th of Colorado, always a strong and loyal
supporter of suffrage for women, was on the platform. Dr. Shaw,
introduced by Mrs. Catt as "the Demosthenes of the movement,"
delivered for the first time her impressive speech, The Power of an
Incentive, in which she showed how laws, customs and lack of
opportunity took away the incentive for great work from the life of
women. Until they can have the same that inspires men, she said, they
never can rise to their highest capabilities. No adequate reports of
any of these addresses exist.
The audience waited to hear from Miss Anthony, who was thus described
by a writer present: "The picture that Miss Anthony made during the
evening was one which the delegates will carry away with them to keep.
She wore a black satin gown with a handsome point lace fichu and
draped over her shoulders a soft, white shawl, while close by was a
large jar of lavender hyacinths. Her expressive face reflected every
mood of the evening and it now spoke pride, satisfaction and sorrow.
She told of the joy and gratification she felt in the wonderful galaxy
of women at the convention and the progress of her loved cause, and
when she voiced the wish that she might be with them at the next
convention her words were almost lost in a whirlwind of applause."
Mrs. Catt in closing with a brief address one of the most noteworthy
conventions on record, called attention to what had been the key-note
of her speech before the House Judiciary Committee and said: "We have
asked of Congress the most reasonable thing a great cause ever
demanded--an investigation of conditions in the equal suffrage
States--and on its results we rest our case."
Under the heading Impressions of a Non-combatant a writer in the
Washington _Times_ gave the following opinion:
If there is one convention among the many Washington has seen
which may be called unique, it is that of the National Suffrage
Association. There is nothing like it in the world. There is only
one Susan B. Anthony and there is practically only one suffrage
fight.... In the old days the power of an idea was the only thing
that could have waked up an interest and held the suffragists
together. It took faith and zeal and lots of other things to be a
believer in woman suffrage then. Now it only takes executive
ability and vim and a general interest in public affairs.... The
problems discussed were almost purely legal and eco
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