Norwich bulletin., 1913-11-25

FtaDp1 Slepnen D. W1S0 Ol 4NeW OA n city addressed an audience which filled every seat in the town hall Monday evening on the subject of Equal sui frage under the auspices of the Nor wich Equal Suffrage league. He pre- sented strong. forcible arguments ana his address made a marked impression on his audience.
 The president of the local league, Mrs. William A. Norton. explained the purpose of a petition which was later taken through the audience for sigma lures. The petition is to be presented to the next legislature and asks for an amendment providing for woman sui fraSe She then presented Archdeacon J. Eldred Brown, rector of Trinity Episcopal church, as chairman of the meeting.
 Get Off the Fence.
 Rev, MT. Brown spoke briefly, stat ing that woman suffrage is coming. whether we believe in it or not 1T IL is good cause, he said. and it's argu- ments are true, then it is the duty or every good citizen to climb down oI the fence and work for it. If, on the other hand, it is bad cause it's argu- ments false and 1t would be bad for the state should equal suffrage become a fact, then it is the duty of every good citizen to get down off the fence and work against it. In either case IL is up to the good citizens to get pussy on the one side or the other. Rev MT. Brown also spoke in favor of the organization of a mems equal suffrage league in this city for the active sup port of the women in their cause, He introduced Rabbi Stephen $, Wise, who was greeted with a burst of applause.
 Dr. Wise opened his remarks by stat ing that he was not a believer In woman suffrage but in equal suffrage, He made the distinction, he explained, because some men might think that woman suffrage meant the taking or the ballot from the men and giving IL to the women. He said that the sui frage movement should not be judged or misjudged from certain things said of 1t or by acts of certain suffragists, Whether in sympathy with the move ment or not, one has no right to judge it by the exceptional and isolated acts of violence on the part of some over Zealous devotees of the cause,
 Through Suffrage to Larger life.
 If I thought, said Dr. Wfse that equal suffrage would lead to no more than votes for women, I would never have taken the trouble to come here tonight The ballot is but a symbol but that symbol stands for something real So suffrage is no more than symbol. 1 believe in the suffrage movement because I believe that Wom- an must pass through suffrage and
 
 calling to her today. l believe in the emancipation of women because l be lieve that a new era is coming to the life of woman in our time. One Of the greatest argum ents in favor of equal suffrage is the great moral and spirit ual value that will accrue to us men as a result of giving citizenship to women One cannot uplift the whole nation by lifting half of it Tn the Philippines efforts were made to edu- cate the men for citizenship, but it was impossible without educating the wOm- en. The women are going to drag the men down to lower levels where we have left them. Men cannot drag women up, though women could lift the men, We will never reach greatness until men and women stand and rise together. Woman is the life giving, creating member of the race, and that is why the woman must rise with the man.
 No Longer Bound by Ancient Prece-
 dent.
 Personality is a secred thing, indi- viduality a high inv1olate quality. Wo- man has the same right to love the free and independent life as man. She shall have the same opportunity and duty to rise to the same heights as man. Woman shall become an abso- lute being, no longer bound by ancient
 
 solely a sex. She must have the same opportunity to lead self chosen, self determinate life and realize the same heights as man.
 Equal Suffrage Coming Before 1925
 The new women's movement gives women the same right to enter mar riage under a new condition. She is now free to marry or not as she pleases where formerly she was forced to marry. Is it not a question of the highest morals that woman be placed on a equal with man in every right and every wrong of marriage? In Eng land man must be habitually faith less before his wife can free herself from him, while does she do wrong but once he can sever the bonds which bind them. Whether you choose to bind man and woman for life or to di- vorce them on the slightest prtetxt let the sam Ia wgovern man and wo- man with no double standard. The new life and the new calling for wo- man demands the equal ballot. The cause is won and I am only here to- night to assist in the shouting. Before 1925 thre fourths of the women of America, will be citizens.
 pr. Wise referred to a well known known French writer and opponent of the equal suffrage movement, who states that "Wonans chief charm is her mystery'~ No woman can afford to lose this charm The woman who demands the ballots loses her mystery and does not interest men, This means said Dr. Wise, that he thinks of wo- man only as a desire provoking an- imal He would have her excluded from all rights and duties of the world that she might minister the more strongly to his passions. He would