Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-12-07
FORM An EQUAL
SUFFRAGE CLUB
Grows Out of Meeting Of
Three Women's Clubs
of The City.
the LADIES WANT TO VOTE
And Will Work With Other Such
Clubs TO get Equal Suffrage
i'm State.

At the invitation of the Woman S
club a large and representative meet
ing of women took place at the house
cf Mrs w A. Bahlke on Monday
afternoon at three o'clock, those pres
ent being members or guests Of the
Nomans club, the Art club and the
Civic Improvement league. The occa-
sion Of the meeting was the presenting
OF the report from the delegate,
who was joint delegate of three
clubs, Mrs. J ~ Bistline, to the con
vention of the State Equal Suffrage
association held recently at Grand
Rapids
Before the report was given, time
ly article describing the present con-
ditions in Flint, Michigan, was read
by Mrs. Francis King; this article
may be found in full in the Detroit
Saturday Night Of November 25th,
1916. Then followed short report
of a special committee of the league,
Mrs. c. B. Gardner and Mrs. George
Sharrar, on current prices of food in
Alma and surrounding towns; this
was followed by discussion. DR.. T.
j. Carney, the health officer of Alma,
then spoke for a short time on the
need for policing the streets, and on
the movement to introduce pasteur-
ized milk into the community. A pc
tition was drawn up 10 be presented
to the council. urging them to pass
an ordinance for the protecting of
the city's health by means of pure
milk. and this was signed by many
of the women present.
Mrs. Bistline in her report said
Mrs. Caroline Bartlett Crane declar-
ed that $4,000 would be raised in
1918, if il is decided TO go into cam
paign at that time.
Mr.. Mckee said that the burden Of
financing the campaign was too much
for the women, the men of the state
Must do their share for the future of
~ nation, and to do this the men
must organize. They propose having
men in the ranks of the alliance, in
every county and township Of the
state. lending not only financial as
sistance. but helping the cause in
every way possible.
At the banquet Thursday evening,
State Senator Helen Ring Robinson
of Colorado was the star speaker
She spoke briefly of the legislation
for which the women Of her state had
been responsible-the eight hour law
for women workers, the mothers
pension bill and the minimum wage
law for women.
Mrs. Judith Loenthal of Chicago
said "Never did a new male citizen
OF twenty-one feel greater response
bility with his franchise, than do the
women of Illinois
Mrs. Caroline Bartlett Crane de-
Clared suffrage to be an active politi-
cal question, as was shown i'm the
presidential campaign just closed. said
il was interesting TO observe how the
old objections to it have not only been
answered, but dropped completely, as
of no further interest 1t is her con
viction that the close of the European
war will see the emancipation of the
women of the world, as the response
bility woman has assumed in this war
shows plainly she is physically able
10 carry the responsibility Of voter
1t is her opinion that "the men
who voted for prohibition, were the
sons of those mothers who worked
and prayed themselves gray-haired
tha, their sons might do the right
thing on every occasion"
Mark L. Mckee Of Detroit, secretary
Of the Michigan Fraternal Congress
and Voters league, suggested organ
izing a "Men's Suffrage Alliance" and
guaranteeing TO raise 81 900 per month
for the association "They spend
month before every election in unset
fish study that they may vote on all
questions wisely and effectively and
not because their forefathers belonged
TO one or the other of the political
parties" In many of the worst wards
cf Chicago, corrupt bosses have been
defeated through the woman's vote.
Senator Robinson in short adj
dress before leaving for her native
state Friday morning, admonished the
association to hold organization and
efficient system as the two utmost in
fuence for the success of their work.
After listening to this highly in
teresting and enthusiastic report,
steps were taken toward the organic
ing Of an Alma branch of the Michi-
gan Equal Suffrage association. The
following were elected officers of this
branch: President Miss Carolyn Rob
ins&n; first vice president, Mrs. Tim
by second vice president, Mrs. Han
nah; secretary, Miss Edna Swigart.
Notice Of the first general meeting
OF the new society will appear in due
course.