New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-03
EX-PreSident Makes a Stirring
Plea for "VOteS for Women"
at the Metropolitan
Opera House.
GETS A GREAT RECEPTION
Pageant Proves Brilliant Spec
tacle with It's Barefoot Dane
ers and "Beauties"-
$4,000 Is Raised for
Suffrage.

1t the barefoot girls dancing in the
pageant?
one or both of these two attractions
1t must have been that brought out 1t
the Metz poitan Opera House last
/ night probably the biggest and mos
! brilliant audience that ever gathered
1 in this country for the cause.
Colonel Roosevelt played up nobly. He
! talked al out our cause" and how
Michigan was stolen from US" as nat
urally as if he'd spent his life cam
! paigning for votes for women from
soap boxes on corners. IT was a great
relief TO the good Progressives in the
audience, who were noticeably a trifle
nervous about their leaders maiden ef-
/ fort In the suffrage line.
Colonel Studies His Notes.
II saw Alice Carpenter this after
noon" one Moosette was heard whis-
/ pering rs the colonel rose. "and she
said she was dreadfully worried about
| how he'd make out"
The colonel may have been nervous
too, for he studied his notes carefully
while Dr. Anna Howard Shaw was
making the Introductory speech tni
| frequently consulted Mrs. Frederick
Nathan, who sat beside him in the line
Of thirteen suffrage leaders-thrteen,
admission is suffrage leader now-an
the huge stage.
once on his feet. though. Mr.. Roos"-
Welt soon got away from his notes. tie
merely used them TO shake at the au-
dience when making an important
point. He spoke slowly and with en-
phasis, with that curious falsetto that
breaks out in his voice, rather more
in evidence than 1t used to be.
The colonel began quite modcstly by
saying that most Of his speech would
be ditto TO what Mrs" Shaw-thats
the title the absent minded colonel
gave the spinster suffrage leader-had
said. Ard he did ditto her dcnuncia-
tion Of those who oppose woman suf-
frage in this country because OF the
foolish and wicked things done by some
women in another country"
Fanatics in Every Cause.
Every reform which attracts Jealous
souls" said Colonel Roosevelt. at
tracts some whose zeal outruns their
discretion. To criticise the reform be-
cause Of the foolish things these people
do is to be more wrong than they are"
He made his speech. he said. "pri-
marily to men" and he assured the
men that we" would win for woman
suffrage, and that soon.
you men Of the East" he said. I'VE
will carry these Eastern states. We
have woman suffrage in the Pacific
don't think the East will permanently
lag behind. Civilization is spreading
Il ask every decent and self-respect-
ing citizen who has the right 10 vote
TO take an active part in securing the
vote for that half of the decent and
self-respectig citizens who are denied
the right.
Equality Not Identity.
Equality of right doesn't mean
identity of function. There is not
identity of function between men in
civil and military life. And If you can
draw any line of intelligence and con-
duct without both men and women on
, either side, I'd like to see it. a line
of conduct would have more women
on the right side than men.
: II never say on the stump what [
can't make good off the stump. | don't
think votes for women would cure all
/ evils. But | know from observation
in the Western states. that it's good
thing. In no instance have | seen 1t
produce damage and in many cases |
have seen II work betterment in social
and civic conditions.
1--WE hear IT said that women would
= neglect their homes If they voted. a
century ago IL was argued that If labor
! ing men voted they would neglect their
work. Any man who thinks now that
voting would make him neglect his duty
/ is entitled TO think the same Of his wife.
Rut If YOU hear any man saying that his
wife hasn't time to vote. tell him that Is
n reflection on him, and TO go home and
! do his duty
Paws Tribute to Women.
! Colone Roosevelt paid "A high compli-
mont to women like Jane Adams Mrs.
/ Nathan and Mrs Florence Kelly. to
u,bom he said. he had always turned
u,ben ne wanted light on problems OF
child labor. immigration or the minimum
wage.
I'VE need such women In our coming
constitutional convention" he said. I'VE
meet them and consult with them In the
lohhv AT such gatherings; why not have
them sitting with us. side by side?
! There is another woman In whom |
have strong admiration-Ida Tarbell; but
curiously, she objects TO woman suffrage.
II have read her writings with the great
ost nrofit and | cannot understand why,
4, che can teach me how to vote she isn't
conpetent to vote herself"
That raised a laugh, but not as big a
| one as came a few minutes later. Colonel
| Roosevelt was telling the audience how
and by whom Michigan was stolen from
us"
81 saw placards Vote Against Woman
lnE lsstttn