Washington County Political Equality Club Adopts Resolutions

Excerpt from the May 31, 1905 article in the Greenwich Journal...

The Washington County Political Equality Club in its 14^th Annual convention assembled, reaffirms its loyalty to the principles of American Independence, and calls for their application to all American citizens irrespective of sex.   And

                Whereas, The home is the foundation of human society and whatever tends to broaden women’s minds and deepen their sense of responsibility tends directly to promote the happiness and sobriety of the family relation, therefore

                Resolved, That equal suffrage should be granted to the mothers of the Republic, not only for the sake of the State, but also for the sake of the home.

                Resolved, That woman suffrage is no longer an academic question, but an existing faction in Great Britain* and Ireland*, in New Zealand** and Australia*** and throughout more than 300,000 square miles of United States territory^ and nine Representatives elected by both men and women.

                Resolved, That we continue with unabated diligence our policy of education and agitation. That while we in the future as in the past follow with singleness of heart and unity of purpose our one aim, to obtain the ballot for women, we extend the most cordial sympathy to all women’s societies, working for the advancement of civilization.

                Resolved, That we rejoice in the recent granting of full suffrage to women in Kansas, in the striking out by Congress from the state-hood bill of the clause classing women with illiterates, insane persons and felons; in the unanimous endorsement of women suffrage by 1300 physicians at the recent Russian medical congress, and by 4,000 students and professors of the University of St. Petersburg.

                Resolved, That in the death of Mary A. Livermore the cause of woman’s political equality with men has sustained a loss that will be felt throughout U.S.; that we honor her memory, and will do our best to carry on her work.

                                                                MRS. GEORGE WHELDEN,

                                                                MRS. CARROLL HALL,

                                                                MRS. JOHN WILSON, Jr.

                                                                                                Committee.

The Greenwich Journal (Greenwich, NY) May 31, 1905, p.8

View the whole article on the New York Historic Newspapers website: http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn84031457/1905-05-31/ed-1/seq-8/

*Single women taxpayers could vote in municipal elections in 1869, partial female suffrage granted in 1918. Ireland broke from Great Britain & gave women full suffrage in 1922, while Great Britain granted full female suffrage in 1928.

**New Zealand grants all women the right to vote in 1893.

***Australia grants women the right to vote in 1902, but excludes aboriginal men & women. 

^ By 1905 only four states allowed women the right to vote: Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Idaho.

Timeline of Woman Suffrage: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_suffrage