The Women's Suffrage Conference held its first sitting here today. Mrs. Susan Anthony was in the chair.
The conference began the debate on the question of women's suffrage, and there was a lively discussion on the programme submitted by the Women's World League. This maintains (1) the absolute equality of the sexes both intellectually and as members of the State; (2) that the natural relationship between man and woman is that of reciprocity and common endeavour, while any attempt to suppress the freedom of one sex is injurious to humanity; (3) that all States possessing laws, customs, &c., calculated to prevent the natural development of women are based on false principles and have created artificial relations between the sexes; (4) that self-determination being the inalienable right of every normal being in State and house, therefore no woman is bound to obedience to any one man nor are women in general bound to obedience to men; (5) that the forcible degradation of women to the condition of irresponsible members of society is calculated to intensify economic distress; (6) that every Government taxing women without conceding the suffrage commits an act of tyranny incompatible with justice; (7) that the suffrage constitutes the only means for the assertion of the personal rights which the American Declaration of Independence declared to be inviolable, and that, therefore, the suffrage must be granted to women in all countries; (8) that the rapid intellectual development of women demands the conscientious examination of women's claims to be placed upon political equality with men.
