Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
Detroit sent an invitation for the next convention and Mrs. Richard
Williams of Buffalo, N. Y., presented one from that city with a
guarantee from the State Suffrage Association of $1,000 toward the
expenses. While these were appreciated the invitation from Portland,
Ore., was the choice. It was presented by Dr. Annice Jeffreys for the
association and by the Hon. Jefferson Myers in behalf of the Lewis and
Clark Exposition to be held in 1905, which the convention gave a
hearty endorsement.
The last evening found the large armory filled to the doors. Mrs.
Evelyn H. Belden (Ia.) made a delightful address on The Main Line,
which thoroughly disproved the assertion that women have no sense of
humor, as the audience testified by frequent laughter and applause.
Mrs. L. Annis Pound (Mich.) discussed the Problem of the Individual.
"A woman's value to society," she said, "will increase in direct ratio
as her value as an individual increases. Woman as the potential mother
of the race owes it to posterity to develop the noblest, strongest
type of individualism. She must be first a human being, a personality,
a member of society." Mrs. J. Ellen Foster, president of the National
Women's Republican Association, who had made political speeches from
ocean to ocean, told in a most entertaining manner of Campaigning in
Free States and paid a glowing tribute to the beneficial effects of
woman suffrage in the States where it existed.
Towards the end of the evening Mrs. Catt presented Miss Anthony and as
she came forward she brought Miss Barton with her and the audience
rose in heartfelt recognition of the two great leaders. "It seemed
unable quite fully to express its pleasure," said the _Evening Star_,
"and applauded again and again, as Miss Barton bowed and Miss Anthony
looked smilingly and benignly out over the enthusiastic crowds." She
expressed in words of affection and esteem her pleasure in appearing
on that platform with one who had stood by her from the beginning of
her work and Miss Barton responded in the same strain, giving then as
always her adherence to Miss Anthony and the cause of woman suffrage.
A national suffrage convention never seemed to be properly ended
unless Dr. Shaw made a speech at the close and for this one she chose
the subject, Woman without a Country, and with her matchless eloquence
described the position of women under the flag of a Government in
which they had no voice. Mrs. Catt spoke the president's inspiring
farewell words and the convention adjourned to meet next time in the
far northwest.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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