Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
Miss Mary H. Williams (Neb.) reported that, as chairman of a committee
for this purpose, she had sent letters to forty-nine Governors of
States and Territories; twenty-one replies had been received--nine in
favor of full suffrage for women, two of school suffrage only, three
were totally opposed and the others made evasive replies. The nine in
favor were Governors Barber of Wyoming, Routt of Colorado, Mellette of
South Dakota, Winans of Michigan, Thomas of Utah, Burke of North
Dakota, Humphrey of Kansas, Colcord of Nevada, Knapp of Alaska. All of
these were Western men and all Republicans but Winans. Tillman of
South Carolina and Willey of Idaho favored school suffrage alone.
Stone of Mississippi and Fleming of West Virginia answered "no". Gov.
James E. Boyd of Nebraska was opposed, although he would allow women
to vote on school questions. Governor Boyd's election had been
contested on the ground that his father had not been properly
naturalized.
Gov. Thomas M. Holt of North Carolina replied: "I am utterly opposed
to woman suffrage in any shape or form. I have a wife and three
daughters, all married, who are as much opposed to women going into
politics as I am, and they _reflex_ the sentiment of our Southern
women generally."
Gov. Francis P. Fleming of Florida gave nine reasons why he was
opposed, but concluded: "The above objections would not as a rule
apply to church or school elections, and as women are usually much
more pious than men and take more interest in church matters, I am
inclined to think it would be well for them to vote at church
elections, and am not aware of any particular objection to their
voting at school elections."
The address of Mrs. Orra Langhorne (Va.) was read by her niece, Miss
Henderson Dangerfield. It gave a charming picture of the oldtime
Southern woman, her responsible social position, her care for her
great household in her own small world; described how she was
handicapped by tradition and lack of intellectual training; depicted
the changed conditions since the war and her gradual awakening to the
demands of modern life and the need of larger rights.
Lucy Stone was not able to be present and a letter from her was read
by her husband, Mr. Blackwell:
DEAR FRIENDS:--Wherever woman suffragists are gathered together
in the name of equal rights, there am I always in spirit with
them. Although unable to be present in person, my glad greeting
goes to you, every one, to those who have borne the heat and
burden of the day, and to the strong, brave, younger workers who
have come to lighten the load and help bring the victory. The
work still calls for patient perseverance and ceaseless endeavor;
but we have every reason to rejoice when there are so many gains
and when favorable conditions abound on every hand. The end is
not yet in sight, but it can not be far away. The road before us
is shorter than the road behind.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account