and abundant harvest your faithful seed-sowing has
brought to humanity. The irrational sentiment, based upon
the methods and customs of barbarous times, is rapidly
yielding to reason. The world is learning--women are
learning--that character, even womanly character, does not
suffer from too much breadth of thought, or from too active
a sympathy in human interests and human affairs, but is ever
enriched by a larger circle of ideas, larger experience, and
more extended activities.

The advance of women in position and influence has been
especially great during the past year, and in directions
especially cheering and hopeful to the heart of every woman.
In national political conventions, as your call so justly
says, she has "actively participated in the discussion of
candidates, platforms and principles." The last mile-stone
before the goal has been reached and passed!

Your convention will offer the final opportunity to the
Republican party. Will it be wise enough to seize it for
self preservation, if not from principle? Will there be
found in this party enough of spiritual life to lay hold of
the help now proffered it, and once more renew its strength
thereby? Or will it, as so repeatedly in the past, turn a
deaf ear to reason, and still continue to deny the rights of
half the human family? If so, if it continue deaf, dumb and
blind, then the Republican party has no longer any function,
and the power of government will pass forever from its
hands. The sixteenth amendment to the national constitution
is coming, but it will be the crown of blessing and of fame
of another party that will inaugurate this era in social
life! I take the liberty to send loving greetings to you and
the convention in the name of our Wisconsin Equal Suffrage
society. I hope our bright, eloquent Rev. Olympia Brown will
be with you. Of Wisconsin's eleven representatives in
congress, I am happy to make honorable mention, as
broad-minded advocates of our cause, of three, Cameron,
Price and Stephenson. In earnest sympathy with the object
and method of the convention, and with high regard for