Rev. Oscar Clute, of New Jersey, thought that his State had done more for the cause of woman suffrage than many others. Mary F. Davis and others had resided there.
Mrs. M. V. Longley reported that in Ohio desirable progress was manifested, and that if the coming year was as successful as the past the cause would progress well. Societies, some thirty-two in number, had been organized, and everywhere the work went on well.
Mr. Henry B. Blackwell made a report for New Hampshire, where he was assured by Mrs. White and Pipher, now present, that the cause had never been so strong before.
Owing to the exceedingly inclement weather, the attendance upon the evening session of the Convention was light.
All the States represented having reported except Missouri, Mrs. Hazard, one of the delegates from that State, spoke briefly, showing that the movement is making satisfactory advance.
Judge Whitehead, New Jersey, regarded the woman suffrage question as the most important topic before the American people. The only question to be asked in connection with this movement is, is it right, is it just?—not, is it expedient? With regard to the legal and constitutional conditions of this question, he said that he believed that women had a right to vote without any change in the organic law of the Nation. The speaker proceeded to discuss this question at some length, with the purpose of demonstrating that in virtue of the principle and practice of the Government of the United States in securing the ballot to men, the right to vote equally belonged to women. The speaker continued at length in advocacy of the ballot for woman as a necessity for securing her rights and remedying her wrongs.
The President, with some prefatory remarks, introduced Miss Rice, of Antioch College. Miss Rice announced as the theme of her address, "Woman's Work," and said that the work proper for woman is whatever she has the ability and opportunity to do. Miss Rice embraced in the discussion of her topic, considerations as to the duty of parents in rearing and teaching their children, demanding that the same principle under which boys were reared should be applied to girls, and the duty of society, which must recognize the necessity of women being instructed and taught in all that man has access to. She deprecated as one of the worst evils of our civilization that men and women were being all the time more widely separated. They must be brought nearer together.
Mrs. M. M. Cole said: That we are still so far from enfranchisement is mainly the fault of women themselves. Home talks, not Mrs. Caudle's fault-finding lectures, will do more toward convincing men of the righteousness of their demand, than all the public harangues to which they can listen. Comparatively speaking, there are few men who do not listen and heed the counsels of a good wife, few who will not yield a willing or reluctant assent to her requests. For every exception, there may be found a wife who has never given evidence of candid, far-reaching thought; and when a man is in possession of such a one, he is not to be censured for wishing to keep the reins in his own hand.
When all women ask for the ballot, they shall have it, say many politicians. In all probability, the wives of these men have never asked it—in