The Washington times., 1914-07-22

were coincident with its efforts for
a wider opportunity for women.
Bills were introduced in both
House and Senate in 1868 provid-
ing for the vote for women. One
year later the bill for a sixteenth
amendment, the national woman
suffrage measure. was introduced.
, In 1s7i the second. though indirect.
vote on suffrage was taken In the
House in connection with Dis
trict bill. The ballot then stood
So for. and III against
Hotel and Suffragists.
of national note were visitors to
Washington in the interest Of their
cause. and they always were enter
tanned bv the District association.
Hotels were not open TO unattend-
method of entertainment was con-
tinued until the proprietor of the
Riggs House set aside a suite OF
rooms for Miss Susan B. Anthony.
and other suffrage women. Lucretia
Mott. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Ma
tilda Joslyn Gage. Mrs. Mary F.
Gaze. Alice Cary, DR.. Ann Preston,
Clara Barton. Fannie Rowland. and
others. whose names have gone down
in suffrage annals. frequently came
to washington to urge womans suf-
frage upon Congress and to do per-
sonal missionary work among public
men.
From the time when the District
association had women appointed on
the nublic comfort committees at
inauguration. to the present time.
when thew are urging the appoint
ment Of policewomen of Washington.
II has kept abreast OF the progress
~ uarnan Tbr0nph Mrs William
Tindall and her associates the first
steps We're taken toward providing
accommodations for the crowds that
thronged Pennsylvania avenue to
see the inaugural parade. No toilet
facilities hitherto had been provid-
for women. Conditions at the sta
tions upon the arrival of trains
were equally trying for women.
At that time the track facilities
were Door. trains were delayed for
hours. and many women arrived only
to find friends who were to meet
them had deserted their posts. Wom-
en-. and men alike. were "fleeced"
by INSCRIPTIONS persons posing as
guides" Women arranged sys-
tenn of guides at nominal charges.
and worked out a system of temper
ary abiding places for lone women
visitors.
The present public comfort stations
are the outgrowth of this effort to
provide for the comfort Of Inaugural
ton visitors.
Women On School Board.
Women gained a place on the
Board of Education after a long
campaign, and thronE the associa-
TONS efforts police matrons were
obtained. At one time there was
not even a matron at the District
Jail. and women taken there were
subjected to all sorts of embarrass-
ments and indignities.
But one of the most notable VIC
tories of the District association was
the passage Of the married woman's
property rights bill. The injustice OF
the then existing laws was forcibly
brought to attention by two incl
dents. One woman, deserted by her
husband, started a small store. Her
husband came back and collected
outstanding bills. When she APP
pealed to a lawyer it was found that
her husband was within his legal
rights. He did this repeatedly.
The other incident was that in
which. in a spirit of pique. a man
willed away his children to his own
relatives. When he died the rela-
tives insisted on having the children.
despite his wife's efforts to gain
possession of them. In rendering
his decision the judge who heard the
case deplored the existence OF a law
which should compel such an un-
natural verdict. ,,
Though both these incidents still
are possible in many States they no
longer could occur in the District.
The principal local efforts OF the
association now are centered in the
effort to have police women ap-
pointed on the washington FORCE.
During the coming winter aid will be
given the state campaigns. The
local association is affiliated with the
National American Woman Suffrage
one of the features OF the local