Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-01
meet TOPREPARE
APPEAL FOR VOTES
Every State Represented in
Gathering of Woman SUI
frage Advocates.
ADDRESSES OF WELCOME
BY WASHINGTON LEADERS
Mrs. Patty Ruffner Jacobs Responds,
Placing Women of South Among
Earnest Promoters.

Nearly 1000 delegates. representing
every state in the Union. were In their
seats at the new Masonic Temple this
afternoon when DIR. Anna Howard
Shaw. president of the National Ameri-
can Woman Suffrage Association, called
to order the forty-fifth annual conven-
ton Of the women's organization.
Welcoming the delegates in the name
of the District of Columbia Suffrage
Association. Mrs. Nina Allender spoke
briefly of the Importance of the pres
ent gathering and of the objects which
1T was hoped would be attained or in
large measure prepared for before the
convention adjourns.
Miss Alice Psul extended a welcome
to the visitors on behalf of the Con-
gressional Union.
The response on behalf of the Ma
tional American Woman Suffrage As
ISOLATION was by Mrs. Patty Ruffner
Jacobs of Birmingham, Ala
Speaks for the South.
In her address Mrs. Jacobs called her
self "a living REPUTATION of the charge
that has been made in no less a place
than the halls Of Congress that the
womanhood of the south does not want
suffrage 1t is an Indictment" she
said of the southern woman's intelli-
gence. which resent. Nor is my posi-
ton unique. original or lonely-fhere
are thousands of us.
The women of Virginia, Louisiana,
Tennessee. Kentucky, Florida, North
Carolina, Alabama-in fact, in all the
southern states-are stirring, are realiz-
ing that the vote is the only honorable
dignlned and sure means of securing
recognition of their aspirations and Of
their needs. They are not bound to-
gether by social tie economic interest
political utilization or creed, yet they un.
derstand that conference and oneness in
nature and relations which makes life
sweet and sane.
Recognition of Privilege.
1T is wonderful thing to have con-
victions SO strong that you must stand
up and be counted; you must go out and
do battle for them. 1t is a privilege to
be born, to live in such soul-stirring
times; to understand that communion Of
interests. that mutual responsibility which
the solidarity of the woman suffrage
movement indicates. lI--recaH hearing
Miss Mary Johnson speak of the signifi-
canoe OF the fact that no word in the
English language has exactly the same
meaning and use for women as the word
- otcihdi HAS LOT men, the inference
being there has never been occasion to
use II or 1T would have been supplied.
Today We need that word, and here
IN washington where they coin so many
uselul and necessary things-money,
laws and excuses tsometmes)-may we
not coin it in fact, as we have in spirit /?
For forty-five years advocates Of wom-
en- suffrage have been coming to this, the
capital city; nine national suffrage con-
ventions have been held here, this being
the tenth. Each time we have met with
warmer welcone-for so runs the his
tory of the suffrage moment. We have
come in ever-increasing numbers, from
the small handful of courageous pioneers
until now this great throng is Hospitality
received. And while we are grateful for
the spirit in which Washington enter
for us to come back to you another forty
five years. though We are ready and will
ing to do it if need be-
Committees Make Reports.
who is the newly elected state president
for Alabama, the convention heard the
reports of a number of committees and
national officers. The preliminary report
of the committee on credentials, submit
ted by Mrs katharine Dexter McCor-
mick. showed that more than 1000 dele
gates were entitled to seats in the con-
vention. these representing every state
in the Union. The report of the national
press bureau. presented by Miss Elnor
ByrneS. showed that slightly more than
5000 was realized during the wear from
the sale of suffrage literature.
At tonight.s session, which convenes