The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-12-15
The Woman Suffrage and Prohibition Co.
alition a Success.

The result of the State election, as re-
ported, shows an aggregate vote for the
Baker ticket of u, 103. But third party
votes are never fully reported. There is
always carelessness in counting votes
which will neither elect nor defeat
candidates. Probably at least 1900
votes were cast for John I. Baker.
Be this as it may, the result is a most
gratifying one to the coalitionlsts. The
papers and politicians that affect to de-
cry it are either very thoughtless or
very ignorant. No one who knew the
strength of aroused party feeling and
the overwhelming gravitation of a Pres
idential election ever dreamed that We
should poll heavy vote. For myself,
when l was asked how many votes we
should cast, invariably replied: mot
less than 5000 or more than 50,000.n At
the close of almost every meeting we
have held during the campaign, men
have come to US aud said 1--WE en-
dorse all you say, and next year we will
vote for you, but, this fall, we must vote
the straight ticket" 1t was in vain
that we explained TO them that voting
the Baker ticket would not affect the
National election a single vote; that the
same piece of paper which they dropped
into the ballot box with the Baker
ticket for State officers would have on it
the names of the Presidential Electors
of their choice. 1t was a matter of feel
ing, not of reason.
One-half of the men who voted for
Baker last year voted for Rice this year.
More than a hundred men have told me
so in their own cases. From my own
observation, feel sure that two-thirds
of our votes are new recruits, wrung
from the old parties most reluctantly by
the sheer force of moral conviction.
Think of the circumstances The Dem
ocrats were elated and confident. They
saw victory within their grasp. The
Republicans felt that the result of the
anti-slavery struggle of half a century
was in peril, and that the very exist
ence of the Republic was at stake. The
Baker men were all of them Republi-
cans or Democrats in National politics
and shared these feelings. No man who
understands human nature would ex-
pect a new cause to have fair hearing
under such circumstances as these, and
the wonder is not that we got 1900
votes, but that we got half that mum her.
We do not believe that the prohibit
tiOnists alone would have polled more
than 5000 votes, or that the sutfragists
alone would have polled over 5000 votes.
Last year $500 votes were cast for the
single name of John |. Baker, as a pro-
test. But they indicated only disgust
at the nomination of Mr.. Rice. They
represented no radical change of party
affiliations. They indicated no perma-
nent policy. By the nomination of a
full State ticket, the equal rights and
prohibition coalition has done some
thing quite different. 1t has said "good-
bye" to the old parties and has burned
the bridges behind it.
And yet, 1900 votes, in any ordinary
year, means the balance of polUer an
Massachusetts politics. Last year, or
the year before, this coalition would
have put the Republican party in a
hopeless minority. Next year, with the
same eXertiOn, with a more complete
Organization and fuller experience, this
coalition will hold in its hand the des-
tiny of the Republican party of the
State. If anybody doubts it-wait and
see.
The Republicans can win back these
1900 votes, and as many more who
have promised to go with us next year,
in only one way. Enact a law this
winter extending suffrage to women in
the election of county, town, and muni-
cipal officers, and reverse the policy OF
liquor license. Then we can all come
back. Will the Legislature do this ?
We shall see.
To the cause of Woman Suffrage this
campaign has been, of great value. 1t
has converted to Woman Suffrage a
large proportion of the men and women
who are active in the temperance cause.
1t has forced men to take sides for OF
against us. This is itself a great gain,
for the only thing Woman Suffrage has
to fear is Indifference. 1t has brought
women into practical politics. They
have attended scores of local caucuses,
and have taken part in the nomina-
tions. A few heroic women have gone
to the polls and distributed ballots
This is a revolution which will never &C
backwards. The party of men and
women is the party of the future
Henry BLackoOeM