Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-12-12
WOMEN AND THE BALLOT
LIMITED RIGHT or SUFFRAGE IN
MASSACHUSETTS,.
Less Than One thousand Awaiting Them
selves Of the Privilege in Boston,
and Those Mostly Middle
Aged Women.

BosroN, December 9.-The Legislature
last winter enacted statute giving to
women the right to vote for members OF
school cOmmittees,a an office to which they
were made eligible by an act three years
before; and to-day, for the first time in
the history OF Boston, women presented
themselves at the polls for the purpose
of exercising their limited right OF SUI
frage. Not many availed themselves Of
the privilege. Only $50 presented them
selves for registration, Notwithstanding
the fact that the number OF males regis
tered exceeded $1,000. In Ward One
only ! women were registered, and the
highest number on any list was l42, in
Ward Twenty-One. Those who voted
were mostly middle-aged women, there
being only few Young ladies' at any
voting precinct. The elevating intu-
ence Of women at the polls, which Is one
of ithe stock arguments OF the women
suffragists hereabOut, was not realized
i'm 50 marked a degree as TO call Tor any
especial COmmendatiOn OF the expert
ment on this account, although there
was something Ol an avoidance OF
profanity in the presence Of the
fair sex. Smoking was not
prohibited in the voting places, and not
a few of the new born voters hesitated
tO approach the ballot boxes through the
clouds which offended the nOstrll and
obstructed the vision. Ii was nOticea-
ble that those who smoked cigars gen
erally withdrew them from view upon
the entrance of the ladies, but those who
used the more plebeian pipe smoked
right on. TheloOk Of disgust upon some
of the faces OF the fair ones expressed
repentance Of the experiment, al
though those accOsted upon the
subject declared that they enjoyed it
thoroughly and were glad 20 avail
themselves of the privilege which they
believed would open mp the right OF SUIT
frage 10 all women. Few fingered at
the polls, but one intelligent matrOn re-
manned long enough TO congratulate the
stronger sex upon at last having their
eyes opened to the injustice Of taxation
without representation 10 any class OF
Citizens
Ballot distributors were present in
nearly all the wards, with the tickets
specially prepared for the women voters,
but they were hardly needed, for in
nearly every case the voter produced
from her pocket or reticule the ballot
which she had previously selected or
prepared. One young woman, evident
iy school teacher, took ballot from
the distributor, and proceeded TO sean 1t
with all the care of a proof reader, and
having discovered a typographical error,
produced her pencil and made the neceS-
sary correction before drOppleg the bal
lot in its place. Another was offered
straight ticket, which she declined, and,
calling for pastors, prepared her own
ballot, covering the names Oi the wO-
men thereon with those of men OF her
choice, evidently believing that although
women were competent 10 vote, they
were not qualified 20 hold office, or else
that a mistake had been made IN not
placing herself I'm nomination. Most OF
them came % the polls with an uncer-
tain air and modest manner. as though
the business was strange and prepleNlng
10 them, while others marched up with
an air SO nOnChalant as % give the I'M
preston of having voted Tor every
President from Washington down, or
else Of a most successful course Of train
lng ior the event under an experienced
coach. Nearly every woman came
without AN escort and departed
without the company Of gentlemen.
One man came 10 the polls with ms
wife and daughter, and after selecting
the proper ballot iOr himself gave a
like ballOtlo each OF his companions,
and they marched up with their lord
aud master and deposited IL with Tar
less independent air than those assumed
who came i'm at the same time unat-
tended, and who were not bulidozed, SO
10 speak One woman seemed tO de-
mand the right of suffrage who had not
complied with the statute IN regard 20
REGISTRATION. She was told that her
name was not on the list, and that,
therefore, she could not vote. She IN
sisted that the law gave her the right
and made an attempt 20 deposit her bal
lot She was hindered by the guarding
of the box on the part OF the Warden.
Then she departed, but not without Civ
ing utteranCe 20 her opinion that woman
suffrage in Massachusetts was deluslon
and a snare.
The large majority OF those who reg
istered came 10 the polls, showing that
they were not toe busy % vote. They
were OF an intelligent though not gener-
allv of an ariStOcraliC c,asSs. They were
not largely of the StrOng-mInded type
which attend conventions and resolve
annuallyupOn nrevolutiOnizingth the world,
but oi a far more retiring and reserved
class A large proportion ui them were
school teachers. who were called out ~
their personal interest To- express prefer
ence for or against the several cIndi-
dates, i'm accordance, perhaps, with
their estimate OF the nominees ideas
upon questions OF salary and discipline.
On the whole, the experiment Oi wO-
man suffrage in Massachusetts may be
deemed successful one, although the
numbers voting were so small. The
customary scenes at the polls were not
rendered more picturesque by the pres
ence or apparel OF the ladies' The day
was chilly, the crossings muddy, the
ward room floors were saturated with
tobacco Juice, and the air impregnated
with tobacco smoke, and the women
came prepared for the immergeucleS,
clad i'm garments "that wouldn't show
the dirt, as one lady remarked, and
she added that il the polls were not
made more attractive 10y the women the
men would be- 10 blame for the iICt.