VOTES FOR WOMEN

AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE HEBREW TECHNICAL SCHOOL FOR GIRLS,

HELD IN THE TEMPLE EMMANUEL, JANUARY 20, 1901

Mr. Clemens was introduced by President Meyer, who said: "In

one of Mr. Clemens's works he expressed his opinion of men,

saying he had no choice between Hebrew and Gentile, black men

or white; to him all men were alike. But I never could find

that he expressed his opinion of women; perhaps that opinion

was so exalted that he could not express it. We shall now be

called to hear what he thinks of women."

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,--It is a small help that I can afford, but it is

just such help that one can give as coming from the heart through the

mouth. The report of Mr. Meyer was admirable, and I was as interested in

it as you have been. Why, I'm twice as old as he, and I've had so much

experience that I would say to him, when he makes his appeal for help:

"Don't make it for to-day or to-morrow, but collect the money on the

spot."

We are all creatures of sudden impulse. We must be worked up by steam,

as it were. Get them to write their wills now, or it may be too late by

-and-by. Fifteen or twenty years ago I had an experience I shall never

forget. I got into a church which was crowded by a sweltering and

panting multitude. The city missionary of our town--Hartford--made a

telling appeal for help. He told of personal experiences among the poor

in cellars and top lofts requiring instances of devotion and help. The

poor are always good to the poor. When a person with his millions gives

a hundred thousand dollars it makes a great noise in the world, but he

does not miss it; it's the widow's mite that makes no noise but does the

best work.

I remember on that occasion in the Hartford church the collection was

being taken up. The appeal had so stirred me that I could hardly wait

for the hat or plate to come my way. I had four hundred dollars in my

pocket, and I was anxious to drop it in the plate and wanted to borrow

more. But the plate was so long in coming my way that the fever-heat of

beneficence was going down lower and lower--going down at the rate of a

hundred dollars a minute. The plate was passed too late. When it

finally came to me, my enthusiasm had gone down so much that I kept my

four hundred dollars--and stole a dime from the plate. So, you see, time

sometimes leads to crime.

Oh, many a time have I thought of that and regretted it, and I adjure you

all to give while the fever is on you.

Referring to woman's sphere in life, I'll say that woman is always right.

For twenty-five years I've been a woman's rights man. I have always

believed, long before my mother died, that, with her gray hairs and

admirable intellect, perhaps she knew as much as I did. Perhaps she knew

as much about voting as I.

I should like to see the time come when women shall help to make the

laws. I should like to see that whip-lash, the ballot, in the hands of

women. As for this city's government, I don't want to say much, except

that it is a shame--a shame; but if I should live twenty-five years

longer--and there is no reason why I shouldn't--I think I'll see women

handle the ballot. If women had the ballot to-day, the state of things

in this town would not exist.

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