WOMEN'S RIGHTS

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York City, in 1868, of the Sorosis Club under Mrs. J. C. Croly (Jennie June), Mrs. James Parton (Fanny Fern) and other ladies of high literary and social position. A further impulse was given by the founding, in New York City also, in 1873, °f the Society for the Advancement- of Women, of which Mrs. Julia Ward Howe for many years was president. Still later came The General Federation of Women's Clubs, first projected in 1890, an organization which has spread widely over the country. To-day it is understood to have close upon 50 federations in the different states, embracing about 4,500 clubs and nearly 275,000 members. Many of the organizations under the Federation have taken up special lines of work, as visiting the public schools to establish school-libraries or kindergartens, to urge the study of household economies and in general to reform the laws affecting women and children. Their work in these and other philanthropic and humanitarian lines has been beneficent.

Women's Rights. The movement in the United States is now an old one to give women their rightful position as citizens, with the widest opportunities in securing a high education, a share in all occupations and industries in which they may care to participate, emancipation from undue legal restraints and hindrances, freedom to enter the medical and other professions and the right of the suffrage (q. v.) and political representation. The cause of women, in seeking these rights and privileges, has from an early day been strenuously advocated by such notable women in England as Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, in America by Lucy Stone, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lydia Maria Child, Julia Ward Howe, Susan B. Anthony, Mary Putnam-Jacobi and others. ( See articles under titles above. ) Abroad, kindred movements among the sex have been organized, with th1; result that many gains have been made for which women have sedulously sought. Many notable representatives of the male sex have also been in sympathy with women in seeking for and obtaining their rights, particularly in England since the publication of John Stuart Mill's essay on The Subjection of Women; while in this country much has been achieved by men's aid, especially since the era of Emerson, Theodore Parker, Henry Ward Beecher, W. H. Channing, Wendell Phillips, Bronson Olcott, \\. Lloyd Garrison and Thomas W. Hig-ginson. ( See articles under titles above. ) The removal of disabilities and the enfranchisement of women have also been much aided at different periods in this country by woman's rights conventions, which date from as early as .«•'48, the year when organized agitation began at Seneca Falls and RoclwMer, N. Y., at Salem,

Akron, Massillon and Ravenna, 0., and at Worcester, Mass. These gatherings were followed about 20 years later by the formation of two national organizations in favor of woman suffrage, which were subsequently (1890) united in the National American Woman Suffrage Association. These and other efforts had wide-reaching effect at home and abroad in extending the suffrage to women, in the modification of property laws and in opening many professions freely to the sex. In Great Britain women can vote now for all offices, save for that of a member of Parliament. In Australia and New Zealand they have the full suffrage. In Canada, in parts of India and in Cape Colony they may vote on various terms for municipal and school offices. In the United States women possess the suffrage at all elections in Colorado, Utah, Idaho and Wyoming, in Kansas they have school and municipal suffrage; in 18 other states women possess the school suffrage; while in New York an enactment in 1901 secured the sex the right to vote in raising money by tax or assessment where they are on the assessment roll and are the owners of property in their own right. Louisiana, moreover, gives women-taxpayers the suffrage upon all questions submitted to the taxpayers; and in Montana and Iowa women may vote upon the issuance of municipal bonds. In several states, on the other hand, antisuffrage associations have been organized, with the view to protesting against women's voting. See Citizenship.

Wom'bat, a marsupial or pouched animal of Australia. The body is a little more than two feet long, covered with dark-brown hair, and the animal has somewhat the appearance of a small bear. The tail is rudimentary, and the legs are short and stout. The toes end in sharp, curved claws which are of service to the animal in burrowing. These animals are active at night, and feed largely on roots. They are easily caught alive, but in captivity show no affection for their keepers, caring only for food given them. Their flesh is said to resemble pork in flavor and is often eaten.

Wood, Leon'ard, major-general in the United States army, was born at Winchester, N. IL, Oct. 9, i860, and graduated in medicine at Harvard Medical School (1884). In 1886 he was appointed first lieutenant and assistant surgeon in the United States army, and reached the rank of captain and surgeon in 1891. In 1886 he served in Arizona and New Mexico in General Miles' campaign against the Apaches under Geronimo and Natchez, arid received a medal of honor for this duty. In May, 1898, on the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, he recruited the 1st regiment of United States volunteer cavalry ("Rough Riders"), and took part in the