The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-12-25
WOMEN ATTHE POLLS.
The Extent to Which They may In
deavor to influence Voters.

The action Of the women Of Springfield.
Mass, In working at the polls against license
at the last city election, has called forth a
great variety Of comments, and not few
p-ctests. To one Of these criticisms the
SprinsIO ID Republican makes this reply.
Women have just as much place around
the polls as men have, as distributors Of bal
lots and unofficial observers and watchers Of
the process Of voting but refreshments have
no place there at all, by whomever served.
As to the first point. the Republican has
held for many years that our habits and poll
ing arrangements in Massachusetts are
shametully negligent Of the freedom Of the
voter from espionage. In Great Britain each
voter receives his ballot from an officer of
the polls, retires to stall closed on three
sides and puts marks opposite the names Of
the candidates he wishes TO vote for. In
California no one but the voter and the on
GERS OF the election approach the ballot
no provision for what our correspondent
justly describes as intended TO be the ex-
preston OF deliberately formed judgment"
de must know that 10 Is common practice to
allow solicitors Of votes to occupy the very
room In which the polling Is going on. Hence
there Is a certain Justice in the answer from
those who reply TO him that his objection. IL
sound, is tardy. Suppose some wife who
may have vital interest in the question mas
persuaded her husband that he ought 20 vote
no, and proposes to go to the polls and see II
John votes mo-" John says, You know,
Mary, 1t Is not quite the thing for you to hang
around the polls, and want to express de-
li6erately formed judgment" Mary might
ask, "Will Tom, Dick and Harry and Mike
and Tim and the rest Of the club be there
hanging around the pOlls?" "Oh, yes, they
will be there. They have all got to.express
deliberately formed judgments. and II will
der that Mary, whose domestic peace and
bread and butter may be at stake, fails TO
realize the justice Of the argument, when
she knows that the only sound judgment Is
the one which has been formed at the fire.
against the presence ss cet Of Woman al the pOs Is
good just as far as II Is a plea against the
presence Of any unoficial watchers and
workers at the polls, and no farther
But as to refreshments there can be no
BY the innocent character Of their cooking
into an impOlitic course. Coffee, sandwiches
and d0ughnuts. TO speak precisely, are not
lmm0ral-waiying for the moment physi0l0g-
ical obiections-but they are sometimes in
opportune, very. Ne woman who had a suit
In court would be so dull Of apprehension as
to the proprieties and moralities as to pass
up luncheon to the judge, or to send o
spread. to the jury. Nor would she be In
any doubt as to the character Of the transac-
ton, II she saw the advocates Of license es-
tablish an open bar at the polling places and
tender drinks to all who voted right" By
this test of doing unto others as you would
be done by, this device cannot be approved.
The law forbids sales Of liquor on all cleo
ton days by common victuallers and also by
inn keepers, except to guests actually reg
istered.
We have no question thatin due time wom-
en- will go TO the polls, not to serve dough-
nuts or peddle tickets, but to vote upon
these questions which intimately concern the
home, the family, and the moral deceney
and purity Of the community. We have no
fears for the results upon her influence and
character. II voting Is degrading TO man, ID
will be so perhaps to woman, but TO admit
this premise Is 10 confess free Institutions
failure, whichIths Republican Is by no means
ready to do. On the other hand, we see no
reason to doubt that when the aid Of wom-
an Is invoked in government as IL Is now
successfully in every other great and moral
work under the sun, then the chances Of q
clean polling place, Of an unintimidated, UNI
watched and honestly counted ballot and
Of "the expression Of the deliberately formed
judgment Of the whole community will be
immeasurably increased-and under PrOvi-
dence may that time be FASTENED!