New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-14
Automobile Parade Opens
State Gathering at
Rochester.
MAYOR WELCOMES
FERVID DELEGATES
Discussion of National Amend.
ment Ruled Out-Mass Meet
ing in Evening.
Try Telegraph 10 The Tribune.

Rochester, Oct. 13.--An apparently
interminable line Of gayly decorated
automobiles, filled with delegates to the
State Suffrage Convention, formed a
pretty and impressive sight travelling
around Rochester yesterday. Fur coats
and small hats were brought out 10
face the keen weather.
While the convention il essentially
one Of younger women, first place is
readily yielded to the veterans OF the
women's movement. At the head OF
Z the procession, in the car with Mrs.
Raymond Brown and Mrs. Carrie Chap
man Gait, was Mrs. Blackall, eighty
four years old, pioneer with Susan
B. Anthony. -.
Following the parade and public
luncheon, the convention was called to
order by the president, Mrs. Raymond
Brown.
The opening event was cordial well
come by Mayor Edgerton. He said
that his presence must not be inter-
preted to mean that ne was himself
pledged. The filling of the hall with
500 women seemed TO cause change IN
his heart, however. and before he left
the platform Mrs. Raymond Brown
held up his yellow slipper" amid en-
thusiastic cries from the delegates.
The principal business OF the after
noon was the reading Of the reports
OF Mrs. Raymond Brown, president OF
the State Suffrage Association, and OF
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait, chairman
of the Empire State Campaign Com
mittee.
Mrs. Brown prefaced her remarks
by stating that in her tour through
the state all the politicians she had
met had told her the women were sure
to win.
al do not say that we are sure to
win," added Mrs, Brown, but l 90
say that we have a splendid chance"
She announced the policy OF the
state association with regard to the
national amendment. While the wom-
en- Of New York State had the issue
OF the referendum in 1915 before them,
the organization would take absolutely
no action on the amendment. In view
of this decision, Mrs. Medill McCor-
mick, chairman Of the Congress COM
mittee, had withdrawn from the sched-
ule Of speakers of the afternoon.
Mrs. Cats report showed that the
number of women's suffrage clubs in
the state had trebled during the last
twelve months. Upstate there were
now 400 clubs and 1892 enrolled
suifragists, while New York City had
l31, S3t.
Later in the afternoon Mrs. Gait
made a statement about the Leslie De-
quest. The progress Of the women's
movement, she said, had always been
retarded by lack of funds. Probably
Mrs. Leslie had done more than any
other woman had been able to do IN
making her bequest. AT the same time
| it was very necessary that it should
| be understood that in the view OF ner
attorney there was not ghost OF a
chance Of any part of the legacy being
available for the New York State cam
paign.
The ruling out of discussion Of the
national amendment removes effective
| ly from the convention a certain bone
of contention.
In the evening the convention ad-
iourned to a mass meeting held in the
Rochester Convention Hall. Massed
on the platform was the city commu-
nifty chorus Of 400 voices, which gave
programme OF music, directed oy
Harry Barnhart.
The audience Of 1000 was addressed
by Miss Mary G.. Hay, Mrs. Frederick
Nathan, DR.. Stephen Wise, Mrs. James
Lees Laidlaw, Nine. Rosika Schwimmer,
Of Hungary, and Mrs. j. Norman de K.
Whitehouse.
The suffrage resolution was carried
unanimously. The closing speech Of
tn evening was made by Nine.
Schwimmer, who spoke wildly Of the
cost of war to women.