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Orleans in 1903。 In no previous convention were
arrangements more perfect； and certainly nowhere
else did the men of a community co…operate more gen…
erously with the women in entertaining us。 A club
of men paid the rent of our hall； chartered a steam…
boat and gave us a ride on the Mississippi； and in
many other ways helped to make the occasion a suc…
cess。 Miss Gordon； who was chairman of the
programme committee； introduced the innovation of
putting me before the audience for twenty minutes
every evening； at the close of the regular session；
as a target for questions。 Those present were
privileged to ask any questions they pleased； and I
answered themif I could。
We were all conscious of the dangers attending
a discussion of the negro question； and it was under…
stood among the Northern women that we must
take every precaution to avoid being led into such
discussion。 It had not been easy to persuade Miss
Anthony of the wisdom of this course； her way was
to face issues squarely and out in the open。 But
she agreed that we must respect the convictions of
the Southern men and women who were entertain…
ing us so hospitably。
On the opening night； as I took my place to answer
questions； almost the first slip passed up bore these
words：
What is your purpose in bringing your convention to the
South？ Is it the desire of suffragists to force upon us the
social equality of black and white women？ Political equality
lays the foundation for social equality。 If you give the ballot
to women； won't you make the black and white woman equal
politically and therefore lay the foundation for a future claim
of social equality？
I laid the paper on one side and did not answer
the question。 The second night it came to me
again； put in the same words； and again I ignored
it。 The third night it came with this addition：
Evidently you do not dare to answer this question。 There…
fore our conclusion is that this is your purpose。
When I had read this I went to the front of the
platform。
‘‘Here；'' I said； ‘‘is a question which has been
asked me on three successive nights。 I have not
answered it because we Northern women had de…
cided not to enter into any discussion of the race
question。 But now I am told by the writer of this
note that we dare not answer it。 I wish to say that
we dare to answer it if you dare to have it answered
and I leave it to you to decide whether I shall
answer it or not。''
I read the question aloud。 Then the audience
called for the answer； and I gave it in these words；
quoted as accurately as I can remember them：
‘‘If political equality is the basis of social equality；
and if by granting political equality you lay the
foundation for a claim of social equality； I can only
answer that you have already laid that claim。 You
did not wait for woman suffrage； but disfranchised
both your black and your white women； thus making
them politically equal。 But you have done more
than that。 You have put the ballot into the hands
of your black men； thus making them the political
superiors of your white women。 Never before in the
history of the world have men made former slaves
the political masters of their former mistresses！''
The point went home and it went deep。 I drove
it in a little further。
‘‘The women of the South are not alone；'' I said；
‘‘in their humiliation。 All the women of America
share it with them。 There is no other nation in the
world in which women hold the position of political
degradation our American women hold to…day。
German women are governed by German men；
French women are governed by French men。 But
in these United States American women are gov…
erned by every race of men under the light of the
sun。 There is not a color from white to black； from
red to yellow； there is not a nation from pole to
pole； that does not send its contingent to govern
American women。 If American men are willing to
leave their women in a position as degrading as this
they need not be surprised when American women
resolve to lift themselves out of it。''
For a full moment after I had finished there was
absolute silence in the audience。 We did not know
what would happen。 Then； suddenly； as the truth
of the statement struck them； the men began to
applaudand the danger of that situation was over。
Another episode had its part in driving the suf…
frage lesson home to Southern women。 The Legis…
lature had passed a bill permitting tax…paying women
to vote at any election where special taxes were to
be imposed for improvements； and the first election
following the passage of this bill was one in New
Orleans； in which the question of better drainage
for the city was before the public。 Miss Gordon
and the suffrage association known as the Era
Club entered enthusiastically into the fight for good
drainage。 According to the law women could vote
by proxy if they preferred； instead of in person； so
Miss Gordon drove to the homes of the old con…
servative Creole families and other families whose
women were unwilling to vote in public； and she
collected their proxies while incidentally she showed
them what position they held under the law。
With each proxy it was necessary to have the signa…
ture of a witness； but according to the Louisiana law
no woman could witness a legal document。 Miss
Gordon was driven from place to place by her colored
coachman； and after she had secured the proxy of
her temporary hostess it was usually discovered that
there was no man around the place to act as a wit…
ness。 This was Miss Gordon's opportunity。 With
a smile of great sweetness she would say； ‘‘I will
have Sam come in and help us out''； and the colored
coachman would get down from his box； and by
scrawling his signature on the proxy of the aristo…
cratic lady he would give it the legal value it lacked。
In this way Miss Gordon secured three hundred
proxies； and three hundred very conservative women
had an opportunity to compare their legal standing
with Sam's。 The drainage bill was carried and in…
terest in woman suffrage developed steadily。
The special incident of the Buffalo convention of
1908 was the receipt of a note which was passed up
to me as I sat on the platform。 When I opened it
a check dropped outa check so large that I was
sure it had been sent by mistake。 However； after
asking one or two friends on the platform if I had
read it correctly； I announced to the audience that
if a certain amount were subscribed immediately I
would reveal a secreta very interesting secret。
Audiences are as curious as individuals。 The amount
was at once subscribed。 Then I held up a check
for 10；000； given for our campaign work by Mrs。
George Howard Lewis； in memory of Susan B。 An…
thony； and I read to the audience the charming
letter that accompanied it。 The money was used
during the campaigns of the following yearpart of
it in Washington； where an amendment was already
submitted。
In a previous chapter I have described the estab…
lishment of our New York headquarters as a result
of the generous offer of Mrs。 O。 H。 P。 Belmont at
the Seattle convention in 1909。 During our first
year in these beautiful Fifth Avenue rooms Mrs。
Pankhurst made her first visit to America； and we
gave her a reception there。 This； however； was
before the adoption of the destructive methods which
have since marked the activities of the band of
militant suffragists of which Mrs。 Pankhurst is
president。 There has never been any sympathy
among American suffragists for the militant suffrage
movement in England； and personally I am wholly
opposed to it。 I do not believe in war in any form；
and if violence on the part of men is undesirable in
achieving their ends； it is much more so on the part
of women； for women never appear to less advan…
tage than in physical combats with men。 As for
militancy in America； no generation that attempted
it could win。 No victory could come to us in any
state where militant methods were tried。 They are
undignified； unworthyin other words； un…Ameri…
can。
The Washington convention of 1910 was graced
by the presence of President Taft； who； at the in…
vitation of Mrs。 Rachel Foster Avery； made an
address。 It was understood； of course； that he was
to come out strongly for woman suffrage； but； to
our great disappointment； the President； a most
charming and likable gentleman； seemed unable
to grasp the significance of the occasion。 He began
his address with fulsome praise of women； which was
accepted in respectful silence。 Then he got round
to woman suffrage； floundered helplessly； became
confused； and ended with the most unfortunately
chosen words he could have uttered： ‘‘I am op…
posed；'' he said； ‘‘to the extension of suffrage to
women not fitted to vot