New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-01
Mrs. O. II. p. Belmont Proposes the Womam's
Political Party TO Secure Legislative Re-
forms Desired by Woman Voters.
The Convention
oCWomam Vot-
ers Is TO Show
Them the Pow
err of Their Or.
ganized Vote.

"0f course. Do you suppose we
would all be working like dogs IL we
were not positive that the next Con-
gress would pass our Federal amend.
ment" One may have some concep-
ton of the earnestness of these women
when one learns that Mrs. Belmont, for
example, begins working at o'clock in
the morning.
1--WE have already shown the party in
power what we mean to do. 1t is our
intention, if this Congress does not
agree to our demands, to destroy the
power Of the Democratic party. And
We can do it. We shall ask every vot-
ing woman 70 defeat the Democratic
candidate. We are not prejudlced
against the Democratic party in any
way. IL is simply that, chronologically,
they happen to be the party in power
now, and that that party will not grant
our requests. Therefore they must
60"
Unless Mr.. Wilson relents we shall
do our very best to retire him to pri-
vate life" added Mrs Belmont, "and
we are quite confident that we have
great deal of power" II is believed
that this pressure which is to be
brought TO bear upon the national rep
resentatives will be effectual. These
women also believe that when the
party interest is threatened party
consciousness will be frightened and
will bethnk itself of the wisest method
Of dealing with crisis. Self-pres-
ervation for them will create woman's
opportunity.
"The reason why women have
failed to get the vote is because the
corporation interests are so strongly
allied against them. In the Middle
Yves, and the West they have retard-
ed our growth. In California the rail-
read interests definitely prevented the
earlier passage of the woman suffrage
bills.
at is not a question of principle
with the corporations. 1t is merely a
matter of economy, Of expediency, Of
politics, and Of self-protection. For
what would happen If women were
given the vote? In the first place, it
would double their expenses. Corpo-
rations, must be represented in the
government bodies. And that means
the expenditure by them of large
funds. These naturally would be
doubled.
Another point. Corporations,
many of them, exist through large
amount Of victimization. The first
thing that women would do would be
to refuse their support, and the Sec
ond thing would be to labor against
all vicious, victimizing practices. Yes,
the corporation interests are merely
afraid of women"
There will be speeches by all avail
able people of rank at the Woman
Voters Convention. There will be dis
tributed literature, exhibits of interest
and a pageant depicting the life of
susan u. anthony. ms pageant - 10
be written By Miss Hazel McKaye.
Among the women on the committee
arranging the convention are Mrs. Bel.
mont, Mrs. Preston Satterwhite, Of
New York; Mrs. William Kent, of the
executive committee of the Congress
sional Union and wife of Representa-
tive Kent, of California, and Mrs. >.
b. VI. Young.
The last day of the convention will
be the most spectacular, although def
mite feats have not yet been decided
upon. And then will come the i'm
portant journey to Washington. AS
MANI women as can possibly be pre-
vailed upon will journey to the capital
in special trains and there meet the
incoming members of Congress. One
woman, Mrs. Kate Boeckh, Of Canada,
who has long been a member OF the
Congressional Union, will, 1t is ex-
pected, fly from California to Wash
ington. And once these women are in
stalled in the capital town they will
throng the House, and they will harry
and lobby and harry and lobby to con-
vince the political world that they are
the coming political party OF this