The Portland daily press., 1895-02-09

The WOman'S journal prints the 1Ol-
lowing letter in answer from request
from Senator Hoar for information in
regard to the practical working OF
Woman's suffrage in Colorado:
United States Senate,
Washington, DC, Dec. %. 1854.
Hon. George F. Hoar. United States Sen
ate, Washington. DC.
Dear Senator. 1t gives us pleasure to
comply with the request contained IN
your letter asking us to give you our
opinion as to the result of our oDserva-
tions of the working of woman suffrage
in Colorado.
A year only had elapsed since the right
of suffrage had been accorded to the
women of Colorado, and the privilege
was to be first exercised in an important
Stats campaign, where much feeling had
been engendered, and where all the cir
cumstances were somewhat unusual
because Of the intensity of the feeling
which existed. We were able to more
carefully observe the workins of the
suffrage movement so far as it WAS eXer-
cised by the women who advocated The
Republican ticket, because we were
brought into closer relations with them,
but it may be fairly assumed that the
women of all parties proceeded in practi-
cally the same way. Many weeks before
| the conventions were held the women of
the larger cities began to organize politi-
cal clubs, composed exclusively OF
women, for the discussion of political
questions. At these meetings men who
had had experience or knowledge of
political affairs were invited to make adj
dresses, and frequent meetings were held.
In Denver, and perhaps elsewhere in the
State, one or more parliamentary clubs
were organized by the women for the
purpose of enabling its members to
familiarize themselves with the rules OF
parliamentary procedure. The women's
political clubs attracted from the FIRST a
large mem bsrsihp which increased as
the time for the conventions drew near,
and the fact was developed that among
the women themselves there was great
interest and intelligence respecting poll
tical questions, and it further appeared
that there were among their own men,
bership many women who were able to
discuss the political situation clearly,
intelligently and effectively, and few
women developed unQuestioned oratori-
cal ability.
The political machinery in Colorado,
as IN most of the States, includes COM
MI ttee men for the different wards and
precincts IN all the large towns, and also
a committee man for each county in the
State. The first step taken by the wom-
en- was to secure some representation up
on these committees. In some localities
there was little resistance to this sug-
gestion, but, generally speaking it was
welcomed and the suggestion accepted
as valuable one. with the result that
in each county in the State a woman act
ed as a mem Der of the State committee
with the male member of such commit
tee from each county, and in the towns a
woman was appointed in each precinct to
act in an advisory capacity.
The primary elections preceded the
county and State conventions by few
days. The women's clubs had mean
while been organized most effectively,
and their mem bers had made house-to-
house canvass of the most careful char
acter, and they very generally interested
the history of Colorado there has never
been an instance where the primaries
have been SO generally attended, and
fully one-third the attendance in the
cities was composed of women. The re-
suit was that the primaries were of the
most orderly character, entirely free
from any sort of disorder or violence,
and the result was accepted by all mem
bers of the party as being the full, free
and fair expression of the will of the
voters.
In the county conventions which fol-
lowed the primaries the women were
largely represented as delegates, and
partook, though in quiet and unob-
trusive fashion, in their deliberations.
In what is here said respecting the party
conventions. we refer to the Republican
conventions, as our opportunities to OBJ
serve were better is too them. A num-
Der of women from many counties in the