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Constitution Massachusetts W. S. A.
The ofiBcers of each League ought to have a copy of the constitution and by- laws of the Massachusetts W. S. A. The constitution, strictly so called, which was adopted when the Association became legally incorporated, consists of a single brief article stating its object. Every- thing else is included in the by-laws, which are as follows:
BY-LAW I.
This Association shall be auxiliary to the National American Woman Suffrage Association.
BY-LAW II.
Section 1. Any local suffrage society may become auxiliary to this Association by paying annually from its treasury into the State treasury five dollars for each twenty members of the local society, or proportionately; ten cents of which, for each member of the local, shall be paid by the State Association to the National American Woman Suffrage Association.
Sec. 2. Any person may become a mem- ber at-large of the Massachusetts Woman Suffrage Association for one year by the payment of one dollar into the State treasury. Such annual members shall be entitled to be present at all meetings of the Association, to take part in all its discussions, and to receive copies of all reports and other documents published by the society.
Sec. 3. Any person may become a life member of the State Association by the payment of $25. Life members shall have for life the same privileges that annual members have for a year.
Sec. 4. No distinction in membership or eligibility to office shall ever be made in this Association on account of sex.
BY-LAW III.
Section 1. The officers of this Associa- tion shall be a president, vice-president, a corresponding secretary, a clerk, a treas- urer, two auditors, a board of directors, and a chairman of the board of directors. These officers shall be chosen by ballot, and shall hold office until their successors are elected and qualified.
Sec. 2. The president of each auxiliary local society shall be ex officio a vice presi- dent of the State Association.
Sec. 3, The Board of Directors (all members of the Association) shall consist of its chairman, the president, secretary, clerk, and treasurer of the State Associa- tion, one member from each auxiliary local society, to be nominated by the local society, and ten members-at-large, all to be elected by the State Association at its annual meeting.
Sec. 4. When county auxiliaries are or- ganized by the local auxiliaries of any county, the president of each county so- ciety shall also be ex officio a vice-president of the State Association, and a member uf the State Board of Directors.
BY LAW IV.
The Board of Directors shall hold monthly meetings from October to June, inclusive. Special meetings may be called at any time by the president or clerk. Seven members, when convened after due notice, shall constitute a quorum,
BY-LAW V.
Section 1. The persons entitled to vote at the annual meeting shall be one dele- gate-at-large from each auxiliary local society, and one delegate in addition for every twenty-five members of the local society, together with the president, the vice-presidents, clerk, corresponding sec- retary, treasurer, auditors, the members of the Board of Directors, and superin- tendents of departments of the State Asso- ciation.
Sec. 2. In the election of officers, the delegates present from each local auxiliary shall be entitled to cast the full vote to which the organization represented by them is entitled.
BY LAW VI.
This constitution may be amended by a vote of two-thirds of the delegates present and voting at any annual meeting, notice of the proposed amendment having been sent to the president and secretary of each auxiliary society not less than three months in advance.
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THE SHARON EQUAL SUF- FRAGE LEAGUE.
Notwithstanding the below-zero weather a company of about 24 peo- ple attended the reception given on Monday evening, Jan. 4, to the' Sharon Equal Suffrage League and' guests and some of the members were prevented from attending, who would have increased the com- pany to about forty. j
Although many were disap- pointed because Mr. Blackwell was | unable to be present, the balance of the program and the sociability manifested made the occasion one of much interest. The piano se- lections offered by Mr. Olin | Downes, of Boston, were skillfully executed and gave evidence of a ; musical talent that must delight lar- ger audiences even during his young manhood.
Miss Katherine Hickey, of Bos- I ton, rendered several solos in a ' charming voice and manner and was encored repeatedly. In play- ing her own accompaniment to some of the songs Miss Hickey displayed much skill at the piano.
Mrs. E. L. White offered a paper relating to Miss McCracken's arti- cle in the Outlook on the result of suffrage for women in Colorado, r. was a bright, critical, sarcastic paper, and Mrs. White claimed that the women of Colorado connot be { suppressed by reason of any such article as the Outlook apparently delights to print against them ; also that the women of Mass. accept i their annual-defeat in suffrage mat- 1 ters altogether too quietly — too tamely.
A recitation was finely rendered by Charlotte Davenport, a young miss of eight or ten years and daughter of the president.
A Birthday Offering to the Woman's Journal was read by Mr, Kempton and adopted by the League as follows : —
On Jan. i, 1904, the IVouiaii's Journal had a birthday — its thirty- fifth. We doubt if it was properly celebrated. It should have been. The least our Sharon Equal Suf- frage League can do is to offer our congratulations to the Woman's Journal upon its 34 years of great helpfulness to the public ; the untir- ing devotion of its editors to the cause of equal suffrage ; its endorse- ment of various reformatory meas- ures ; its demand for equal pay for equal work in behalf of women ; and its noble stand for equal rights and privileges all along the line. Many vears ago Garrison's Liberator was
the great and powerful exponent and defender of personal freedom without regard to sex, and of oppo- ' sition to human slavery throughout the Vi^orld. The surviving readers of the Liberator have found more satisfaction in a regular perusal of the Woman's Journal than from any other existing paper based on a prominent moral reform. Long life and increased usefulness, with a hearty endorsement to the Woman's Journal and its most worthy editors. All honor to its founder — Lucy Stone, and to her coadjutors and successors.
A pleasant chat while delicious refreshments were enjoyed and so- cial dancing in the parlor concluded our mid-winter entertainment.
G. K.
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Sharon. — The League and invited I guests met Dec. 5 with Mrs. L. B. C. Dav- I enport, its president. Nearly thirty as- sembled, in spite of the inevitable snow- storm. Mrs. A. P. Haskel was appointed as a director of the Massachusetts W. S. A. for the year. The President and Sec- I retary were authorized to request our ' Senators in Congress to protest against the use of the word "sex" as a political disa- bility in the proposed Statehood bill. The topic for discussion was "Adulterated Food." The President's remarks referred largely to the doings and statements, as shown in their reports, of our State Board of Health, which gave the impression that a board of women spending §12,600 per year would produce better and more sat- isfactory results. The comments of the chemists of the Board, as given in next to the last annual report, were criticised. Many articles of food were mentioned as found to be adulterated, and the speaker quoted the statement of Dr. Wylie, the chemist of the agricultural bureau at Washington: "I believe that the greater part of our American dyspepsia is caused by adulterated food, and I know that it lessens the national vitality and shortens thousands of lives." Mr. Arthur Long of Sharon, a Yale graduate, and at present taking a course in chemistry at the Insti- tute of Technology, made a very interest- ing address, and explained in detail the ; result of many analyses showing the adul terations of food in common use, some of
them harmful and some harmless. lie exhibited a batch of tissue papers colored in various bright hues by the aniline dyes found in many kinds of food. Samples of adulterated goods were also shown. Mr. Long's remarks received generous ap- plause. Rev. J. C. Kimball referred to the interest taken by the Board of Health in Connecticut along this line, and to the importance of the subject. George Kemp- ton quoted from the last annual report just issued by the Massachusetts Board of Health, showing that in several kinds of food examined, over one half the samples tested were found adulterated, and in other cases two thirds and three fourths. He referred to Dr. Wylie's analyses of many kinds of food in which he found copper, tin, lead, zinc, sulphates, boric acid, coal tar and various deleterious col- oring matters. He also called attention to the Pure Food bill now pending in Congress, and offered the following reso lutioD, which was unanimously adopted: "That all the Women's Clubs and Leagues of the United States should call the atten- tion of their Senators in Congress to the Pure Food bill now being held up in the Senate after being passed by the House, and request that their influence be used to secure a further hearing and the pas- sage of the bill in behalf of the people by protecting the public health." Piano selections were included in the program, and a social half hour with refreshments closed an eujjyable occasion. g. k.
SiiAUON. — The League lield its January meetiiig on the 9th, with Rev. J. C. Kim- ball. The raembers and invited friends numbered 22. A propositiou was sub- mitted for the League (ifficially to petition the Legislature for a chau^e in the caucus laws so that women may vote in making nominations for school committee. The proposition was declined, it being assumed that women would not attend the caucuses to nominate for school committee only. Miss Emma A. Baker, onr librarian, read an original paper on "What our Sharon People are Reading." It was interesting to bear the long list of authors given who have proved to be most popular, espe- cially those who have written a series of books, llie paper led to an amusing and interesting "Experience Meeting," all present freely relating what books had interested them most in their youth, what books they had been obliged to read or refrain from reading, and which had had the greater influence upon them in after life. After the usual social chat with refreshments, the meeting dissolved, with expressions of gratification and sat- isfaction. G. K.
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Sharon. — The League held its monthly meeting Feb. 9, with Mr. and Mrs, Kemp- ton. Although a rainy 'jveaing, 14 were present. Ten more were expected it the weather had been favorable. Mrs. M, E, Hixson, vice-president, presided. After the business a recitation was finely ren- dered by Miss Blanche Davenport. The question for discussion was, "Should our divorce laws be made more stringent, and 8hould«they be made uniform through- out the United States?" Mr. Kempton believed that if all divorce laws had been abrogated fifty years ago, the state of so- ciety would be better than it is to-day; that "marriage is a lottery" because peo-
ple make it so by indifference and want of caution in selecting partners. The divorce laws lead them to exercise less care, and carry the thought that they can readily untie the knot and then try again. He claimed that there is too much "swapping" of wives among the wealthy class and pro- curing of divorces in the Western States for the purpose of remarriage. Mr. W. L. Haskel would prefer to have the divorce laws made easy but would restrict or annul remarriage laws. He cited several instances in his court experience to sus- tain his position. Rev. A. N. Somers was in favor of stringent laws relating to mar- riage; against laxity in our divorce laws; and favored uniformity in our State laws
relating to both marriage "and divorce. People escane from good laws and go to States wh'jre loose laws are in force. In New Hampshire 86 divorces were run through the court in two days. Rev. J. C. Kimball was in favor of uniform laws. Mrs. Somers thought there ought to be no legal cause for divorce. Other speakers favored divorce laws, but believed in greater stringency and in uniformity among the States. The meeting was de- clared an interesting one, aud was fol- lowed by the usual social chat and refresh- ments. G. K.
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' Sharon. — The Equal Suffrage League met March 10 with Mr. J. A. Bowman and Miss Bowman. Mrs. Mary E. Hixson, vice-president, presided, and 2(f'per8ons were present. After the usual ousiness and a fine performance on the piano by Prof. C. C. Stearns of Sharon, a discus- sion was taken up on '"Is compulsory vac- cination justifiable?" Mrs. Hixson, from her experience on the school board, was in favor of a compulsory law, and by its remaining on the statute books year after year took it for granted that vaccination is proven to be a preventive of small-pox. Mr. W. L. Haskel also spoke in the affirm- ative, but in favor of a qualified applica- tion of the law, — not to carry it too far. We must be certain as to the quality of the "points" used in vaccination to be obliged to use them. Dr. Caroline Hast- ings of Sharon and Boston came prepared with strong, negative testimony, and with many statistics sought to. prove that vac- cination is not a reliable protection, and frequently leads to other serious diseases. In England, the result of statistics gath- ered had been to amend the law as to com-
pulsory vaccination, and the figures of- fered were decidedly against the practice. Hundreds of deaths by small-pox after vaccination were cited as occurring among our soldiers at Manila and elsewhere. Rev. J. C. Kimball quoted Herbert Spen cer as against vaccination; that it reduces the average length of life compared with those who remain unvaccinated. In Can- ada and other places the prevalence of small-pox was due more to filthy condi- tions than other causes. The law should be directed to having cities and towns properly cleaned instead of obliging all to be vaccinated. Mrs. Sherman mentioned cases of small-pox among physicians where vaccination had not been applied, but Dr. Hastings explained that they were not serious cases. Mrs. Bond, by her ex- perience and observation, would positively decline to be vaccinated. Dr. Hastings was prompt in answering questions. Some members anticipated a dull debate, but it proved to be one of the most interesting of the season. The vote t^ken on the question resulted with 6 in favor and 9 opposed.
1
The last neetin^j of the Equal Suffrage League for thi3 seascn v;as ■rith Mrr> .M.E.Hi XJ5on April 7,1005. Mrs .L .B .0 .Davenport presided. It v;as voted to hold our next meeting vrith Mrs . Davenport on tlie Sd. y in Sept. Renarks v/ere called for from the president relating to c t;rip to Ormoni and Daytona , Florida . The response vras interest-
nd included an account of the V7oman's Club at Daytona. The question for discussion Has:-V7hat is the age limit of human use- ;v.s? Rev . J .0 .Kinhajfl said that centuries ago the savage tribes lilled :he aged , probably to have a less number to provide for v^ho could not loir share in hunting, etc. Later the aged 'Tere retained i:o make tools weapons for those able to do battle. The relations of society along line down to the present time vrere considered. One reason for the > of Dr. Osier and others is that old people get too conservative — not ivor of new ideas and progressive acts, and hold the younger generatio?!^ ;oo much. Geo.Kompton claimed that there is not, and should not be, :e limit to human us-ef ulness . It "all depends upon our individual char- and ability. Some persons reach maturity earlier than others. Many ime of their best v^ork aft^r the age of sixty, and referred tc Go.r^G gell ,Rev .Dr .E.E .Hale ,Ex-Gov .Boutwell and Rev .Dr .Bartol as examples. Mrs . A .P .Haskel vms not in favor of any limit to active usefulness, aged persons are v;onderfully gifted. She believed that the conserva- of elderly persons is required to offset in part the enthusiasm of 1 and maintain a propei> average or level. Mrs .Davenport thought that ^e, through death .provides the limit tc our usefulness. Many enjoy in
:e the best part of their lives. Mrs.Hixson believed that our work irz^ ige is a reproduction of our early efforts in life. Physical strength forty begins to decline and fail more and more as age advances. Why ' not our mental vigor take the same course? Mr . J . A .Bovraan thought ^any over sixty are doing the best vrork of their lives. Tvro ladies nt cited useful , active members of society v/ho are or v/ere nearly 96 8, and the idea of chloroforming such persons 30 to 40 years in advance posterous .
At the close of the discussion several members expressed their satis- on in having had the attendance of Rev .J .C .Kimball at our League meot- for over four years, and their "b-hei'n sorrov; that he is soon to remove Sharon to Greenfield and thereby sever his membership vrith us. Best ijss vrere tendered for his future activity and continued ^efulness. Viall expressed his regrets at leaving Sharon, and also^withdravring ir League Ivrhere he and his dear wife had been so pleasantly connec- ad reciprQcated fully our best vrishes. vVith delicious refreshments and a social chat another very enjoyable ■y was closed.
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