BRIEF PROSPECTUS OF THE é | AN WoO os REPUBLIC Its Declaration and Constitution UNIVERSITY CITY ST. LOUIS, MO. Mabel G: Lewis, President’ Alma Z. Moore, Vice-President. Claudia H. White, Sec’y of Interior _ Marg. Tucker, Sec’y of Education. — Susie R. Johnson, Sec’y of Industry. STATE GOVERNORS. Dr. Belva A. Lockwood, Atty.-Genl. Mrs. LeRoy Palmer, Arkansas Miss I. E. L. Hills, Northern Calif. Mrs. Kathryn H. Peck, Sou. Calif. Mrs. C. A. Eldredge, Colorado ~ Miss Minnie E. Neal, Florida Mrs. Ida Frint, Dlinois . Mrs. Jennie Meyerhoff, Indiana Mrs. Ada B. Newquist, Iowa — Mrs. Zana Goodin, Kansas Mrs. Grace E. Allen, Maine Dr. Clara C. Austin, Massachusetts Miss Edith L. Davis, Michigan TERRITORIAL GOVERNORS. — - ' Miss Ida Ransdale, South Carolina Mrs. Annie G. Scott, Alabama Mrs. Annie H. Bugbee, D. C. Mrs. Garrett Coun, Georgin -Mrs. Catherine A. Waite, Idahe © Mrs. Eloise Balmer, Louisiana Mrs. Fred Hill, New Merxice Mrs. Donnie M. Baker, Arkansas Mrs. Clara 8. Foltz, California Mrs. Anna E. Babbitt, Colorado © Mrs. Fannie J. Pickering, Florida Miss Clara Burgh-Hampton, Illinois Mrs. Lizzie Herdrich, Indiana Mrs. John B. Ahrens, Iowa Dr. Marie A. Greene, Kansas Mrs. Elizabeth M. Ridley, Maine _ Dr. Annette J. Shaw, Massachusetts Mrs. Addie E. Calkins, Michigan SENATORS. | Miss Kate Kilpatrick, Minnesota ~ Mrs. Mildred 8. McFaden, Missouri — Mrs. Alma M. Higgins, Montana Mrs. Clara E. Burbank, Nebraska Miss Margaret Stringfield, No. Car. Mrs. C. S. Robinson, New York _Mrs. Lulu 8. Morgan, Ohio Miss Ida Bernhard, Pennsylvania Mrs. Lottie Hannon, Oregon Mrs. Nada Ingraham, Texas _ Mrs. Robt. E. Morriss, Washington .Miss Mary E. Marshall, Wi Mrs. Alice M. A. Pickler Mrs. Alice D. Schneider, Tenn¢ Mrs. Elizabeth V. Fritz, Utah Miss Ida Watt, Virginia _ ‘Mrs M. Anna Hall, W. Virginia Pz. Susie B. Stanard, Missour! Mrs. Mary Phetteplace, Minnesota Mrs, H. L. Williams, Montana Mrs. Annette Nespitt, Nebrasxa Dr. Emma Wing Thompson, N. ¥. Mrs. Annie D. Martin,, N. Carolina - Rey. Henrietta G. Moore, Ohio Mrs. Aurelia Taylor, Oregon — * Mrs..M, H. McCune, Pennsylvania Mrs. E. M. Reed, Texas Mrs Virginia K. Hayward, Wash. _ REPRESENTATIVES. Miss Dora Mayes, Arkansas Miss Sophia Walker, Arkansas Mrs. Herbert M. Bishop, California reese ceceseccnces faeces California Mrs. W. H. Violett, Colorado Z Mrs. Mattie 0. Pepler, Colorade Mrs. Mary E. Aultman, Florida Miss Elizabeth Askew, Florida Mrs. Ada Atchison, Illinois Mrs. Wm. Kaar, IDlinois Mrs. Jessica M. Bartlett, Indiana Mrs. Mary E. Proehl, Indiana Mrs. A. W. Slaught, Iowa Miss Kate R. Logan, Iowa ~ Mrs. F. W. Boyd, Kansas ‘ ala die Soo eas ee cas Kansas Mrs. Carrie E. Vincent, Maine — Miss Fannie Gilliatt, Maine Miss Elizabeth H. Soule, Mass. Mrs. A. EK. Mathews, Massachusetts Mrs. E. T. Webb, Michigan ~ Mrs. Florence I. Bulson, Michigan | Mrs. Henry R. Wilcox, Minnesota | . Mrs. Lydia S. Weinzierl, Minnesota Mrs. H. E. Mehnert, Missouri Miss Josephine Fayant, Missouri eee ohw a 20 has pee CII. Sees Mrs. R. Lee McCulloch, Montana — Mrs. Margaret J. Carns, Nebraska © Mrs. Sadie Thurber, Nebraska Mrs. E. A. Archambault, N. York Mrs. E. L. W. Goodale, New York Mrs Louise G. Miner, N. Carolina Mrs. J. E. Gudger, N. Carolina — Mrs. E. P. Wise, Ohio 8 Mrs. Nellie B. Brigham, Ohio Mrs. Imogene Bath, Oregon Miss Anna M. Jeffrey, Oregon _ Dr. Julia C. Loos, Pennsylvania Jape eds €nbee ne eek Pennsylvania — Miss Florence Bouldin, Texas — Mrs. Belle B. Reynaud, Texas. Mrs. Sarah Weaver Blum, Wash. _ Mrs. Cora E. Agatz, Washington. — | 4 colt 7. ‘ } BRIEF PROSPECTUS OF THE | cAMERICAN WOMAN’S REPUBLIC MABEL G. LEWIS, President In this country there are more than five hundred thousand clubs, societies and guilds of women. - Comparatively few have any inde- pendent source of income or re- sources. Almost entirely they are organized for the educational, social and industrial advancement of women, the improvement and beau- tifying of conditions in the home, community and nation, better laws and a more fair and equal opportu- - nity for woman. | From lack of co-operation and the application of the simple fundamental laws of business and finance, their efforts are spasmodic and their income dependent on such means as philanthropy and begging, or even less creditable bazaars, festivals and card parties. To seek to raise money by selling products of woman’s handiwork for far more than its intrinsic value, to buy- ers who do not want it, on the grounds that it is woman’s work, is a confession of inferiority and but a polite form of brigandage. * Modern civilization has taken from woman almost all her former activities in the home and left her the drudg- try. The clothing is no longer home-made, the children’s education has become a community interest and, in fact, all those former industries, activities and responsibilities formerly woman’s sphere have become community inter- ests, and unless compelled to support herself she has been forced to the position of a parasite on society. In olden days when savage bands of men, and less savage animals roamed free, when brute strength was the ruling factor in life, woman surrendered her indepen- dence in return for physical protection. Modern progress is making education and brains the dominating factor, and woman’s position has become rapidly intolerable. She is now throughout the civilized world demanding a readjustment and _a more equal opportunity. Comparatively few years ago few women were found In business and the professions, and they almost ostra- vised. Today every avenue of human endeavor and ac- tivity finds woman’s finer brain and keener intuition rapidly bridging men’s ten thousand years of experience,. and competing with him on equal footing. | : Six states in this nation and several foreign nations — have already recognized the justice of woman’s demand for wider opportunity and a fair readjustment of her positions by granting her an equal voice in the making of the laws under which she and the home are governed. The greatest revolution in the history of the world, world-wide in extent, is in progress with amazing success and rapidity—the revolt cf woman against a position of inferiority to man. Like all revolutions, for a time it must result in breaking up of old customs and precedent which have become the bonds of slavery, but like all revolutions upward, it must result in a new and better adjustment of society and a step forward in human liberty. Man has for untold ages recognized that for his own protection and that he may work out his ambitions, enterprises and daily bread, some sort of common rules and regulations must be established and recognized by all, each surrendering a part of his own independence that he may preserve the rest of it. This is called “Government,” and is of two general classes—rInvoLun- rary where the strong make the rules which the weak must obey, and voLUNTARY where men associate under an plective officialism and rules which all have an equal voice In making. _The United States of America is theoretically the highest type of voluntary association in a government. This fundamental rule of governmental co-operation is recognized in all man’s undertakings. The principle underlies trade unionism; capital recog- nizes it in the so-called trusts, all of which are associa- i of like interests for mutual protection and advan- age. _Until woman recognizes this principle and the other equally fundamental one, that there is no such thing in this world as something for nothing, she can not hope to sents succeed in her ambitions and new demands for quality. The same energy, effort and skill employed in holding a bazaar or festival, if directed along sound business lines, would result in permanent and creditable revenue. It will be noted that the various forms of voluntary association by men, under “governments” from unionism and “trusts” to the general government, are for the purpose of securing better results through co-operation, at an equal or less cost. Thus unionism seeks to procure for its members a higher wage standard for an equal or less effort. Trusts seek a greater profit for less expense and investment. So man in his multitudinous activities constantly draws nearer together, like or similar interests under various forms of “‘government” and over all places a general set of rules and regulations designated as THE government. A glance at these organizations of men and those of woman’s activities shows a radical and fundamental dif- ference in that women’s societies, clubs and circles in which she seeks advantage, benefit and advancement re- quire an added burden of dues for their support and hence soon disintegrate as the burden becomes too great. Men’s organizations, supported by direct financial benefit and advantage to the individual, derive their own finan- cial support from a part of the advantage so gained, in- stead of adding a greater burden. RNG a a a Ea a CECB POO LES a ctgyf IOC ‘iare The American Woman’s Republic, already numbering approximately eighty thousand members, is an organization of American womanhood for mutual advantage, protec- tion and advancement under a form of government pat- terned after the theory of that of the United States. {t is also a great national training school of preparation and actual experience in the theory and practice of gov- ernmental administration and organization for the pur- pose of making woman BETTER qualified than mean for the duties, obligations and use of the suffrage. Six states have granted the suffrage. The rest must soon give way to the justice of the demand. If the addition of this vast vote to the suffrage will not tmprove conditions and government, it had better not be added. To do so woman must be BETTER educated, informed, trained and organized in government than man. There is one way to get such qualifications, and that is by study and experience. There is no royal road. Man in the highest type of government in this nation has striven for QUANTITY. He has made this the greatest commercial, financial and industrial age in the history of the world. The result is that the whole strife has been on how much, and not on how good. Each strives to produce more than others, resulting in child labor, enormous produc- tion, lack of quality and rapidly increasing cost of living. Our cities are dirty and ugly, our homes atrocities in decoration and furniture, the mad race for quantity is followed automatically by higher cost of living with each succeeding year, as the individual seeks more and more instead of better and better. If woman’s new revolt and demand for partnership means but increasing the output of our factories and industries, it will be a revolution backwards. She must seek to establish a new standard of how good, how beau- tiful, how fine, instead of how many. The people whose prime motive is art have no trouble with the cost of living. ‘The more beautiful, fine and artistic a nation’s ideals, the more quality and not quan- tity counts. The standard of this nation has become ‘quantity’; the standard of the American Woman’s Re- public must be made “‘quality.” If this is done, the founding of the “American Woman’s Republic as repre- enting woman’s new activities will be the means of making this nation the greatest in the history of the world in all the word implies. Therefore, with this as our ideal, it develops that many of the things we seek to accomplish are essentially provinces of a government or community of interests. To improve and beautify our homes and cities is a work which requires the united co-operative effort and hence can best be accomplished by a form of government. To improve our position and opportunities is a@ community function. Woman must now recognize it in the great new work she is undertaking and form her own “‘gov- ernment” suited and designed for the peculiar problems she must face. a ¢ ' The form of government which has been established by woman, in the American Woman’s Republic, is essentially a democracy elective throughout, with referendum, ini- tiative and recall. The governmental machinery con- sists of a— President, Three Vice-Presidents, Seven Cabinet Officers, A Supreme Court, Seven District Judges, Fifty Governors or Regents, Fifty Senators, One_ Representative for each 5,000 Mrs Soa a Di trict Committee of : and a Distric ommittee of seven BELVA Lockwoop, committeemen in each Congression- Atty. General al District. ? All are elective excepting the Cabinet Officers and judiciary, who are appointed by the President and con- firmed by Congress, but subject to recall. From top to bottom all officers receive reasonable recompense. The duties and interests of the seven committeemen in each district correspond to those of the seven Cabinet Officers. The congressional districts are the same as those of the United States Government. On the organization of each district the members of First District Committee are appointed for one year by the Secretary of Interior. Thereafter they are elected by members of the district. Each District Committee receives $1 for each new member enrolled and 25 cents _ per year poll tax for each member in the district. Each -member of the committee is directly responsible to the _Dpartment of the Republic she represents. The Treas- urer to the Secretary of Treasury, the Organizer to the Secretary of Interior, the Social Service member to the Secretary of Social Service and Education, the law members to the Attorney-General, the Business Agent to the Secretary of Commerce and Industry, etc. Each is equally compensated from the revenues of the com- mittee. . / __ These District Committees are the foundation of the Republic’s national government and the direct connec- tion between the highest offices and the membership. The Senators are nominated by the District Committees and elected by the State’s membership, The two Representatives from each State are nominated by District assemblies and elected by direct vote of all members in the State. oe 2 The first: Senate and House of Representatives elected in October, 1911, assembled in Congress at University City, Mo., the national capital of the Republic, June 20 so formally found the Republic and inaugurate the President and Vice-Presidents elected also the previous October. The President is nominated by a convention of the chairmen of the District Committees of each State nee Ny i and elected by direct ballot by mail of all members of the Republic. ; MEMBERSHIP Membership in the Republic is open to all women and men of the Caucasian race. Men may vote in those States which have granted the suffrage to women, and may not hold such offices, local, state or national in the Republic, as are open to women in the United States Government. ACTIVITIES The Republic’s activities are divided into three great divisions: ooo Educational and Social Service, Industrial and Commercial, : _ Financial. THE EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT has its own | University, Art Academy and Schools, whose courses, which are open to all members of the Re- | public who desire to secure its advantages and who pay the small tuition charges for each course in money or in_ services rendered. The courses now open to all mem- _ bers of this Division include: : Business Courses, Mrs. Vocational Courses, MARGARET TUCKER Grammar Courses, Secty. Education Language Courses, Music Courses, | Art Courses, Household Economy, — University Courses, Teachers’ Courses, Crafts Courses, Professional Courses, Agricultural Courses. These courses are also open to minor children of mem- bers of the Republic at a small charge. The tuition value of the courses now open to each League member is approximately a thousand dollars. ‘Over fifty thousand students were enrolled in 1910-11. An Art Academy was erected in 1910 at a cost of $150,000, and masters among the most famous artists in the world placed at its head. The educational charges barely cover the expense of correcting the lesson papers. For full particulars address Mrs. Margaret Tucker, See- retary of Social Service, University City, St. Louis, Mo. { THE INDUSTRIAL DEPARTMENT The Regents Corporation, as the Industrial body of the American Woman’s Republic, seeks to produce and market BETTER, purer and finer products on a sound business basis of the highest quality and value only. It seeks to establish the sale of its products solely on their own merit, and hence to build up a growing and permanent fran- chise in those products. It asks no favors, but undertakes to meet all competitors in the open market of -human industry on an equal foot ; MRs. & SUSIE JOHNSON Secty. Industry g- It is chartered as an industrial and mercantile cor- poration, its stockholders being the Regents or Governors of the States of the Republic, who are the State General Business Agents. The entire net profits of the Regents Corporation paid in dividends are payable equally to the members of the corporation or industrial branch, which in turn pays a license or revenue tax to the Republic. The Industrial establishes and builds up commercial and industrial enterprises, acts as United States agents for other manufacturers and already produces excellent lines of products in pure foods and toilet preparations, which. are finding a nation-wide sale on their merit. Its pur- pose is to open new industrial, commercial and business agency opportunities to women and to earn a financial profit for its members. Ats working surplus for the development of its indus- tries is derived from the industrial membership fee of $100, payable in convenient installments or by services rendered, and each member is equally interested in the profit of its industries as well as being the authorized sales agent of its products and United States agencies, on a liberal commission. Membership is transferable. For full information of the Industrial and its products and agencies, address Miss Susie Johnson, Secretary of Com- merce and Industry, University City, St. Louis, Mo. FINANCIAL The financial division of the Re- public embraces Banking, Insurance and Colonization, the several plans for which are in the process of de- velopment and will be equally open to all members of the Republic. Full information in regard to the insurance advantages already open may be had from Mrs. Alma Z. Moore, Vice-President. ~ Over the several divisions of en- terprise, industry, education, fi-- mance and social service is the Government of the Republic. ALMA Z. MOORE Vice-Pres. SOURCES OF REVENUE Manifestly one of the first considerations in the or- ganizing of such an administrative body as the American Woman’s Republic is some permanent source of revenue which will grow with the rapidly increasing requirements and in proportion to them. ee The Republic without revenues would be like an army without a commissary. Neither could go far. This is the one vital thing which all forms of woman’s organizations lack. To be both permanent and of constantly increasing character the source of revenue of the Republic must provide that the member personally receives a direct financial benefit without direct taxation of the member. The problem is met in a way which will make mem- bership in the Republic materially decrease the cost of living to the member and hence her own direct personal interest will insure to the Republic itself large revenues. It is proposed that the vast purchasing, consuming and sales force of the Republic’s membership shall be used in a way which will place the burden of its financial support on the great manufacturers by means of a tariff for revenue only. : The advantage to any manufacturer of proprietary goods, whether flour, clothing, food or medicine, of en- joying an exclusive license to do business with the vast membership of the Republic, would be of great financial value to him. ‘The membership of the Republic now exceeds eighty thousand, and probably represents a pur- chasing power of a hundred million dollars per year at a low estimate. If the manufacturer of a certain line of product, such as corsets, breakfast foods or any of a hundred articles, could be assured that he would receive the full force of the purchasing and sales power of such a body, he would pay most liberally and willingly for it. he Republic is licensing one manufacturer in each line, seeking only those of established responsibility and whose goods are widely known as of the very highest quality. The manufacturers so licensed pack in every article they produce a coupon of the American Woman’s Republic. This coupon is good at its face value in cash > when presented for payment to the Secretary of Treasury of the Republic. The Treasurer cashes it on the manufacturer for a little more than its face. Thus a certain well-known brand of corsets selling for $2.50 will contain a rebate coupon of 20 cents, which any member of the Republic purchasing one of these corsets can cash for 20 cents by sending it to the Secretary of Treasury. The manufacturer pays the Republic 25 cents for each coupon so returned and cashed. The member gets a direct benefit of 20 cents discount and the Re- public makes 5 cents. This tends to place behind that brand of corsets not only the purchasing power of a hundred thousand women, but also their good will and selling force. The licensed manufacturer pays this re- bate ONLY when his goods are purchased by members of the Republic, as only members of the Republic can cash the coupons. The greater the membership the greater its value to the manufacturer, the greater the revenue to the Republic. ; The manufacturers themselves have been first to ap- preciate this plan, and applications for license rights under the Republic are under consideration already from > a large number of leading manufacturers, some of whose goods are known in nearly every household in America. _ Under this plan the Republic will automatically receive -an income constantly increasing with its own member- ship and requirements, while to each member it will mean a constantly greater direct financial benefit in the reduction of the cost of living. This single advantage of membership once in operation should alone quickly give the Republic a membership of © a million or more members and an independent and cer- tain revenue of vast amount yearly. ‘ Once in full operation, the Republic’s revenues will be disbursed only through appropriations made by its Congress. Fach Cabinet officer will present to Congress a budget or estimate of the financial requirements of her depart- ment for the ensuing year. A general appropriation bill would then be passed by Congress, of so much for edu- cational purposes, so much for social service, so much for Republic buildings or chapter houses and their main- tenance, and so on. We will say that the appropriation for chapter house building amounted to 20 per cent of the_total appropriation for the year. the Treasury would then set aside for. Department of the Republic 20 cents out of each $1.00 of the Republic’s revenues from week to week and a corresponding per- centage for each of the other Departments, according to the proportion their appropriation bore to the total ap- propriation made by Congress. If the Republic’s general revenues exceeded the total general appropriation during the year, the Secretary of the Treasury would report to the next session of Con- gress the surplus. No department could exceed in ex- penditures the amount Congress had appropriated to it, no matter how great the surplus. If the appropriation for any department proved in- sufficient the Secretary of that department would seek an increased appropriation from the next Congress. As every member of the Republic directly derived a financial benefit from this means of revenue far in excess of the membership dues, there would be no such catas-_ trophe possible as the failure of the Republic’s revenues because its members failed to pay their dues. In fact, they could pay their dues with a part of the rebates they got on their purchases of licensed goods. Membership in the Republic, instead of adding a bur- — den of membership dues, means a material saving in the cost of living, hence any organizations may join in a body and each added member will also increase the Re- public’s revenues and resources so as to enable it to assist materially in carrying out the very ideals and pur- poses for which these many separate organizations exist, without affecting the identity or* independance of the The Secretary of ‘Stem rea fi ss, agen aa he ag » os a ge ‘ous ‘organizations whose members join the Republic. ve AG heaoorialind by the Republic’s ‘Congress sac _ million dollars from its revenues to suppress the cp Cc slave traffic would do more in_a year to suppress it t = the spasmodic, unorganized effort of a hundred oo societies organized for that purpose. Furthermore, | a million would have back of it the organized ne of a nation-wide Republic of Americas womanhood, i- rected by its Attorney-General, co-operating with every local -District Committee of the Republic, and every anti-white slave society in America, whose members were of the Republic. i, eas ; ADVANTAGES OF MEMBERSHIP E ember of the Republic is entitled to the re- en ete on all products licensed by the Re- public, no matter by whom made, where sold or pur- chased. This rebate is obtained through the ae coupon packed in all products by each licensed manutac- turer, which coupons’ the member purchasing the products at her local merchants or direct, forwards to the Secre- tary of Treasury to be cashed. ‘his direct financial benefit in a reduced cost of living should become of most material and considerable yearly amount to the members as the membership increases, thereby forcing leading manufacturers in all lines to seek license under the Woman’s Republic. All members of the Republic are paid subscribers to ‘the Republic’s official organ, the National Weekly, the fighting weapon or army of the Republic. All members of the Republic are entitled to receive, -prEE, courses of instruction in— Parliamentary Law, Initiative, Referendum and Recall, Administration and Government, Political ena The Lega ights o oman. : These ince on Greharktion for the Republic by eminent authorities ihe be ready in pamphlet and easily form, shortly. es me ese oe of the Republic are entitled to the Ete. tection of the Republic as citizens, from injustice an Pr meuibere of the Republic are entitled to vote in ns. ‘ ot OS anata of the Republic are entitled to the Edu- cational, Industrial and Financial benefits, opportunities and advantages offered by any or all these conte peo payment of their respective fees, which are nomuina i. Every woman, a member of the Republic in hi standing, is eligible to election to any elective office from District. Committee to National President. | A nominal initiation fee of $3 is required for mem- bership in the Republic, and annual dues of $2 per year, which includes the subscription to the official — the National Weekly, and is the poll tax of the Repub ic to cover the cletical expense of the member's record and correspondence. ‘ - . a DISTRICT COMMITTEES As the governmental structure of the Republic rests largely on the District Committees in each State, the utmost care is being used in the selection of the seven members of each committee to secure women whose recognized ability, position and responsibility will make them fitting representatives of the seven great governmental departments. For the operating expenses of each District Committee, when appointed, $1 from the $3 initiation fee of every member in the district goes to the District Committee, and 25 cents per year from the $2 annual dues or poll tax of each member in the district will also go to the District Committee. ; The membership of the Republic passed the 80,000 mark in 1911. The vast work of effecting the District Com- mittee organization throughout America is now in prog- ress. This work holds out inducements of unusual char- acter, both in influence and compensation, to women of ability, energy and refinement. The assistance of all such women is desired and a duty on their part. The organization of your own District Committee may mean to you the cpening of opportunities, influence, po- sition and independent income. It is a work of the highest dignity and service to woma:. If you desire further information of the District Comm:tiee organiza- tion work, address MRS. CLAUDIA HAZEN WHITE, Sec’y of Interior, University City, St. Louis, Mo. DECLARATION OF EQUAL RIGHTS CLAUDIA H. WHITE Secty. Interior Adopted by the American Woman’s Republic at University City, Mo., June 22, 1912. _ When in the course of human events, through chang- ing conditions, it becomes necessary for one part of the people to dissolve the bonds of precedent which has regulated them with another, and to assume in the com- mon government the separate and equal station to which the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect for the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them so to do. Therefore, we hold these truths to be self-evident: that men and women are created free and equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit cf happiness; that to secure to themselves these rights governments have been instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed without recognition of or consent by, woman. atm a acs * That \whenever any form of government fails to recog- nize the\ rights of half the governed, it is the right of the unrecognized half to alter it or to- institute a new government, basing its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to her shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness, as well as those of the other half. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that customs long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience hath shown that woman is more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right herself by abolishing the forms to which she has been accus- tomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpa: tions, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them to absolute servitude, it is her right—it is her duty—to seek by all peaceable means to bring about better conditions and to provide new guards for her future security. Such has been the patient suf: ferance of woman, and such is now the necessity which constrains her to alter her former status. The history of the government of the United States by man is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations to woman, all having in direct object the establishment of the sub- jection of woman, the tyranny of wealth and concentra- tion of power. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world. Man has refused his assent to laws, the most whole- some and necessary for the public good in the protection of children and women employed in industry, to pass laws for the conservation of the health and the education of children, the prevention of intemperance and white slavery, and the conservation of the most precious re- sources of the nation, or, when such laws have been passed, has often neglected to enforce them. Man has refused to pass laws giving the ballot to a large proportion of women, for fear of the use they would make of the right of representation in the legis- Iture—a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. He has obstructed the administration of justice by refusing to woman an equal right in the mutual estate of the family and control over the children. He has made judges independent of the will of the people, for the tenure of their offices and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has combined to subject woman to a jurisdiction and laws in which she has no voice, and to laws in the making of which she has no part. For protecting himself in immorality instead of estab- lishing an equal standard of morals. For cutting off woman from fair and equal opportunity of education and employment. For imposing taxes on her without her consent. For depriving her in many cases of the benefits of hearing in the courts. For claiming and exercising absolute power and right over her bodies and children. Nor has woman been wanting in attention brethren. She has warned them from time to time of . attempts by their legislatures to extend an- unwarrant- able jurisdiction over her. She has remainded /them of the circumstances of her inseparable rights and /interests. She has appealed to their native justice and magnanimity and. she has conjured them by the ties of common hu- manity to disavow these usurpations, which/ would in- evitably interrupt the true ‘and equal partnership and most sacred relations of the family life. They have been deaf to the voice of justice and of equity. She must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which pro- nounces her declaration of independence and equality and hold them, as they hold the rest of mankind, as her ‘equal and no more. a We, therefore, the REPRESENTATIVES of an American Woman’s Republic, in general congress assem- bled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for | the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by authority of the good women of this land, solemnly PUBLISH and DECLARE that woman are, and of right ought to be, FREE, INDEPENDENT AND EQUAL, in rights with men; that they are absolved from all allegiance to unequal, antiquated and intolerable cus- toms and man-made rules; that all political power and government is a thing in which woman has of right a part. Such laws and customs as are contrary to these principles of human liberty ought to be totally dis- solved, and that as FREE AND INDEPENDENT hu- man beings we have full right to an equal part in the government to compel peace, contract alliances, engage in industry and commerce, and to all other acts and — things which FREE, INDEPENDENT citizens may of right do; and we do protest that it is the purpose of this declaration and the establishment of this American Woman’s Republic to institute in this nation an organi- zation designed to educate, instruct and train woman in the highest ideals of government, the duties and obliga- tions of the suffrage, and to organize her activities that all her efforts for self-betterment in a more equal oppor- tunity, more just laws and customs, the beautifying and improving of the home and the community, the setting forward as the ideal of this nation, quality in place of quantity, the opening tc woman of education without limitations; the abolishing of child labor, white slavery, intemperance and war; the conservation of the Nation’s most precious resource, the child; the establishment of an equal moral standard an dobligation for both sexes, may be conducted under a form of organization which, while preserving the identity and independence of her present many separate organizations, yet may bring all into a harmonious co-operation under one general organization in the form which untold ages of experience have shown to best provide the means of accomplishment by united effort the desires of the many individuals; a form of government. And, whereas, those many activities and privileges of | woman in the education of children, the preparation of ‘to make an