The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-10-22
LnnuaI Address Teens With Confidence In Growth Of Movement In ConneCtiCut-- Can't Still Voice Of The People She Says, Any More Than The Spirit Off The Connecticut Charter Could Bel Broken When Il Was Hidden In The Historic Oak Tree

1 Hartford, Oct. 22.-The 44th annual l convention of the Connecticut Wo-
 mans Suffrage Association was l brought to close this afternoon with
 luncheon at Hotel Bond in honor of l the retiring officers, at which plates
 were laid for about 50 persons. Mrs | Thomas N. Hepburn, president of the i Hartford branch, presided. Addresses 1 were made by Mrs. John Winters l Brannan, of the Woman's Political 1 Union, of New York; Mrs. Caroline 1 Ruutz-Rees, national delegate to the 1 international Woman's suffrage con- gress at Budapest; Mrs. Ernest Thomp- son-Seton;e Mrs. Mary J. Rogers, of Meriden, and Mrs. William T. Hinclzs,
 of Bridgeport, the retiring state presi- dent
 The state convention assembled in
 Unity Hall for it's final session at 10 o'clock this morning.
 Mrs. Hincks, the president, in her annual address, said that the suffrage cause had gone forward, not back ward.
 Public opinion,'' she said, stthat deli cate Tyre which resounds to every wind, is playing succes into the ears of those who care to hear. On every hand one hears the remark, Well, it is bound to come this woman suffrage business is sure to succeed.''
 Mrs. Hincks began a review of the years work in way which she said showed bushes and that i've were not weak-kneed ladies talking ideals at an afternoon cTub.''
 The campaign was carried on, money
 was not 1acking-thanks to the 1912 conventfon-and new leagues were left in it's train. Great credit was due to Miss Pierson, the organizer, and to Miss Alyse Gregory, anot ther organ izer.
 Mrs. Hincks told of the associatfon's quick response to the cry for help from the Ohio flood sufferers and how, within two days, hundreds and hundreds of great boxes and barrels of good clothing and hundreds of dol lars were on their way to the stricken district.
 The experience of the association with the 1912 legislature was then re- lated by Mrs. Hfncks. There was the great petition of 18.o0O names of men and women who wanted a. referendum upon the question of equal suffrage
 'I don't want you to forget them" said Mrs. Hincks. That petition Is buried in the archives of our state just as the old charter was once buried voice of the people. The will of those IS, 900 is as little buried as was the spirit of the old charter in the strenu- ous days of our early history. Even 1 in the House, last spring, this spirit l was felt, the several representatives l
 
 cause they felt that so momentous a question should be decided by the voters t1lemselves.''
 Mrs. Hfncks pointed out her belief that great progress was indicated by 1 the fact that an active, intelligent op- position party came into view.
 There is no fundamental difference | between a. Connecticut pro-suffrage woman and a Connecticut anti-suf- frage woman,' she said. We are sprung from the same people, we have the same blood, we may differ psychologicaIIy or we may differ only | upon this one subject. There is no cause for our hating the antis; we should bless them for having the tre- mendous courage to fight a, lost cause. For is it not true that no question is considered a question until it shows two sides? I say Heaven bless the antis and keep them talking. They appeared so well they presented their side on their hearing day that I only wonder the men listening did not reflect that they should have the bal lot whether they wished 1t or not in order to give the state the use of that good material.
 well, we failed in that legislature, but it was a good failure, a proud fai1- ures suppose it sounds very much like sour grapes to say we were not unreasonab1y disappointed in the vote in the House. We take the matter of the ballot more seriously than part Of the public realize. We want to be ready for this referendum day-when it comes We don't want to fail then. We want more public opinion, bigger petition and a constituency behind ev- cry representative clamoring for his vote We are really cautious.'
 She spoke of the securing of perma- nent headquarters in Hartford and the presentation of a sufffagist play in order that the public might be treated to something in lighter vein after serious work of getting Votes for women rubbed into the leagues
 The lessons of the last years work, the president said, were these:
 FVirst-Don't let a man go to the next legislature who is not of an open mind on the subject of votes for women. This is the first and great command ment and the second is like unto it: Give every man who is to sit in our legislature a, constituency which asks al least in part for the ballot for wo- men. l.
 Get busy and whip some man who would like to go back but who voted against our measure this year. It can be done and in some towns easily You have a year before new representa- lives are nominated. Mrs. Bennett and I have lists entirely open to the public