The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-05
COMMENT

The purpose of the Womans Municipal
league to is to promote among intel
hgent interest IN municipal affairs and to aid
IN securing permanent good government for
Greater New York, without regard for party
"a '',les 20 90 leios i,s AoLin ueciafa alton
mad a long talk, recently with Mrs. Edward
X. Hewitt its president who believes that not
in casting votes, but in helping city. State and
nation rightly manage its household affairs lies
womans greatest present opportunity.
The leagues work" she told me. has
proved Conclusively that women can be useful
in assisting city government without recourse to
the ballot Its previous president, Mrs. Rich
ard A1drich was an ardent suffragists I am an
ardent anti-suffragist. Otherwise We are agreed
The league. officially, is without views upon this
subject
without the least concern in politics the
league has done good work. 1t was influential
in securing the passage of the Aept- York State
employment agency bill. which has been taken
as model by several States. 1t helped put
matrons into the police stations, a model by
several States. 1t helped along the restoration
OF the parks on upper Broadway and Is
working for the improvements OF the grass plots
upon parked streets. 1t gives medals to the
of the street cleaning department 1t has
revived the warng Juvenile Citizens' league
1t has erected thirty free iced water fountains
II has placed a play-drector in Washington
Square park.
What the League Does
1T has an industrial membership of three
hundred tenement jewellers, and, last summer.
II maintained recreation pier for them. 1t
employs as a field secretary competent
worker, who has served on federal and State
boards and commissions and who thoroughly in
vestigates any new piece of work undertaken
by the league. 1t administers home for de-
lcient and Delinquent boys which Mrs. William
K, Vanderbilt established at White Plains
1T has a courts committee, which has been
helpful in caring for and educating helpless
victims of social system. 1t has a tenement
committee, which has investigated ard remeded
many evils. 1t has parks and Fairgrounds
committee, which endeavors to secure new play
grounds and have the parks better policed. 1t
has a streets committee, which vas Influential in
putting stop to the nuisance OF smoking auto
mobiles and has more than once worked with
the street cleaning depa truent in new activities.
It's legislative committee exen1nes and passes
upon bills affecting the welfare of the greater
city a subcommttee attends hearings upon
dinances of public Importance
She laid down the printed slip from which
she had refreshed her memory.
Not so Ineffective for a purely nonpoltucai
band oi women, is IL q she inquired,
We are trying TO help New York city in its
housekeeping We are trying to watch out for
fguratiYe specl5s Of dust upon our municipal
away II seems to that this Is perfectly
legitimate activity for women; whether or not
they have want the vote. The greater house
keeping! It's fine phrase, isn't 1t?
Against Woman Suffrage
II have explained that | personally am anti
snfrage, although the league contains many
sufragists. 1t will be observed that worthy
work can be and has ben done without the
vote by the women of this league.
In. my heart am positively certain that
womens interest in eugenics is better indica-
ton of sex-advance than in her interest in
politics. If able citizens are produced, the tools
of government are of minor importance
The wish to become mothers of good voters
70 - SfefitS 10 me Lar more III character Win
the best womanhood than the an bit!on to enter
definitely into the political field and the
chance Of being forced by activities to neg
lest old ones infinitely more vital to tho well
fare of the
1t has been popular, of late, to cry that
men have not had really fair show. Perhaps. |
when the race dwelt in caves when courtships
were conducted with knobbed clubs, perhaps. /
later, when women were regarded mere
slaves and chattels she really did not have an
even chance. Eut her oppression in these days, I
can scarcely be considered notable. Especially 4
during the last thirty years has the pendulum I
OF progress swung in her direction. She has 4
been relieved OF drugery, she has been devei- Il
oped 20 entoyments. she has achieved 81 eat priv
lieGe& Through tho means Of Legislation, alone.