28, 1888.

CHAPTER IX.

THE NATIONAL SUFFRAGE CONVENTION OF 1889.

The Twenty-first annual convention of the National Association met in
the Congregational Church at Washington, Jan. 21-23, 1889, in answer
to the official Call:

Neither among politicians, nor among women themselves, is this in
any sense a party movement. While the Prohibition party in Kansas
incorporated woman suffrage in its platform, the Republicans made
it a fact by extending municipal suffrage to the women of that
State. The Democrats of Connecticut on several occasions voted
for woman suffrage while Republicans voted against it. In the New
York Legislature Republicans and Democrats alike have advocated
and voted for the measure. In Congress the last vote in the House
stood eighty Republicans for woman suffrage and nearly every
Democrat against it, while not a single Democrat voted in favor
of it on the floor of the Senate. Both the Labor and Greenback
parties have uniformly recognized woman suffrage in their
platforms.... Our strength for future action lies in the fact
that woman suffrage has some advocates in all parties and that
we, as an association, are pledged to none.

The denial of the ballot to woman is the great political crime of
the century, before which tariff, finance, land monopoly,
temperance, labor and all economic questions sink into
insignificance; for the right of suffrage involves all questions
of person and of property.

While each party in power has refused to enfranchise woman, being
skeptical as to her moral influence in government, yet with
strange inconsistency they alike seek the aid of her voice and
pen in all important political struggles. While not morally bound
to obey the laws made without their consent, yet we find women
the most law-abiding class of citizens in the community. While
not recognized as a component part of the Government, they are
most active in all great movements for education, religion,
philanthropy and reform.

The magnificent convocation of women from the world over--held in
Washington last March--a Council more important than any since
the Diet of Worms--was proof of woman's marvelous power of
organization and her clear comprehension of the underlying
principles of all questions of government. With such evidence