The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-05-07
BIG INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIP
Miss Mary E. Mcdowell of Chicago
Makes Notable Address on Work Be
ing Done by Women Along Lines of
Securing the Ballot-Many Applaud.

With a suffrage rally attended by
three hundred people and the announce
ment that the membership campaign
had resulted in the total enrolment of
seven hundred members, the celebra-
tion OF National Suffrage Day in Ke-
nosha on Saturday afternoon, was de-
clared by the leaders of the movement
to be a splendid success and an indi-
cation of awakened interest.
The notable event Of the day was an
address by Miss Mary E. Mcdowell, one
of Chicago's most famous citizens who
has given her life to the service of the
less fortunate who live in the stock
yards district of Chicago.
Miss Mcdowell spoke of the signi-
ficance Of the national demonstration
and reminded her audience that this
awakening Of women was worldwide
as well as NATIONWIDE No one person
or groups Of persons are responsible for
the awakening. China has no agitator
or militant leader like Mrs. Pankhurst,
but the vote was given them in the
provisional assembly. Japanese women
are organizing for social welfare work;
Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Fin
land have given women the full fran
chise. This awakening of women came
from within, not from agitation with
out, and it began when women were
first taught to read and write-then to
think; and after that came the inven-
tion of machinery which pushed women
out of the home into the factory where
they worked under the same conditions
as men, and for wages.
Miss Mcdowell spoke of the expert
ence of being a new voter. For twenty
years near the University settlement
where she lives, the city of Chicago
has dumped it's garbage into clay holes
COMMUNICATING the homes of wage
eafners whose health is their wealth.
She said that year after year, she with
her neighbor women, had gone to the
city hall to protest against the inius-
tice, but the nuisance continued. Three
years ago the woman's city club be-
gan to plead for a commission of city
waste, but nothing happened
The heated season arrived and still
Chicago had no place except dumps for
its garbage. Then Illinois gave to its
housekeepers the vote, new tool to
work with. The Woman's City Club
with Miss Mcdowell as chairman, again
went to the city hall. Miss Mcdowell
said she had always been courteously
received as a person who was working
not for herself, but for the good Of
others, but last July she found new
mind toward herself and the commit
tee. She now represented thousands
of possible voters who knew what gar
bage meant to household. The alder
mems attitude was changed,> the com
mission was created by the city coun-
city, and she herself was made mem
Der of it. Miss Mcdowell afirms that
the past experience of women home
makers for ages has been to overcome
dirt. They have cleaned and cleaned
and they know where dirt is to be
found and how to clean it up. This
cleaning habit will be contribution
well worth while to any city.
She said that women bring in new
political philosophy that brings govern
ment down to common every day things
and makes political issues of such mat
ters as clean milk, the death rate of
babies, clean picture shows and clean
er politics. All through the last cam
paign in Chicago it was a common
thing to hear candidates speak of the
new garbage system and of the rela-
ton of clean milk to the death rate
Of babies.
She told of an experience of a train
ed nurse who was clerk of election in
the stock yards precinct and when she
insisted on obeying the election laws
and some of the precinct men were i'm
patient, one of the judges an Irishman
said, Now look here fellows, you
might as well make up your mind that
we've come into new time and old
tricks won't CO." and obeying the
election law in this case knocked out
eighty-six fraudulent votes.
The meeting passed a resolution ask
ing the United States Congress to en-
franchise the women of this country
and copies have been sent to every
member of congress from Wisconsin.
The Shubert Club chorus which opened
the rally with song of spring, fitting
ly closed the meeting by leading the