New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-03
Jeanette Rankin
Cheered by 5000
For Speech Here
Prohibition and Suffrage
Championed by Montana
Congressional
Praises for Her West
Labor and Ballot Problems
Reviewed and Men Of
East Criticised

A slip of young woman, all in white
chiffon, and looking just like a high
school graduate about to read the vale
dictory, but not quite sure that she re-
membered the last word of the first
sentence, stepped out before the APP
plauding crowds at Carnegie Hall last
night.
More than 5000 persons had come to
hear that last word as spoken by the
Hon. Jeanette Rankin. Congress
woman from Montana and the first
woman ever elected to the legislative
halls of the United States. And the
Hon. Jeanette was ready to live up to
the slogan on which she was elected
Let the people know"
Her white chiffon dress huttered in
the breeze of her own eloquence. Her
white satin cloak lay over the back of
the chair, and her white satin pumps
were small and dainty. She was a de-
butante on her way to the coming-out
party of women into the class of real
people. But there was nothing white
chiffony about the Hon. Jeannette's
opinions, as she laid them before the
crowd last night.
Political Democracy Needed
1--WE must have political democracy,
business democracy, social democracy
1--WE must have way to make our
officials responsible to the whole people
after election, as before. so that they
may be recalled at any time they are
not living I'D to the principles on which
they were elected
"Pn in favor Of the initiative, refer
endum, the recall. the direct primary,
state and national prohibition, Dopu-
lar vote for President and system Of
proportional representation in state
legislatures. These are steps toward
democracy
Woman suffrage is coming and IN
spite of the Democratic party"
Women ought TO have right 70 say
whether their men shall so TO war;
And so she went on In the same
forcefu and determined way that led
her TO ford rivers and speak at round
ups in her horseback campaign in Mon
tana before the election, in which she
won out over seven surprised men. Be
cause she possesses that rare quality
of being able TO hold her own tongue,
upon occasion, the Honorable jean
nette has been accused of overcautlous-
ness since election. But there was GER
tainly nothing hslf-hearted about the
way she looked issues in the face last
night.
The Woman from Montana
It was Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait
who introduced Congressman Rankin
to the crowd-a beaming and delighted
Mrs. Gait, who looked at the Honorable
Jeanette as a teacher looks at her
prize pupil.
ladies and gentlemen, the Honora-
bic Jeanette Rankin, suffrage woman
from Montana"
Carnegie Hall applauded the new
Congresswoman, and applauded her
again. and in its enthusiasm showed no
inclination of letting her make a
speech. Mrs. Gait had TO calm the
gathering by reading IL a part Of a
letter yesterday received by Congress
woman Rankin from theodore Roose-
welt, in which he expressed his regret
at his inability to be present at the
lecture.
81 most earnestly hope that you and
those like you will make and keep the
Republican party loyal TO the spirit OF
Abraham Lincoln he wrote, and in
very truth the party OF natiOnalism
and genuine democracy; the party
which stands for the right OF every
man. woman and child within our ma
tional borders, and which in return
exacts from every full grown man and
woman the fullest performance Of duty
to the nation both ii peace and IN
war"
Proud of Her West
Montana is TN unusual state-thats
why IL elected woman 10 Congress,
began the Honorable Jeanette.
And then, like every other real
Westerner you've ever met, or ever will,
she launched straight into eulogy of
the Golden West. The New York audi
cnce looked dazed as she told of fifty
eight bushels of No. | wheat TO the
acre. II gasped as she said that last
year Montana produced flour enough 10
make eighteen lOaves Of bread for
every man. woman and child in the
United States. II gasped as she spoke
of the free land that is still being
given away.
And when Congresswoman Rankin
went on to tell of the Great Big Baked
Potato and of sixteen miles IN a
lumber wagon, which is a lot fur
Their than forty-fve miles in an auto
mobile" and of cheap electricity be-
cause of natural water power. and of
natural gas, so that not even the poor
janitor need get out of bed into the
cold O. mornings. and Of sixty miles on
horseback and all that, those Manhat
tan listeners exchanged bewildered
glances.
Pm proud Of the Vest Pm glad
that il belongs 20 me-" she cried.
Colorado, she admitted. had its prob
lens 1t has earned its title of the wet
ties. state in the Union. 1t has had its
labor problems here the Hon.
Jeanette took occasion TO criticise the
existing industrial conditions, under
which a few people own most of the
resources in every state.
"Injury and violent death are fire.
ouent among our workers" she said.
Wages are high in dollars and cents,
but low in terms of food. Two years
ago thousands Of our men were out OF
work"
Works for Suffrage
She is an ardent woman suhragist.
although she owed her election 20 the
mon as well as 10 the women.
"There's nothing else for the women
Of New York to think about, nothing
else for them to talk about, nothing
else for them to work for, until they
- - sbe declared "Ifntil