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534 & ••••••••• 264 • Thomas C. Platt to SBA Washington [D.C.] January 3, 1905. My dear Miss Anthony: Your letter of December the 21st reached me duly, and should have received an earlier acknowledgment except that my time has been so completely engrossed with business and politics, and your letter did not call for an immediate response. 1 You know, of course, what my feeling and attitude are on the question concerning which you write. I should be glad to pursue a course that would be pleasing to you and your associates,but I am only one of a large number of gentlemen who would be concerned in such legislation, and I am frank to admit that the majority is against me. Perhaps some time in the future, after you and I are dead, the ideal for which you have so heartily contended may be realized. Very truly yours, U T. C Platt Y TLS, on letterhead of U.S. Senate, HM 10707, Ida Harper Collection, CSmH. 1. Presumably she wrote him her thoughts on the bill he introduced to reduce the representation of states that barred African-American men from voting. ••••••••• 265 • SBA to Mary McHenry Keith Rochester, N.Y. January 28th, 1905. My dear Friend—¶1 I have received your article in the Berkeley Gazette.It is good.I notice that you gave $500 towards the campaign at the Los Angeles Convention . It was splendid of you. Every time I pass through the parlor I take a look at the beautiful picture of the Yosemite Valley that hangs over the fire-place, and send a good thought to Mr. Keith and you over in Cal. It is a lovely picture and I am glad enough that he sent it to me. It is so comforting to look at it and think that nature stands firm. 1 3 january 1905 ^ 535¶2 I am glad that the big trees of the Calaveres group are to be “fathered” by the government of Roosevelt. 2 The time will come perhaps when we can say “mothered” too, but I fear it is not yet. Rumor says that your legislature has voted down the amendment. 3 Is that so? Who managed it and what was the cause? It seems to me they were very quick in their saying “No.” It is too bad. Can’t some man who voted for putting it out move a reconsideration? I think you women should go up to Sacramento and make that legislature hum. It is wicked that it has refused to submit the question after the glorious work that has been done by Miss Laughlin 4 and others and the amount of money that has been spent. It is a shame and a disgrace that the legislature gave it no more consideration , that is, if it is true that it has voted it down. I believe thoroughly that you could carry it with the people, if you could only get it past the politicians, but we have come now to meet the political necessities of the times.It is because the politicians know it is very likely to be carried that they object to submitting it.¶3 Mrs. Shafter Howard has sent me the “Bulletin” of San Francisco, which says “Wheeler Wrestles with Co-Ed Problems.” 5 He talks as if the women were forcing the men out of the culture colleges. Doesn’t he see that the establishment of the six special technical colleges draws the men off to study in them instead of to the literary and culture studies , as he calls the regular old-fashioned college course. It will not be women’s fault if the men study only the technical. The rage for money nowadays drives them to the study of those branches, while women have time for the study of literature, history, philosophy and language. It is not women’s fault but it is the fault of the times when men must make money fast and women must be cultured and rounded out. I do wish men were more philosophical and could see why things are as they are, but I think Mr. Ide Wheeler does see, and he deplores the fact. A man, nowadays, who studies just pure literature, history, philosophy and language is considered a “Miss Nancy.” To be a man he must study the technical sciences!!¶4 I see you have my cousin, Miss Jessie Anthony of Los Angeles, for State Secretary. 6 She is a lovely bright woman...

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