News Articles

SUFFRAGE LEADERS’ SESSION STORMY

Meeting Behind Closed Doors Becomes Decidedly Warm Between Two Factions.

STORM BREWING A WEEK

Alleged Discourtesy to Mrs. Duniway Results in Charges and Counter-Charges ¬¬¬¬¬—    Committees Appointed by “Mother of Votes.”

Serious troubles, which have been gaining momentum daily for over a week in equal suffrage circles, assumed the form of a near row yesterday afternoon at a meeting of the State Equal Suffrage Association, held at the headquarters of the College Equal Suffrage Club in the Selling building.

Behind closed doors the meeting raged for an hour or more. Denunciation, it is declared, was general between factions which have been in a state of contention for a week, and a state central committee is declared to have been appointed without the consent of some of the members of the organization.

The store among the women’s organization began last Saturday, when presidents of all the women’s clubs were called together by Mrs. Sarah Evans, chairman of the Woman’s Club campaign committee and asked to appoint an advisory committee.

It is declared by members of the Woman’s Club that the presidents of all the organizations in the city attended the meeting and named a committee comprising three members of each organization, with W. M. Davis, of the Men’s Equal Suffrage Club, as chairman. The committee was to take up the general fight of votes for women. It was declared that among others present was one person representing Mrs. Abigail Scott Duniway, president of the State Equal Suffrage Club and the mother of “Votes for Women” in Oregon.

Dr. Marie Equi Protests.

After the committee had been appointed, Dr. Marie Equi is said to have protested against the committee on the ground that it was not official, inasmuch as it was not called by Mrs. Duniway. Working on that belief, Dr. Equi is said to have secured from Mrs. Dunway the announcement of the meeting which was held yesterday afternoon. Woman’s Club campaign committee members declare that some of the directors of the state association were not notified of the meeting, while other were. Those who had not been notified are said to have learned of the meeting and went to see that nothing was done that did not meet with their approval.

When the women met in the Selling building a lively controversy is said to have set in. There was a dispute first as to what the meeting was, it being declared that it could not be a meeting of the state association, inasmuch as all the directors had not been notified. Dr. Equi attacked the legality of the advisory committee and made some denouncements, it is said. When it became apparent that there was much dissension, it is declared the meeting adjourned and a second meeting was held, at which a complete list of persons named by Mrs. Duniway as comprising the state central committee was indorsed. The legality of this committee is in dispute, it being contention of some that the names were voted upon after the regular meeting had adjourned.

Action Termed Discourtesy.

It is contended by Dr. Equi that the appointment of a committee at the meeting last Saturday is a discourtesy to Mrs. Duniway, who had led the equal suffrage fight in Oregon and other parts of the Northwest for 40 years and who is at present president of the state association.

It is declared by those on the other side that no discourtesy is intended and that the committee or none of the organizations wish to see Mrs. Duniway lose any of the glory for the fight. No one seems able to explain why the opposition has arisen to the appointment by Mrs. Dunway of a state central committee nor why there is opposition to the advisory committee, which it is declared would not work against the central committee.

Most of the leaders of the suffrage cause remained silent last night. Others declared that all was peaceable and other admitted there was friction. Still others begged to be excused from making any comment.

Committee Appointed.

Following is the committee appointed by Mrs. Duniway:

Representing state association —Miss Elma Buckman, Mrs. Elizabeth Lord, The Dalles, Or.: Mrs. Imogene Bath, Hillsboro, Or.

Representing Men’s Equal Suffrage League—W. M. Davis, Rev. Albert Ehrgott, C. W. Fulton.

Representing Portland Equal Suffrage League— Mrs. Solomon Hirsch, Mrs. J. A. Foullhoux, Miss Frances Wilson.

Representing committee from Portland Woman’s Club—Mrs. Caroline Duniap, Mrs. F. Eggert, Mrs. A. C. Newill

Representing College Equal Suffrage League—Dr. Marie Equi, Miss Emma Wold, Mrs. L. W. Therkelsen.

Officers, central committee—Chairman, Rev. Albert Ehrgott, assistant chairman, Mrs. Elizabeth Lord, The Dalles, Or.; secretary, Mrs. H. R. Reynolds; treasurer, Mrs. Henry W. Coe.

Finance committee—Mrs. Reynolds, Mrs. Solomon Hirsch, Dr. Florence Manion.

Literature committee—Mrs. Paul A. Trullinger, Miss Emma Wold, Miss Bianche Wren.

Ways and means committee—Dr. Flora A. Cassidy, Miss Caroline H. Hepburn, Mrs. C. B. Woodruff.

The executive committee is composed of the chairman and one member from each of the associations represented, also one member from each of the committee including the National representative. The committee is as follows:  Rev. Albert Ehrgott, Mrs. Elizabeth Lord, Mrs. H. R. Reynolds, Mrs. Henry Waldo Coe, Mrs. Arthur C. Newill, W. M. Davis, Mrs. Solomon Hirsch, Mrs. Caroline Dunlap, Dr. Marie Equi, Miss E. Buckman, Mrs. Louise B. Trulinger, Dr. Flora A. Cassidy.

As lecturers and organizers for the state Mrs. Duniway has made overtures to Mrs. Sarah E. Commerford, Mrs. Sarah Ehrgott and Rev. Albert Ehrgott.

The advisory committee is scheduled to meet this afternoon at 1 o’clock at Olds, Wortman & King’s. What will happen remains to be seen.