The Republican journal., 1916-10-19
A SUFFRAGE MEETING,
Address by Mrs. Lewis Jerome Johnson.

Address by Mrs. Lewis Jerome Johnson.
Mrs. Lewis Jerome Johnson of Cambridge
Chairman Of the Massachusetts, Congressional
committee OF the National American Wo-
mans Suffrage League, spoke before the Bel
fast Woman's Suffrage League and few
friends in Memorial hall Friday evening, Oct.
18th. Mrs. Louise johnson Pratt. president
OF the local League. presided. and introduced
Mrs. johnson as one thoroughly conversant
with the movement throughout the country
and particularly anxious to assist the new
leagues. Mrs. johnson congratulated the
members of the Belfast League on the ex-
periences that would be theirs in the coming
campaign in Maine and briefly mentioned some
of her experiences in Massachusetts, both of
an encouraging and discouraging nature. She
defined woman's position in earlier days, when
her thoughts and ambition were centered on
home and its cares and said that the inven-
tlons and modern improvements OF the pres-
ent have made it possible, and even advisable.
for her to take her place in the world as a
creature OF brains and soul. which she may do
without in any particular neglecting the inter-
ests of the family. We can never have a eov-
ernment for the people and by the people un-
til woman is given the ballot, she declared.
The wlde-awake women of today have caught
the spirit of equal rights and this is their
century. Woman has taken her place in all
the professions and creative business lines
but will never neglect her home interests. It
Is her nature to make and keep home and she
will always do it. The States that have allow
ed "omans suffrage have never repealed the
law. 1t has always worked we'll for the State
Men and women naturally stand side by side in
everything but in voting to make the laws
tnat concern both, and particularly in the
home life. Mrs. johnson explained the way in
which the States have given women the right
of suffrage. "There are three ways for us to
get it," she said. lone by having the federal
legislature pass 1t and then having men vote
upon it; another is by having the federal gov
ernment vote upon it, in which case we should
have to get two-t thirds vote in the Senate, two
thirds in the House. and then it would be refer
red to the legislatures of the States then whe
that was given all the women would be fran
chised, and the third method would be by de-
cree of the Supreme Court Women now. as
far as voting is concerned, are cIassed with
the idiots. the paupers, the criminals and the
insane. Extracts from the reports Of Massa-
shusetts were incentive for the women of
her State to work against the liquor and white
slave traffic, which can be zone only with the
ballot On their first election day the women
of the State of Illinois closed 1000 saloons.
She spoke of the secret way in which laws
were rushed through Congress by committee
work. referring particularly to the conscrip-
tion law recently passed.
At the close of her address Mrs johnson
suggested the asking of questions by her hear
ers. and Capt VIM. v. Pratt of the U. S. NAVY
who recently returned from Panama where he
had been on duty as a member Of the canal de-
fense commission, followed with some Interest,"
ing remarks based on his thirty years exper.
ience In the navy Mrs. Johnson had referred
10 the consumption bill as having been passed
with the knowledge of only few, and Captain
Pratt explained fully what conscription means.
de said that if we waited until war comes our
men would be merely food for powder, and
that the idea was to train the men so that they
can think right and do the right thing. at is
too late to do it when trouble comes, and if we
don't train little before hand" he said, we
will be ike children he said that while he be-
lIeved thoroughly in suffrage, the point of view
that the woman has is entirely different from
the point OF view that the man has. There is
one thing" he said, "that women have got to
bear III mind i'll times Whlch are critical Thew
must broaden their view, and look at things
from the mans point of view" He went on to
state that Australia has the best system in the
world OF universal training and of universal
service. and that our country is a country
which develops the indivi,, ual. In that way we
have progressed farther tnfalI any otler country
in the world"
In replying Mrs. Johnson maintained her
contention in regard to the right of refer
endu IN in all cases.
Rev. A. E. Wilson. who had lived in two
States during suffrage compaigns. inquired as
TO wnat methods she would advise to avoid
the roughness the opposition seemed to create.
In reply Mrs. johnson suggested the method
already begun in Belfast, quiet organization
and individual work. She implied that the
of organized vices and those they could send
here to speak for them.
1t is planned to have other eminent speakers
come here, and also to have debate between
an anti-suffragist and suffragist.