HE SA S ID

SPEECHES BY CONTENTS

Emmeline • Freedom or Death ...... 5

Elizabeth Cady Stanton • The Destructive Male ...... 12

Susan B. Anthony • On Women’s Right to Vote ...... 16

Carrie Chapman Catt • Address to Congress ...... 19

Christabel Pankhurst • On Women’s ...... 25

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS BOOKLET DESIGNED BY DIANA VROEGINDAY

3 INTRO

freedom or death

On Election Day in 1920, millions of American women exer- cised their right to vote for the first time. It took activists and reformers nearly 100 years to win that right, and the campaign was not easy: Dis- agreements over strategy threatened to cripple the movement more than once. But on August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was finally ratified, enfranchising all American women and declaring for the first time that they, like men, deserve all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

The campaign for women’s suffrage began in earnest in the decades before the Civil War. During the 1820s and 30s, most states had extended the franchise to all white men, regardless of how much money or property they had. At the same time, all sorts of reform groups were proliferating across the –temperance clubs, religious movements and moral-reform societies, anti-slavery organizations–and in many of these, women played a prominent role. Meanwhile, many American women were beginning to chafe against what historians have called the “Cult of True Womanhood”: that is, the idea that the only “true” woman was a pious, submissive wife and mother concerned exclusively with home and family. Put together, all of these contributed to a new way of thinking about what it meant to be a Pankhurst, known for her theatrics, addressed crowds from a stretcher, broke out woman and a citizen in the United States. of prison, got smuggled into lecture halls to avoid the police, and spoke from automobiles and pretty much any venue she could find. Her “Freedom or Death” speech, considered her most famous, happened in Hartford, Connecticut, on a fundraising tour of the United States that took place late in 1913. She traveled there with a warrant on her head.

4 5 I do not come here as an advocate, trying to make our case clear, always they couldn't wait any longer, when is fed. Well, we know perfectly well because whatever position the suffrage have to make as part of our argument, they laid all the arguments before an which baby is attended to first. That is movement may occupy in the United and urge upon men in our audience obstinate British government that the whole history of politics. You have States of America, in England it has the fact — a very simple fact — that they could think of, and when their to make more noise than anybody else, passed beyond the realm of advocacy women are human beings. arguments were absolutely disregard- you have to make yourself more ob- and it has entered into the sphere of ed, when every other means had failed, trusive than anybody else, you have to practical politics. It has become the Suppose the men of Hartford had a they began by the tea party at Boston, fill all the papers more than anybody subject of revolution and civil war, and grievance, and they laid that griev- and they went on until they had won else, in fact you have to be there all the so tonight I am not here to advocate ance before their legislature, and the the independence of the United States time and see that they do not snow woman suffrage. American suffragists legislature obstinately refused to listen of America. you under. can do that very well for themselves. to them, or to remove their grievance, what would be the proper and the It is about eight years since the word When you have warfare things happen; I am here as a soldier who has constitutional and the practical way militant was first used to describe what people suffer; the noncombatants temporarily left the field of battle in of getting their grievance removed? we were doing. It was not militant at suffer as well as the combatants. And order to explain — it seems strange it Well, it is perfectly obvious at the next all, except that it provoked militancy so it happens in civil war. When your should have to be explained general election the men on the part of those who were opposed forefathers threw the tea into Boston — what civil war of Hartford would to it. When women asked questions Harbour, a good many women had is like when turn out that in political meetings and failed to get to go without their tea. It has always civil war is legislature answers, they were not doing any- seemed to me an extraordinary waged by “I am here and elect a thing militant. In Great Britain it is a thing that you did not follow it up by women. new one. custom, a time-honoured one, to ask throwing the whiskey overboard; you I am not questions of candidates for parliament sacrificed the women; and there is a only here as a soldier But let and ask questions of members of the good deal of warfare for which men as a soldier the men government. No man was ever put out take a great deal of glorification which temporari- of Hartford of a public meeting for asking a ques- has involved more practical sacrifice ly absent from imagine that they tion. The first people who were put out on women than it has on any man. the field at battle; I were not in the position of a political meeting for asking ques- It always has been so. The grievanc- am here — and that, I think, is the of being voters at all, that they were tions, were women; they were brutally es of those who have got power, the strangest part of my coming — I am governed without their consent being ill-used; they found themselves in jail influence of those who have got power here as a person who, according to the obtained, that the legislature turned an before 24 hours had expired. commands a great deal of attention; law courts of my country, it has been absolutely deaf ear to their demands, but the wrongs and the grievances of decided, is of no value to the what would the men of Hartford do We were called militant, and we were those people who have no power at all community at all; and I am adjudged then? They couldn't vote the legislature quite willing to accept the name. We are apt to be absolutely ignored. That because of my life to be a dangerous out. They would have to choose; they were determined to press this question is the history of humanity right from person, under sentence of penal would have to make a choice of two of the enfranchisement of women to the beginning. servitude in a convict prison. evils: they would either have to submit the point where we were no longer to indefinitely to an unjust state of affairs, be ignored by the politicians. Well, in our civil war people have suf- It is not at all difficult if revolutionaries or they would have to rise up and fered, but you cannot make omelettes come to you from Russia, if they come adopt some of the antiquated means You have two babies very hungry without breaking eggs; you cannot to you from China, or from any other by which men in the past got their and wanting to be fed. One baby is a have civil war without damage to part of the world, if they are men. But grievances remedied. patient baby, and waits indefinitely something. The great thing is to see since I am a woman it is necessary until its mother is ready to feed it. The that no more damage is done than is to explain why women have adopted Your forefathers decided that they other baby is an impatient baby and absolutely necessary, that you do just revolutionary methods in order to win must have representation for taxation, cries lustily, screams and kicks and as much as will arouse enough feeling the rights of citizenship. We women, in many, many years ago. When they felt makes everybody unpleasant until it to bring about peace, to bring about an

6 7 honourable peace for the combatants; it at all: instead of the women giving and that is what we have been doing. it up, more women did it, and more We entirely prevented stockbrokers in and more and more women did it from telegraphing to until there were 300 women at a time, stockbrokers in Glasgow and vice who had not broken a single law, only versa: for one whole day telegraphic "made a nuisance of themselves" as the communication was entirely stopped. politicians say. I am not going to tell you how it was done. I am not going to tell you how Then they began to legislate. The the women got to the mains and cut British government has passed more the wires; but it was done. It was done, stringent laws to deal with this and it was proved to the authorities agitation than it ever found necessary that weak women, suffrage women, during all the history of political as we are supposed to be, had enough agitation in my country. They were ingenuity to create a situation of that able to deal with the revolutionaries of kind. Now, I ask you, if women can do the Chartists' time; they were able to that, is there any limit to what we can deal with the trades union agitation; do except the limit we they were able to deal put upon our- with the selves? revolution— “You cannot aries later If you are on when dealing make omelettes without the with an Reform industrial breaking eggs.” Acts were revolution, passed: but if you get the the ordinary men and women of law has not sufficed one class rising up against to curb insurgent women. the men and women of another class, They had to dip back into the middle you can locate the difficulty; if there ages to find a means of repressing the is a great industrial strike, you know women in revolt. They have said to exactly where the violence is and how us, government rests upon force, the the warfare is going to be waged; but women haven't force, so they must in our war against the government submit. Well, we are showing them you can't locate it. We wear no mark; that government does not rest upon we belong to every class; we permeate force at all: it rests upon consent. As every class of the community from long as women consent to be unjustly the highest to the lowest; and so you governed, they can be, but directly see in the woman's civil war the dear women say: "We withhold our consent, men of my country are discovering it we will not be governed any longer is absolutely impossible to deal with it: so long as that government is unjust." Pankhurst seated on lap of woman holding umbrella, facing right; at you cannot locate it, and you cannot Not by the forces of civil war can you stop it. "Put them in prison," they said, govern the very weakest woman. You time of her re-arrest, May 26, 1913. "that will stop it." But it didn't stop can kill that woman, but she escapes

8 9 you then; you cannot govern her. No human beings by force. There may give way; it is impossible. And so this life is to be sacrificed it shall be ours; power on earth can govern a human be doctors in this meeting: if so, they "Cat and Mouse Act" which is being we won't do it ourselves, but we will being, however feeble, who withholds know it is one thing to feed by force an used against women today has failed. put the enemy in the position where his or her consent. insane person; but it is quite another There are women lying at death's door, they will have to choose between thing to feed a sane, resisting human recovering enough strength to giving us freedom or giving us death. When they put us in prison at first, being who resists with every nerve undergo operations who have not simply for taking petitions, we and with every fibre of her body the given in and won't give in, and who So here am I. I come in the intervals of submitted; we allowed them to dress indignity and the outrage of will be prepared, as soon as they get prison appearance. I come after having us in prison clothes; we allowed them forcible feeding. Now, that was done in up from their sick beds, to go on as been four times imprisoned under the to put us in solitary confinement; England, and the government thought before. There are women who are "Cat and Mouse Act", probably going we allowed them to put us amongst they had crushed us. But they found being carried from their sick beds on back to be rearrested as soon as I set the most degraded of criminals; we that it did not quell the agitation, that stretchers into meetings. They are too my foot on British soil. I come to ask learned of some of the appalling evils more and more women came in and weak to speak, but they go amongst you to help to win this fight. If we win of our so-called civilisation that we even passed that terrible ordeal, and their fellow workers just to show that it, this hardest of all fights, then, to could not have learned in any other they were obliged to let them go. their spirits are unquenched, and that be sure, in the future it is going to be way. It was valuable experience, and we their spirit is alive, and they mean to made easier for women all over the were glad to get it. Then came the legislation — the "Cat go on as long as life lasts. world to win their fight when their and Mouse Act." The time comes. I have seen men Now, I want to say to you who think smile when “We were said: "Give me women cannot succeed, we have they heard the power brought the government of England the words called militant, and we to let these to this position, that it has to face this "hunger women alternative: either women are to be strike", were quite willing to go when killed or women are to have the vote. and yet they are I ask American men in this meeting, I think accept the name at death's what would you say if in your state you there are very door, and leave were faced with that alternative, that few men today them at liberty you must either kill them or give them who would be prepared to under license until they their citizenship? Well, there is only adopt a "" for any cause. have recovered their health again and one answer to that alternative, there is It is only people who feel an intoler- then bring them back." It was passed only one way out - you must give those able sense of oppression who would to repress the agitation, to make the women the vote. adopt a means of that kind. It means women yield - because that is what it you refuse food until you are at death's has really come to, ladies and gentle- You won your freedom in door, and then the authorities have to men. It has come to a battle between America when you had the revolution, choose between letting you die, and the women and the government as to by bloodshed, by sacrificing human letting you go; and then they let the who shall yield first, whether they will life. You won the civil war by the sacri- women go. yield and give us the vote, or whether fice of human life when you decided to we will give up our agitation. emancipate the negro. You have left it Now, that went on so long that the to women in your land, the men of all government felt that they were unable Well, they little know what women civilised countries have left it to to cope. It was [then] that, to the are. Women are very slow to rouse, women, to work out their own shame of the British government, they but once they are aroused, once they salvation. That is the way in which we set the example to authorities all over are determined, nothing on earth and women of England are doing. Human the world of feeding sane, resisting nothing in heaven will make women life for us is sacred, but we say if any

10 11 I urge a sixteenth amendment, because condition of everything, when we re- ‘manhood suffrage,’ or a man’s member that man, who represents but government, is civil, religious, and half a complete being, with but half an social disorganization. The male idea on every subject, has undertaken the destructive male element is a destructive force, stern, the absolute control of all selfish, aggrandizing, loving war, vio- sublunary matters. lence, conquest, acquisition, breeding People object to the demands of in the material and moral world alike those whom they choose to call the discord, disorder, disease, and death. strong-minded, because they say ‘the See what a record of blood and cruelty right of suffrage will make the women the pages of history reveal! masculine.’ That is just the difficulty in which we are involved Through what slavery, slaughter, and today. Though disfranchised, we have sacrifice, through what inquisitions few women in the best sense; we have and imprisonments, pains simply so many and persecutions, reflections, black codes varieties, and and gloomy “Society dilutions creeds, of the the masculine soul of is but the reflection gender. humanity The has strug- of man himself strong, gled for the natural centuries, while characteristics of mercy has veiled her face womanhood are repressed and all hearts have been dead alike to and ignored in dependence, for so love and hope! long as man feeds woman she will try The male element has held high to please the giver and adapt herself carnival thus far; it has fairly run riot to his condition. To keep a foothold from the beginning, overpowering in society, woman must be as near the feminine element everywhere, like man as possible, reflect his ideas, crushing out all the diviner qualities in opinions, virtues, motives, Women’s rights pioneer Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902) gave this powerful human nature, until we know but little prejudices, and vices. She must speech in 1868 at the Women’s Suffrage Convention in Washington, D.C. Twenty of true manhood and womanhood, of respect his statutes, though they strip the latter comparatively nothing, for it her of every inalienable right, and years earlier, at Seneca Falls, New York, she had helped to launch the women’s has scarce been recognized as a power conflict with that higher law written by rights movement in America. Stanton worked tirelessly for more than a half until within the last century. the finger of God on her own soul. century to obtain voting rights for American women and also questioned the so- Society is but the reflection of man She must look at everything from its cial and political norms of her day which excluded women. himself, untempered by woman’s dollar-and-cent point of view, or she thought; the hard iron rule we feel is a mere romancer. She must accept alike in the church, the state, and the things as they are and make the best home. No one need wonder at the of them. To mourn over the miseries disorganization, at the fragmentary of others, the poverty of the poor, their

12 13 hardships in jails, prisons, asylums, and forces of nature, are powers of the horrors of war, cruelty, and destruction when used to subjugate brutality in every form, all this would one man to another or to sacrifice be mere sentimentalizing. To protest nations to ambition. Here that great against the intrigue, bribery, and cor- conservator of woman’s love, if ruption of public life, to desire that her permitted to assert itself, as it naturally sons might follow some business that would in freedom against oppression, did not involve lying, cheating, and a violence, and war, would hold all these hard, grinding selfishness, would be destructive forces in check, for woman arrant nonsense. In this way man has knows the cost of life better than man been molding woman to his ideas by does, and not with her consent would direct and positive one drop of blood ever be shed, one influences, while she, if not a life sacrificed in vain. negation, has used indirect means With violence and disturbance in the to control him, and in most cases natural world, we see a constant effort developed the very characteristics to maintain an equilibrium of forces. both in him and herself that needed Nature, like a loving mother, is ever repression. And now man himself trying to keep land and sea, mountain stands appalled at the and valley, each in its results of his own place, to hush the excesses, and angry winds mourns in “There is a and waves, bitterness balance that false- striking analogy the ex- hood, tremes of selfish- between matter and heat and ness, and cold, of rain violence are mind and drought, the law of life. that peace, harmo- The need of this hour is ny, and beauty may not territory, gold mines, railroads, or reign supreme. specie payments but a new evangel There is a striking analogy between of womanhood, to exalt purity, virtue, matter and mind, and the present morality, true religion, to lift man up disorganization of society warns us into the higher realms of thought and that in the dethronement of woman we action. have let loose the elements of violence We ask woman’s enfranchisement, as and ruin that she only has the power to the first step toward the recognition curb. If the civilization of the age calls of that essential element in govern- for an extension of the suffrage, surely ment that can only secure the health, a government of the most virtuous ed- strength, and prosperity of the nation. ucated men and women would better For example, the love of acquisition represent the whole and protect the Stanton, seated, with fellow Susan B. Anthony, and conquest, the very pioneers of interests of all than could the civilization, when expended on the representation of either sex alone. earth, the sea, the elements, the riches

14 15 Friends and fellow citizens: I stand provided by this democratic-republi- SUSAN B. ANTHONY before you tonight under can government — the ballot. indictment for the alleged crime of For any state to make sex a having voted at the last presidential qualification that must ever result in election, without having a lawful the of one entire on women’s right to vote right to vote. It shall be my work this half of the people, is to pass a bill of evening to prove to you that in thus attainder, or, an ex post facto law, and voting, I not only committed no crime, is therefore a violation of the supreme but, instead, simply exercised my law of the land. By it the blessings citizen’s rights, guaranteed to me and of liberty are forever withheld from all United States citizens by the Na- women and their female posterity. To tional Constitution, beyond the power them this government has no just pow- of any state to deny. ers derived from the consent of the The preamble of the Federal governed. To them this government is Constitution says: not a democracy. It is “We, the not a republic. people It is an of the “Being persons, then, odious United aristoc- States, women are citizens racy; a in order hateful to form a oligarchy more perfect of sex; the most union, establish hateful aristocracy ever justice, insure domestic tranquillity, established on the face of the globe; provide for the common defense, an oligarchy of wealth, where the rich promote the general welfare, and govern the poor. secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain The only question left to be settled and establish this Constitution for the now is: Are women persons? And I United States of America.” hardly believe any of our opponents will have the hardihood to say they It was we, the people; not we, the are not. Being persons, then, women white male citizens; nor yet we, the are citizens; and no state has a right to In the 1800s, women in the United States had few legal rights and did not have male citizens; but we, the whole make any law, or to enforce any old the right to vote. This speech was given by Susan B. Anthony after her arrest people, who formed the Union. And law, that shall abridge their privileges for casting an illegal vote in the presidential election of 1872. She was tried we formed it, not to give the blessings or immunities. Hence, every of liberty, but to secure them; not to discrimination against women in the and then fined $100 but refused to pay. Following her death in 1906, after five the half of ourselves and the half of constitutions and laws of the several decades of tireless work, the Democratic and Republican parties both endorsed our posterity, but to the whole people states is today null and void, precisely women’s right to vote. In August of 1920, the 19th Amendment to the - women as well as men. And it is a as is every one against Negroes. downright mockery to talk to women U.S. Constitution was finally ratified, allowing women to vote. of their enjoyment of the blessings of liberty while they are denied the use of the only means of securing them

16 17 CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT

address to congress

Key coordinator of the woman suffrage movement and political strategist, Carrie Chapman Catt revitalized the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) and played a leading role in its successful campaign to win voting rights for women. In 1920 she founded the League of Women Voters upon ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The following is the text of a speech given by Carrie Chapman Catt before Congress in 1917, as part of the last years of the suffrage campaign.

18 19 Woman suffrage is inevitable. Suffrag- nearest to our hearts: for democracy, ists knew it before November 4, 1917; for the right of those who submit to opponents afterward. Three distinct authority to have a voice in their causes made it inevitable. First, the own government." history of our country. Ours is a nation born of revolution, of rebellion All the way between these against a system of government so immortal aphorisms political leaders securely entrenched in the customs have declared unabated faith in their and traditions of human society that in truth. Not one American has arisen to 1776 it seemed impregnable. From the question their logic in the 141 years beginning of things, nations had been of our national existence. However ruled by kings and for kings, while stupidly our country may have evaded the people served and paid the cost. the logical application at times, it has The American Revolutionists boldly never swerved from its devotion to proclaimed the heresies: "Taxation the theory of democracy as expressed without representation is tyranny." by those two axioms. With such a "Governments derive their just powers history behind it, how can our nation from the consent of the governed." The escape the logic it has never failed to colonists won, and the follow, when its last nation which was un-enfranchised established class calls for as a result “Ours is a the vote? of their Behold victory nation born out of our has held Uncle unfailing- Sam ly that these revolution.” floating two funda- the banner mental principles with one hand, of democratic government "Taxation without represen- are not only the spiritual source of our tation is tyranny," and with the other national existence but have been our seizing the billions of dollars paid in chief historic pride and at all times the taxes by women to whom he refuses sheet anchor of our liberties. "representation." Behold him again, welcoming the boys of twenty-one Eighty years after the Revolution, and the newly made immigrant citizen Abraham Lincoln welded those two to "a voice in their own government" maxims into a new one: "Ours is a while he denies that fundamental right government of the people, by the of democracy to thousands of women people, and for the people." Fifty years public school teachers from whom more passed and the president of the many of these men learn all they know United States, Woodrow Wilson, in a of citizenship and patriotism, to wom- mighty crisis of the nation, proclaimed en college presidents, to women who to the world: "We are fighting for the preach in our pulpits, interpret law in things which we have always carried our courts, preside over our hospitals,

20 21 write books and magazines, and serve eventually be ordained in all the and fourteen others where suffrage for antagonize the women of the land in every uplifting moral and social nation. No one will deny it. The only women is more limited than in many more and more, and when the party or enterprise. Is there a single man who question left is when and how will it be foreign countries. parties which have so delayed woman can justify such inequality of completely established. Third, the suffrage finally let it come, their treatment, such outrageous discrimi- leadership of the United States in Do you realize that when you ask sincerity will be doubted and their nation? Not one... world democracy compels the women to take their cause to state ref- appeal to the new voters will be met enfranchisement of its own women. erendum you compel them to do this: with suspicion. This is the psychology Second, the suffrage for women The maxims of the Declaration were that you drive women of of the situation. Can you afford the already established in the United once called "fundamental principles education, refinement, achievement, risk? Think it over. States makes women suffrage for the of government." They are now called to beg men who cannot read for their nation inevitable. When Elihu Root, "American principles" or even political freedom? Do you realize that We know you will meet opposition. as president of the American Society "Americanisms." They have become such anomalies as a college president There are a few "women haters" left, a of International Law, at the eleventh the slogans of every movement toward asking her janitor to give her a vote are few "old males of the tribe," as Vance annual meeting in Washington, April political liberty the world around, of overstraining the patience and driving Thompson calls them, whose duty 26, 1917, said, "The world cannot be every effort to widen the suffrage for women to desperation? Do you realize they believe it to be to keep women in half democratic and half men or women in any that women in increasing numbers in- the places they have carefully picked autocratic. It must land. Not a people, dignantly resent the long delay in their out for them. Treitschke, made world be all demo— race, or class enfranchisement? Your party famous by war literature, said some cratic or all “Woman striving for platforms have pledged women years ago, "Germany, which knows all Prussian. freedom is suffrage. Then why not be honest, about Germany and France, knows far There Suffrage there any- frank friends of our cause, adopt it in better what is good for can be where in reality as your own, make it a Alsace-Lorraine than that miserable no com— the world party program, and "fight with us"? people can possibly know." A few promise," is inevitable” that has As a party measure — a measure of all American Treitschkes we have who he voiced a not made our parties — why not put the amendment know better than women what is good general truth. axioms the chief through Congress and the legislatures? for them. There are women, too, with Precisely the same weapon of the struggle. We shall all be better friends, we shall "slave souls" and "clinging vines" for intuition has already taught the More, all men and women the world have a happier nation, we women will backbones. There are female dolls blindest and most hostile foe of around, with farsighted vision into be free to support loyally the party of and male dandies. But the world does woman suffrage that our nation the verities of things, know that the our choice, and we shall be far prouder not wait for such as these, nor does cannot long continue a condition world tragedy of our day is not now of our history. liberty pause to heed the plaint of men under which government in half its being waged over the assassination of and women with a grouch. She does territory rests upon the consent of an archduke, nor commercial com- "There is one thing mightier than kings not wait for those who have a special half of the people and in the other half petition, nor national ambitions, nor and armies" — aye, than Congresses interest to serve, nor a selfish reason upon the consent of all the people; a the freedom of the seas. It is a death and political parties — "the power for depriving other people of freedom. condition which grants representation grapple between the forces which deny of an idea when its time has come to Holding her torch aloft, liberty is to the taxed in half of its territory and and those which uphold the truths of move." The time for woman suffrage pointing the way onward and upward denies it in the other half a the Declaration of Independence... has come. The woman's hour has and saying to America, "Come." condition which permits women in struck. If parties prefer to postpone some states to share in the election of Do you realize that in no other country action longer and thus do battle with To you and the supporters of our cause the president, senators, and represen- in the world with democratic tenden- this idea, they challenge the in Senate and House, and the number tatives and denies them that privilege cies is suffrage so completely denied as inevitable. The idea will not perish; is large, the suffragists of the nation in others. It is too obvious to require in a considerable number of our own the party which opposes it may. Every express their grateful thanks. This demonstration that woman suffrage, states? There are thirteen black states delay, every trick, every political dis- address is not meant for you. We are now covering half our territory, will where no suffrage for women exists, honesty from now on will more truly appreciative of all you have

22 23 done than any words can express. We Suffrage Amendment and to use your ask you to make a last, hard fight for influence to secure its ratification in the amendment during the present your own state, in order that the session. Since last we asked a vote on women of our nation may be endowed this amendment, your position has with political freedom before the next on women’s suffrage been fortified by the addition to presidential election, and that our suffrage territory of Great Britain, nation may resume its world leader- Canada, and New York. Some of you ship in democracy. Woman suffrage have been too indifferent to give more is coming -- you know it. Will you, than casual attention to this Honorable Senators and Members of question. It is worthy of your the House of Representatives, help or immediate consideration. A question hinder it? big enough to engage the attention of our allies in wartime is too big a question for you to neglect. Some of you have grown old “We know in party service. you will meet the Are you willing opposition that those who take your places by and by shall blame you for having failed to keep pace with the world and thus having lost for them a party advantage? This speech is said to have been made a few hours after Christabel Pankhurst’s Is there any real gain for you, for your release from prison in 1908. In her speech, Christabel summarises the reasons party, for your nation by delay? Do why members of the WSPU are campaigning for the vote. For example, she you want to drive the progressive men and women out of your party? Some points out that many women pay taxes and that this should entitle them to the of you hold to the doctrine of states' vote. She also states that since parliament discusses issues including education, rights as applying to woman suffrage. housing and employment — issues that are relevant to women - women should Adherence to that theory will keep the United States far behind all other be able to elect an individual to represent their interests as men do. She also democratic nations upon this question. justifies the militant action taken by the WSPU, pointing out that, in the past, A theory which prevents a nation from men have obtained the vote through similar measures. keeping up with the trend of world progress cannot be justified. Gentle- men, we hereby petition you, our only designated representatives, to redress our grievances by the immediate passage of the Federal

24 25 The militant Suffragists who form the moves only in response to pressure. Women’s Social and Political Union Men got the vote, not by persuading are engaged in the attempt to win the but by alarming the legislators. Similar parliamentary vote for the women of vigorous measures must be adopted by this country. women. The excesses of men must be avoided, yet great determination must Their claim is that those women who be shown. The militant methods of the pay rates and taxes and who fill the women today are clearly thought out same qualifications as men voters shall and vigorously pursued. They consist be placed upon the in protesting at public meetings and in parliamentary register. The reasons marching to the House of Commons in why women should have the vote are procession. obvious to every fair-minded person. The British constitution provides that Repressive legislation make protests at taxation and representation shall go public meetings an offence but impris- together. Therefore, women tax payers onment will not deter women from are entitled to vote. Parliament views asking to vote. Deputations to questions of vital interest parliament involve arrest to women such and imprisonment as education, yet more housing deputations and the “We refuse to will go to employ- the House ment wait any longer.” of questions Commons. and upon The present such matters, Liberal gov- women wish to ernment profess express their opinions at to believe in democratic the ballot box. The honour and safety government yet they refuse to carry out of the country are in the hands of their principles in the case of women. Parliament. They must be compelled by a united and determined women’s movement to do Therefore, every patriotic and public justice in this measure…[inaudible]… spirited woman wishes to take part in we have waited too long for political controlling the actions of our legisla- justice; we refuse to wait any longer. tors. For forty years, this reasonable claim has been laid before Parlia- The present government is approaching ment in a quiet and patient manner. the end of its career. Therefore, time Meetings have been held and petitions presses if women are to vote before the signed in favour of votes for women next general election. We are resolved but failure has been the result. The rea- that 1909 must and shall be the political son of this failure is that women have enfranchisement of British women. not been able to bring pressure to bear upon the government and government

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