Enclosure: Emmeline Pankhurst's Speech at Smith Opera House, Geneva, New York

Emmeline Pankhurst, speaking in Geneva, New York, compared the women's revolution in England to the American Revolution to justify militant action. English women of all classes seek political equality and the parliamentary vote, equal pay and equal opportunity to education. They tried persuasion for fifty years, served on boards, cleaned up corruption and were then ignored by the Liberal Party, so now must demand and threaten and ridicule, as men have, to get their rights. More violence done to women than by them. Barred from meetings; refused right of petition; 5,000 police stop 13 women from presenting petition to Prime Minister Asquith. Alice Paul laid in rain on roof all night in Glasgow, but was discovered before she could question the Prime Minister; later she was jailed in London, force fed and degrated; will American men or President Taft intervene? Response to Questions: Gladstone thought ballot right for agricultural voters, whether they wanted it or not, same for women; explains why she struck police inspector on cheek twice as formality to get arrested and protect older demonstrators

Last two pages summarize remarks by Anne Fitzhugh Miller, encouraging audience to join the Geneva Political Equality Club and to sign the circulating petition requesting that the United States Congress submit to the state legislatures an amendment to the Constitution enabling women to vote. Petition was first signed by Rhoda J. Palmer, age 93, who signed the Declaration of Rights at Seneca Falls in 1848.

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01/01/1909

Library of Congress

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