how
woman suffrage had benefited the
fair sex in certain states were pre-
sented by Mrs. Feickert. She dis
agreed with those who contended
that the polling places was not flt
for reception of women, and on the
contrary held that the presence Of
women there would be beneficial.
She told Of how man had complain
ed Of Illness through work as q poll
ing clerk for a day due to smoke and
foul air. 1t was her belief that
smoking could be eliminated for one
day, that polling places might be
kept fit for the reception of both sex
es, thereby remedying present condi-
tions.
Mrs. Feickert quoted President
Woodrow Wilson In referring to the
need for woman's suffrage. She said
the president had once stated that no
one knew of his needs like he, VIII
son, himself, She contended that 1t
was Just so with the women, that no
matter how wise the men of New Jer-
sey might be, they did not know what
women of the state need. She went
on to say that women expect to pay
taxes in afct many do now, and eX
pect to be governed by the laws,
consequently, she contended, they
should have voice in the making of
the laws which govern them. Mrs.
Feickert told of some amusing ex-
periences of the suffragettes at Tren-
ton when they were advised to go
there to lobby, after a large delega-
tion of anti-suffragists had been
there. She stated five senators were
against the cause and went on to
tell OF the ungentlemanly manner in
NhlIh tNO VI IiC OPpOoilS oNAlthIOAS
had received the delegation. Senator
Nichols, she said, had advocated the
retention Of women In their present
position, that they be not brought
down in the mire In which the male
politicians were treading She
laughingly said women would no
doubt like to go down In that mire
which surrounded the senator's posi-
tion.
The extensive growth Of the cause
in the West was told of by the state
president. She said California, Ore
gon and Washington were doing
splendidly, while in Wyoming the wo-
men had long been considered the
equal of men and were handed the
ballot on silver platter, as It were.
The contentious Of some anti-suf-
fragists that 1t would not be advis-
able for women to vote for the pur-
pose Of getting control Of men, or
would do all sorts of slashing TO
ballots, necessitating all night counts
of votes, were ridiculed by the
speaker. She said women would
vote for their own rights and bene-
fits, just as had been demonstrated
In the states in which they now have
the ballot. She contended any cut
ting of ballots by women to enable
them to vote for the men they
thought best, was the best thinS that
could happen. She expressed herself
as opposed to the method of voting
q straight ticket because one belong
ed to. certain political party. This
mad women voters non-partlsian,
she stated, and in states where Wo-
men were voting former suffragette
leagues had been turned into non
PARTISAN clubs. Women have Sc
cured protection by laws wherever
woman suffrage had won out, Mrs.
Feickert said as in three states
where they were now voting, laws
had been passed limiting the daily
number of working hours for women
to eight.
She told OF the laxity of laws for
women in this and other states and
urged all to support the cause of
woman's suffrage. She said the sub
ject would come up In the New Jer-
sey legislature next year and every
effort should be made to send 1t
through. She protested against such
laws as now made long working
hours for women and a low maximum
age limit for consent by girls. She
stated the vote of women would be
especially beneficial for the purpose
of outvottng undesirable foreigners.
She referred to men who left their |
families abroad and came here for a
few years to earn sum of money |
and then returned to Europe. In
conclucion she said the right franch- |
ise for women was nat fad, but a
serious thing and she urged all
those In favor of 1t to sign printed |
slips as they left the hall.
Mayor Ferd Garretson poened the |
meeting at s.15 o'clock. He told of |
the spread of the womar's suffrage |
cause east of the Mississippi river
and of how it had now finally reach |
ed Perth Amboy. The executive in
troduced George M. LaMonte, state |
banking and insurance commissioner, |
and was to have presided through |
out. He was called away on account
of two deaths and Mrs. Feickert act
Continued on page 3D.