New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-11-12
Woman Suffrage in NIassachusett..


teliIgent State of Massachusetts a belief in
the right and propriety of extending the
right to vote to females has taken a strong
hoid upon the people, The Republican
platform, upon which Hon. Alexander II.
kice has just been elected Governor, plainly
declared for female suffrage, and now that
the election is over the women claim to
share in the benefit Of tie victory. The
honaom's Journal of the Saturday following
the election contained the following arti-
cle-ponted, but undoubtedly Just:
The Republican caIty of Mass achusetts "a
has been saved by the women. "The stone
which the builders rejected has become the
head of the corner This is evident from
the following facts:
Mr. Rice has lust been elected Governor
over Mr.. CASTOR by a meagre plurality OF
only 5000, while 1900 VOTES have been
gwen to Messrs. Baker, Adams and Phillips
Ia tie choice of Senators and Represents
tlves, upon which the Republican strength
was United, a large majority of the mem
bers OF both houses are Republicans.
This result il exceedingly encouraging TO
the friends of woman suffrage, because it
shows that hereafter we shall ave it in our
power to exert decisive i. tiu. aea upon
the politics of this State. Had Jn,la Ward
Howe. Mary A. Livermore. Lucy one and
Miss Eastman united with the Prohibitions
lists, as they were urged to do, and III ide a
brief hut spirited campaign for Baker. Will
liam CTaston would have been elected Gov
ernor by more than 10000 majority. These
ladies-the Leaders and representatives of
the woman sutfragists of this State-at the
sufraga convention on the eighth day of
october last, held the fate of tae election in
their hands. We believed it then. VIC know
IL nov. They were urged by prominent
Prohibitionists to declare for Baker. On
condition that they would do so money was
rendered with which tickets could have
been prepared and distributed at every roll
in the Common wealth As it was. not
$1,000 was expended. The temperance
ticket was only circulated in seventy. five
towns. In threeiourths of the State no
Baker tickets were distributed. At least
three -fourths OF the pronounced P'ohibi-
tionists vi the State voted for Rice. Under
such circumstances Prohibition vote of
nearly l0,0oo was wonderfully and unex-
pectedly large.
II Alexander FL Rice had been an oppo-
nent of equal rights for women he would
have been defeated. II the Massachusetts
Prohibitiouists had incorporated woman
suffrage plank in their declaration of princi-
ples, and if the Republicans had failed to
do so. DIR. Rice would have been defeated
lfWilliam CASTOR had rec commended woman
suffrage in his inaugural address last year,
as he was asked to do by a committee of
ladies. he would have been our centennial
Governor. But as between Mr.. Rice and
MIR. GastOn-the former pledged 10 pro.
mote equal rights irrespective of sex the
latter pronounced opponent-no CON
sistent woman eptfragist could hesitate
when the practical choice lay between the
two.
Let the friends of woman suffrage through.
out the State claim the credit which is
Justly their due. Let us say to the Proh;
uitionists, "It you wish to secure the polit-
ical help of women you must espouse the
woman'5 carse. We would gladly help po-
litical temperance, but not at the cost ot
our own seli-respect. So long as your plat
form is silent on the question Of impartial
suffrage for woMen 50 long the friends OF
equal rights will refuse to stand up with
you TO be- counted. Had we dons 20 last
week, aud thereby thrown the State into
the hands of Castor, you you'd have given
us no credit; it would have been exclusively
Prohibition victory. Hereafter, if You
want our aid, you nu give woman sutira ge
your own cordial and explicit co. operation -
To the Republicans let US cay. You owe
your triumph to the friends Of woman sut.
trage. We have saved you. Now what
Will you LOT uSl VIII YOU gam reDu-
diate the principle you affirmed in 1872 and
have reatfrmed in lS75l Will you refuse,
next winter, to give suffrage to the intelli-
geLt women of Massachusetts in the next
Presidential election? 1t so, you will reap
the harvest of ingratitude, and the wages
OF your sin will be- death. Women are by
nature cautious and conservative. They
do aot lightly change, nor easily forget.
But when they ouce make mp their minds,
women seldom go back. Once alienatei
they are hlieuated forever
Republicans of Observation-Disclosures hava
one more golden opportunity. lou have
trhed with woman suffrage once before.
You can do So again next winter ii vnu will.
Bat you can not eyade this question third
time with impunity. You can retain your
supremacy in State and nation il one way
only. Enact a law next winter. Give the
intelligent women OF Massachusetts eqnal
suffrage in the presidential election of 1876
aud the women will give you 100 900 Re.
publican majority in Massachusetts. "Be-
h,l ID now is the accepted time. now is the
day Of salvation"