New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-09
A WOUiV SUFFRAGE VOTE.

Massachusetts has long had rcputc rs pioneer
in making social and political changes While
most of her sister States were voting uhd'r
crude conditions that put premium on frauu
she was holding honest and orderly elections
uuder n blanket ballot system. Before most OF
her neiyhbors thought seriously Of the right or
women TO voice in the education of their chill
dron Massachusetts had provided for their voting
ON school questions. Since then some Of the
Western Statcs. where law and opinion are less
hound Inv Tradition than with us and where
there is less nj stake IL unfortunate experiments
in political institutions are made, have gone
some steps further and given to women full or
limited suffrage But the conservative East mas
so far been deaf to appeals to grant similar priv
egcs. The last Legislature in this State took
the first step In the direction of submitting
constitutional amendment to the people, ana II
the coming Legislature takes second favoraDie
vote the suffrage question VIII come before the
men Of NewYork for decision.
Massachusetts, however, has in limited way
anticipated US, and had a popular vote OF Do'h
sexes on the subject II Is true that the ques-
ton was submitted in form which the SUI
fraeists resented as the work of their enemies
and no immediate result would necessarily have
followed an affirmative vote. MoreoVer' the
,ssue was only one Of granting the municipal
suffrage TO women, not OF extending 10 'hei'
full equality at the polls NeyertheleSS' 'he 'o'e
of Tuesday offered fair chance to test Eas'erh
sentiment in n place. If not under cohui''ohs
favorable to the suffrage cause. The result Is
that. according to the returns 50 far receiVen'
about 63 per cent of the vote cast gave Il mega
tive answer to the question, as it eXpedieht
that municipal suffrage be granted to women
In Boston there were 1000 yeas TO 42.OD nays.
The friends OF woman's suffrage declare 'lat
under the circumstances this was laForaoic
showing. That one person out of three that took
the trouble to be recorded in Boston, ana WIFI
in Il per cent Of half Of those expressing them
selves I'm the whole Sta'e. should have voted
Yes" they regard as surprising in view of the
fact that the test being only one of opinioh'
many would not arouse themselves as for de-
cisive contest On the other hand, the women
opposed TO suffrage openly urged those OF their
sex who agreed with them to refrain from cast
inc ,heir ballots and t, discourage women from
going to the polls even TO record their opposi'ion
70 tbc,r bcIng burlened with the duties of cleo
tors
II will be interesting to anayZe the vote anu
find out what was the comparative sentiment
If the two sexes as soon as the results are tabu-
lated on that basis. At present the OPINION OF
women rs distinguished from men is conJectufai'
II IL believed. however, that comparatively Few
women voted in the negatives and tha' "h''e
. ,,ro.t number Of the best men in the Common
wealth. including Senator lioar ana eA"''
ernors Long. Bracket and Claim, were IN FAVOR
of extending the municipal suffrage, yet Tue
men who took sides al all for the most part
Joined the opposition. 1t is often sad lha' "h'i'
the great body Of women want the suffrage thes
will have it, The suffragsts in MASSACHUSETTS,
have already begun 10 argue that. concedlng Tue
rrodominont feminine vote to have been Yes,
tho women as body may properly be cohsiu-
ored az demanding voice In city government
II IS true that 1t Is the voters ana not the stay
o,homes who count in m election. Yet it will
he hard TO persuade lawmakers that so mo-
meptous n change should be made at the dicta-
ton Of small body Of active women, in the race
Of general apathy among their sisters. mat Tue
apathy was general Is seen from the hgureS'
The total vote for Governor in the Stare WIS
900. while the vote on the rercrehduih' III
Guiding the women, was less than 2loooo IN
BOSTON out OF 10000 qualified women voters only
"a GOO registered and less than 10000 went 10
the polls.
Sucb a vote as that Of Massachusetts on Tues
dav is instructive. 1t shows the progress Oh
suffrage sentiment. 1t brings before the people
for discussion question which Should not
be settled without careful study. But untll Il
larger proportion Of the women who would nave
the ballot If suffrage were granted to them de-
clare themselves ready TO use it, Legislatures
are not likely to consider themselves warranted
in doubling the number Of electors The work
Of the women who wish to vote evidently sui
lies with those Of their own sex.
INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION.