er said: "By far the most largely attended
meeting the Chamber of Commerce has ever held was that of last evening.
The large attendance was due to the announcement that the new charter
would be discussed by Miss Susan B. Anthony, and the interest of the
meeting was largely due to the fact that, true to her colors, she kept
her engagement...." Miss Anthony's commission had been received from the
governor that day, which fact was announced by President Brickner as he
introduced her, and she was greeted with cheers. In the course of her
speech she said:

Since promising to address this body, I have tried in vain to find
some word which would settle the question with every member present
in favor of so amending the charter as to give our women equal
voice in conducting the affairs of the city. It seems such a
self-evident thing that the mother's opinion should be weighed and
measured in the political scales as well as that of her son. It is
so simple and just that the wife's judgment should be respected and
counted as well as the husband's. And who can give the reason why
the sister's opinion should be ignored and the brother's
honored?... Over 5,000 women of this city pay taxes on real estate,
and who shall say they are not as much interested in every
question of financial expenditure as any 5,000 men; in the public
parks, street railways, grade crossings, pavements, bridges, etc.?
And not only the 5,000 tax-paying women, but all the women of the
city are equally interested in the sanitary condition of our
streets, alleys, schools, police stations, jails and asylums....

To repair the damages of society seems to be the mission assigned
to women, and we ask that the necessary implements shall be placed
in their hands. But, you say, women can be appointed to see to
these matters without voting. Yes, but they are not; and if they
were, without the ballot they would be powerless to effect the
improvements they might find necessary. If the women of this city
had the right to vote, those on the board of charities, for
instance, would not be compelled year after year to beg each member
of every new council for the appointment of some women as city
physicians, as scores of them have done for the past six or eight
years. Had we the right to vote, do you suppose we should have to
plead in vain