The Portland daily press., 1894-09-17
EQUAL SUFFRAGE In KANSAS
Likely to be Carried by a Majority Of
$4,000.
Labor Element Supporting It Strongly
Prominent wo%sp stum ,in

- HA----r-1.
Papers Cautions
~. fCorr.. The Washington Star.l
Topeka, Kan, Sept.s, 1894. The opin-
ion prevails among many of the leaders
of all political parties that the woman
suffrage amendment will be carried by
a large majority at the coming Novem-
Der election, and that the women of Kan
sas will hereafter be vested with the
elective franchise. Il Since the various
State conventions have been held the ad-
vocates of the, amendm ent have multi
piled until the politicians and political
fxers see the handwriting on the wall
and are trimming accordingly.
At the Populist State convention 9
strong effort was made by the admins
tration, under the direction of Chair
man Breidenthal, in the interest OF
fusion with the Democrats, to defeat the
plank for the amendment, and the COM
mittee, in fact, brought in resolution
that would have been black eye to the
friends of suffrage in the convention.
But the overwhelming defeat Of the
COIuIAlttco LII buO COAVCAUiOA WACA uAc
plank came up for consideration was not
only a surprise, but an assurance of the
immense popularity of the suffrage prin-
ciple in the peoples party. The adoption
of the plank in favor of the amendment
has had the effect of consolidating the
party in support of the principle and it
will doubtless vote almost as one man in
favor of the amendment.
On the other hand, it has been stated
that the adoption of the plank by the
peoples party convention would tend to
turn the Republicans against it. This
would undou btedly be true ii the Popu-
lists and suffrage leaders should make
the amendment party issue IN the
campaign; but up to the present time no
attempt to do this has been made. The
suffrage campaign is being made as a
non-partisan issue. At all the Republic
can and Populist rallies prominent
women who are stumping for the amend
ment are present and address the voters
but they don't discuss party issues.
They contend that the fact that the
amendment was su omitted to the people
of Kansas by a legislature Republican in
one branch and Popuhst in another
sufficiently answers the claim that it be-
longs to any.
A strong factor in favor of the amend
ment is the labor vote of the state
Politicians are surprised that this ele-
menu OF VOGerS IS almOSG unanimous IN
their advocacy of woman suffrage. They
say their wives should be enfranchised;
that they want to vote, and that when
they do vote they will support the men
and parties who represent the issues for
which labor is contending.
In Colorado the labor vote operated
powerfully in favor of the suffrage
amendment. The same leaven is working
in Kansas. 1t is felt in every party, and
long before election day the managers
of each will have found out that a large
element of that class OF their voters can
no longer be controlled on that question.
Consequently. even Democratic papers
and speakers are likely to hedge as the
day u political judgment apprehension
when voting list is to he nearly
doubled, it becomes serious matter fol-
party, or a party's leaders, to uselessly
antagonize those whose Votes they will
soon be counting. %.9tf
The Republican and Populist parties
will each poll about $4,000 votes in
Kansas this year. Of this IS, 0000 votes
fully 175, 200 will ne cast for the amend
ment. This does not include the 10000
prohi bition votes, which will be practi-
cally solid for woman suffrage. The
suffrage tide is sweeping on with irresis-
tible force, and unless great changes
occur the amendment will be carried by
$4,000.