The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-22
Peoples Forum


Origin of Sufrraso, tn I5asite,i States
, Editor Nirginian.
sir Your anti-suffrage readers VIII
ne interested to know. on the author
ity of the Official History Of Woman
suffrage that tine first OF that sex
70 preach votes for women in Amer
ica was Frances Wrieht. the foreign
atheist and socialist, " no with Robert
Dale owen established the com
munist colony in Now Harmony Ind
In 1925. saying; Il have devoted my
time and fortune 10 laying the founda-
ton Of an esta blishment where affec-
+ ton snail form the only marriage and
Kind feeling and kind action the only
religion"
The second woman to advocate this
propagauda among us was Ernestine
L. Rose, who was hanishcd from Aus
tria in 1886. and was made president
o. the American National Suffrage
association with Frances Wright.
Susan e. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady
stanton as associate leaders.
The Fankhursts. too and Mrs
Beatrice Hale. who have figured con-
spiruousiy in recent wears in suffrage
aritatlons in the United States are
foreign lands while Miss Alice
Ha4ll. head al the ~ Congressional
union. with others associated with
her. were students and companions
of Mrs, Parkhurst in English prisons
! ne fruits OF her teaching. ripening
under American skies. are "hghtinc
the party in power" through silent
sentinels and other annoyances.
among these sentinels being a daugh-
ter Of Mrs, Stanton. Elizabeth Cadv
stanton was the author OF The
Woman's Bible" from which passages
bearing upon the Creators design in
regard to women and their place in
His universe, have been eliminated;
while = poem by another suffrage
leader, ending with: This doctrine OF
Jesus preached by Paul If followed in
spirit viii ruin us all" Is quoted In
full on page As Of the official history
above referred to.
At their conventions: such rehellions
against the Divine order for women
We're instigated as 10 be UNIT for the
eyes Of Young readers. but urgently
to be commended to those having the
care Of the young. Az one of these
The Easy Divorce Convention" pre-
sided over by Susan g. Anthony. Mrs
stanton said; So long as You insist
upon marriage as a Divine institution
SoH make separation. even, SO otiio1is
that the most noble men and women
choose a life OF concealed misery"
and again ''If the only way OF es-
cape /om such infamous laws. by
waict all power is placed in the
hands of man is through divorce. then
1t is n hospitable door to open for
those who wish TO escape
Nor arc such sentiments things OF
the past. The Rev. Anna Shaw. who
has spoken in Richmond within the
last few years under the auspices of
the Equal Suffrage League of yir-
gina" says The marriage ceremony
should he cut out ! have a different
service for Zach marriage. The prin-
pals consult ne beforehand. and we
prepare the vows according to the
views ard convictions of the couples"
Can we wonder that Bishop More
land. OF the Episcopal Diocese OF
Sacramento. is CRYING out against the
recent alarming increase OF divorce
which is threatening TO undermine the
homes of California pointing to
montana, Washington. Colorado and
California Gall suffrage states) as the
worst Offenders and stating that
forty per cent OF the children in
orphanages are the child
rem OF divorced parents?