is the most progressive believer in woman and admirer of you, dear
Susan, that I know. He is in full sympathy with all of our ideas. I am
sure that as a friend of mine, appreciated by me as highly as you are by
any woman living, you will not place me in the position of declining to
have this work done. Please do not take counsel of women who are so
prejudiced that, as I once heard said, they would not allow a male
grasshopper to chirp on their lawn; but out of your own great heart,
refuse to set an example to such folly."

Mr. Taft himself wrote Miss Anthony: "I can put myself in your place
sufficiently to appreciate in part the objections which you or your
friends may feel toward having the work done by a man. My only regret is
that I am not to be allowed to pay this tribute to one whom I was early
taught to honor and revere.... Come to think of it, I believe I am
provoked after all. Sex is but an accident, and it seems to me that it
has no more to do with art than has the artist's complexion or the
political party he votes with." Again from Miss Willard: "Do you not
see, my friend and comrade, that having engaged a noble and large-minded
young man, who believes as we do, to make that bust, engaged him in good
faith and announced it to the public, it is a 'little rough on me,' as
the boys say, for my dear sister to wish me to break my contract? We can
not have too many busts of you, so let Miss Johnson go on and make hers,
and let me have mine, and let those other women make theirs, and we will
yet have one of them in the House of Representatives at Washington, the
other in the Senate, the third in the White House!... My dear mother and
Anna wish to be remembered to you, knowing that you are one of our best
and most trusted friends, only I must say that you are a naughty woman
in this matter of the 'statoot.'" Miss Anthony's common sense finally
induced her to waive objections and she gave Mr. Taft as many sittings
as he desired. When the work was finished Miss Willard wrote: "My
beloved Susan, your statue is perfect. Lady Henry and I think that _one_
man has seen your great, benignant soul and shown it in permanent
material."

The 25th of May Miss Anthony attended a meeting of the Ohio association
at Salem, where had been held in April, 1850, the second woman's rights
convention in all history. There was present one of the pioneers who had
called that convention, Emily, wife of Marius Robinson, editor of the
Anti-Sla