New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-02
Bishop Potter and Suffrage
Proofs Produced That He Favored
Votes for Women
To the Editor of The Tribune.

Sir: Several weeks ago, when The Tribune
published letter from W. G. Appleton, Of
Dobb's Ferry, saying be was willing to msks
a sworn statement that Bishop Henry Cod.
man Potter was opposed to woman suffrage.
| began to make an Investigation. This has ,
proved to be very difficult, as the Bishop
died nine years ago, and many Of his con.
temporaries have passed away. The suffrage
petition to the New York Constitutional Con.
vention Of 1894, With he is said to have
signed, was KEEP herry's, in charge Of 4.
number OF wei sn women. OF these
Mrs. Josephine So Lowell, Dr. Mary Put.
nam jacob and rs Henry NJ. Sanders have
died; another is %, i'll to be consulted and
one or two Others cannot be located. The
petition itself was sent to the convention.
and nobody kn pws what became of it.
Miss Susan ] Anthony, who knew Bishop
Potter, often spoke with pride of his being
in favor of woman suffrage. In her biog-
raphy, which was published in 1898, the
statement was made that he signed this
petition. 1t WAS repeated in "The History
of Woman Suffrage" published in 1902, and
it never was denied by the Bishop or any Of
his friends.
The National Suffrage Association has
published for the last ten or fifteen years
leafet of Eminent Opinions" containing
this quotation from Bishop Potter: 1T Ia
grotesque TO claim that great many won en-
are not better trlined and more intelligent
for the use of the ballot than millions u
men; especially women who own property
should have a voice in the affairs Of the
community and the laws which affect prep.
erty." Thousands of these have been eircu-
lated, and ths quotation never was called
into question, nut the most careful search
has failed to discover from what speech or
writing it wa taken, although great care
always Is exercised to have such quotations
authoritative.
Bishop Pot n was connected with the
Church Associ ton for the Advancement OF
the interests IF Labor from its orgsnira-
ton in 1887, art Of the time as its presi.
dent. Miss .rriet A. Keyser was then Its
secretary, and is still with IT, She was sur
prsed to be asked II he was in favor Of
woman suffrage and said that she never had
doubted it, and was positive that he believed
working women especially should have a
vote.
In a volume written by Miss Keyser called
"Bishop Potter, the Peoples Friend shs
quotes from an address which he made to
the women graduates Of Packer Institute,
Brooklyn, in June, 1877, taking Deborah the
Prophecies as his text. On page 6. after
referring to the innate love Of home life by
women, Is this sentence: 1T is not wonder
full in view of these facts, that when any
woman, or set Of women, undertakes 10 break
out of TIE restraints Of home to proclaim a
larger liberty for her sex, or demand what
are called Woman's Rights. there should be
! on the part Of vast majority Of that sex
decided disapproval of their course. =.
But is there not something to be said on
the other aide, and is it not time that It
was said 4. Do not be afraid, then,
to lift your voice in any good cause tat
aims to elevate women 70 equal chance and
equal respect and equal emolument with men
in the great struggle Of life"
Miss Keyser, who was an organizer for
the Stats Suffrage Association, In a report
to this convention in 1898, quoting the min
listers who were in favor of woman suffrage,
gave Bishop Potter as one Of them. This
was at the time when she was constantly
working with him in the sbove-named church
organization and her statement never was
questioned.
| Mrs. William Fl. Hyde, daughter Of Bishop
Potter, writes me that, while she has no
written words on the subject, she feels per.
fectly sure from what she knew Of him and
his views on public questions that he was
unques,ionably friendly to the cause Of
woman suffrage, and that her husband
shares In this opinion. Mrs. Edwin latham.
another daughter, writes: 81 have always
taken Z for granted and, indeed, all reeol-
lections Of talks with my father have led
me to believe, that he was for woman
suffrage, just as he was for all progressive
and vital things"
Miss Virginia Potter, niece Of the
Bishop, writes: AT the time Mrs. LowelPs
petition was being signed there was an In
finite amount Of talk and interest In the
whole suffrage question, and remember OF
nothing then or later TO make me doubt my
uncle's sympathetic attitude toward suffrage
for We men," Other friends and relatives Of
the Bi hop have expressed similar opinions.
Mrs. ne Potter Russell, daughter, who Is
very strong anti-suf7ragist, makes In Ths
Tribur, the simple assertion. "My father
was n & in favor Of extending the suffrage
to woilen."
1t Dc es not seem necessary 70 continue In
vestgt ton along this line. The suffragists
always regarded Bishop Potter as an adyo-
cate their cause, and are greatly sur
p-ised 10 have his position questioned, for
the first time, nine years after his death.
IDA Hustled HARPER.