In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

374 & to Ellen Garrison. The thought was premature: in May 1901, Hay was very active at the association’s annual convention. See SBA to Catharine W. McCulloch, December ? 1900?, and SBA to E. W. Garrison, 15 January 1901, Film, 41:633, 913–15. 6. When pulling out her organizers,Catt may have reacted to the news that Iowa was not to hold a constitutional convention in 1901. Voters defeated the measure by five hundred and fifty-five votes in the November election, though the result was not immediately known. Early reports in newspapers in the East indicated the measure to hold a convention won approval, and the state board of canvassers, when releasing official figures on November 26 and 27, was reported to believe that “the official figures show beyond question” that the convention would be held. One day later, the board reversed itself when it found a clerical error, but few newspapers went back to correct the record, almanacs for 1901 carried the error, and the state suffragists’ report to the National-American anticipated taking their demand to the constitutional convention.(Washington Post,9,19 November 1900; New York Times,9,29 November 1900; Des Moines Daily Leader,28,29 November, 2 December 1900; Report of the Thirty-second Annual Convention, 1900, p. 69, Film, 40:829ff.) ••••••••• 170 • Interview with SBA [1 January 1901] “Many aspersions have been cast upon the so-called ‘new woman,’” said Miss Anthony yesterday to a reporter of this paper, “as the outcome of these sensational charges. 1 It has been said that if this is the result of giving the suffrage to women, and of all her boasted nineteenth century enlightenment and progress, that she had better return to old conditions, or words to that effect.I have never believed these reports for one moment, and I have taken particular pains to satisfy myself as to the truth or falsity of these sensational charges. The letter which I received from the mayor of Wichita, denying all knowledge of any talk of, or attempt at lynching, you have already published, 2 and this letter which I received to-day from the mayor of El Dorado, confirms, with emphasis, the statement of the mayor of Wichita.” 3 The letter to which Miss Susan referred follows: El Dorado, Kansas, Dec. 29, 1900. Miss Susan B. Anthony, Rochester, N.Y. Dear Madam: Your letter of inquiry and newspaper clipping read.The report was 28 december 1900 ^ 375 absolutely without foundation. No meeting of any kind was ever held in this city by women or men to even talk of such a brutal affair. This report, I suppose, emanated and got away from some irresponsible newspaper reporter. The very first intimation I had of such a thing was a telegram from the New York Journal asking about this reported meeting, which was promptly denied. Miss Morrison is now at her father’s home in this city, he is my neighbor, and she is as safe as my own daughter from any harm or violence from the people of El Dorado. Very sincerely, W. W. Bugbee, Mayor. “Of course,” continued Miss Susan, “just as soon as the cry of wolf is heard the cause is laid at the door of woman suffrage. The people and the press immediately begin to cry for the ‘good old times when woman was the clinging vine,’ and all that. They either forget, or willfully overlook, the part which the ‘clinging vines’ of the good old times played in those same old times. For instance, to go back only so recently as the French revolution , History gives us instances of the most insatiable brutality on the part of the women of France during that bloody period. They were among the most ferocious of the French citizens, they frequently led the mobs, and incited them to the most bloody deeds, in which they did not hesitate to take an active part. “Again in England in 1766, we are told of the mob at the pillory, and the women having the front places because they could not throw as straight as the men, and they were furnished with baskets of missiles which they hurled with zest at the unfortunate victims of the pillory, whether these were men or women. 4 The first women actresses in England were pelted off the stage for shocking the sensitive feelings of the women of that period by thus appearing in public, and this was done by the men and women in...

Share