The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-02
CHARMING SPEAKER
PLEADS FOR BALLOT
MRS. LATDLAN, WITH ATTRACTIVE
PERSONALITY, ELOQUENT IN
TALK.
HAS LARGE. AUDIENCE
MR. LAIDLAw AND MRS. yALEN-
TINE also MAKE BRIEF AID
DREssEs-ANSwER NUMER-
oUS QUERIES.
HAS LARGE AUDIENCE

If a woman of attractive personal
ity almost magnetic. filled with the
crusader spirit, with a good command
of English, and possessing the ability
to weave fact, argument and pleasing
phrases into an eloquent whole, and
withaI, womaniy woman, can win
over others to her point of view, the
visit to Richmond of Mrs James Lees
Laidlaw, Of New York. who spoke To
a large audience at the jefferson no
tel auditorium ~iast night. was not
without gain to the cause of woman
suffrage in Virginia
The auditorium was crowded, floor
and balcony. when Mr. and Mrs. Laid
law, Mrs II. II. Valentine and mem
bers of both branches of the local
Equal Suffrage league, entered lit
tie after the appointed hour and were
received with round OF applause
as they filed upon the stage
Mrs. Valentine Presides
Mrs. Valentine. State president
presided and introduced the speakers
and took part In the discussion with
inqutsitors In the audience at the close
of Mrs. Laidiaw's address
Mrs. Latdiaw spoke briefly. dealing
more with the sentimental side o.
the question than some of the othae
speakers who have appeared here
but driving home the chief arguments
and fundamental principles at stake
with emphasis The speaker Is a
master~-or mistress--of phraseology.
and some of her sentiments were
clear-cut to the point of being cpl
grammatic. She handled the ques-
ton from the point of view OF the
woman first and then from that Of
the anti suffragist. To those who talk
of chivalry she countered that COM
radeship, trust and justice are as es-
sential elements of chivalry as cour-
tesy and graceful manners, To those
who claim to view the matter from
comIncR-sense standpoint. she de-
clared that woman suffrage is inevi
table, and each defeat means merely
another fight. Consequently, she
argued. men Of common sense might
as well give women the ballot now
and save expenditure of time, money
and strength that must be spent in
the fight II opposition is stubborn.
Becomes Practical.
Nor did the speaker neglect the
practical arguments of political
rights and economic good. She claim
ed the suffrage for women to he right
and expedient What woman former
ly did in the home, she said, is now
done outside, and as woman's work
ie1FeS the nome woman sphere
hroadens. To the argument that wo-
man should devote her energies to
training the child for citizenship she
made answer that sit is not enough to
prepare the child for the world I'M
less we can prepare the world for the
children"
Mrs. Laidlaw predicted that unless
the right of suffrage could be won
State by State II would be won by
constitutional amendment, though
personally she preferred the former
method. Nine States now have equal
suffrage. and several others will grant
1t shortly. When three-fourtns of the
States are in line. she prophesied, and
the other fourth refuse the ballot TO
women. these three-fourths will force
congress to submit the question TO the
States, and the thing will be done,
Preceding Mrs, Laidlaw came Mr..
Iaidlaw. chairman OF the Mems Equal
Suffrage league of New York State.
Mr.. IsaIdlaw told of the progress OF