310 HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL. 



Through the educational influence of the Alliance, the prejudice 

 against woman's progress is being removed, and within the last five 

 years much has been accomplished in that direction. Women are now 

 recognized as a prominent factor in all social and political movements. 

 In the meetings of the Alliance she comes in contact with educated 

 reformers, whose sympathies she always has. Her presence has a ten- 

 dency to control the strong tempers of many of the members, and places 

 a premium upon politeness and gentility. She goads the stupid and 

 ignorant to a study of the principles of reform, and adds an element to 

 the organization, without which it would be a failure. Being placed 

 upon an equality with men, and her usefulness being recognized by the 

 organization in all of its work, she is proud of her womanhood, and is 

 better prepared to face the stern realities of life. She is better pre- 

 pared to raise and educate her offspring, by teaching the responsibility 

 of citizenship and their duty to society. 



The meetings give recreation to the mind, and the physical being is 

 for a time relieved from incessant toil. The entire being is invigorated, 

 and the mind is prepared for the reception of such truths as fit her to 

 be companion, mother, and citizen. As stated above, woman has not 

 been considered a factor in great movements, until of late years, but she 

 comes prominently to the front in the Alliance, and demands that she 

 be allowed to render service in the great battle for human rights, better 

 conditions, happier homes, and a higher civilization generally. In fact, 

 she has come to the conclusion that she has some grievances for which 

 remedies should be found, and that she owes it as a duty to herself and 

 society to help work out the social and political salvation of the people. 



I believe that there are remedies for most of the evils which afflict 

 society ; that poverty and want are the chief causes of crime ; and the 

 reason why so many people are found occupying unnatural conditions, 

 is because of the violation of the principles of justice and right, by the 

 government allowing the few to monopolize the land, money, and trans- 

 portation, which deprives a large portion of the people of their natural 

 right to apply their labor to the gifts of nature. Under such conditions, 

 the people become dependent, hopeless slaves, a condition which drives 

 the last spark of manhood and womanhood from their bosoms, and they 

 become outcasts and criminals, and fill our jails and penitentiaries and 

 other places of shame. 



It is the duty of the Alliance to consider these questions, and none 

 others are so much interested in the regeneration of society as women. 

 When the battles of life are to be fought, she is always a valiant soldier, 

 and many of them bear upon their faces the scars of the battle with 



