The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-30
Men of Boston Organize Against
Woman Suffrage.
Issued a Manifesto Against More
Woman's Rights.
THEY'RE NOT SCARED.
Men Declare TheyAre NotAfraid
of Losing Rights.
But They Are Working With
Determination However.

BosToN, Oct. 30.-A wild lilliputian
tempest is raging in the afternoon tea
cups of the 'pink- tea" society of the city
and its environs, and the more distant
suburbs and rural towns are certain to
get taste of the storm. Woman's suf-
frage aud a meaningless referendum
about municipal voting are the exciting
cause, and the results are shown IN the
showers of appeals and letters IN the
newspapers, the latest manifesto being
one signed by the aristocrats and several
of the oldest inhabitants appealing to
voters not to let women get any deeper
into the arts aud mysteries of local cleo
tions.
The feature of the falls campaign is
truly its picturesqueness in the woman's
respect. The last legislature passed
resolve providing that all persons quail
fed to vote for school committee Ia the
state election in November, whether
male or female, should have an oppor-
tunity to express their opinions, either IN
the affirmative or negative on the ques-
ton:
sis it expedient that municipal suf-
frage be granted to women?"
The votes of the two sexes to be count
ed separately. On this question hinges
the sentiment of the community, swayed
to and fro each day by the new phases in
troduced.
Many presume that to enable one to
vote in city and town elections an amend
ment to the constitution is necessary,
but such is not the fact, for the legisla-
ture is clothed with power to enact
law giving suffrage to women in local
affairs. Two years ago such an act was
killed in the senate when it reached tbs
engrossment stage, and this year, with the
governor outspoken in favor of it, sem
ate practically unsnimous on the woman 8
side and 8 house about evenly divided
on the question, it seemed certain of
passing. but the anti's played a sharp
game and killed the measure in the
house, throwing as crumb to the suf-
fragists this referendum. which means
naught save that if quite generally ap-
proved it will tend to the passage of the
suffrage bill by the next legislature.
The Mans Suffrage association was
inspired early in the spring, but organi-
cation was not perfected until the first of
this month, when an elaborate manifesto
was issued bearing the names of distin
guished ex-governors, clergymen of diff
ferent denominations, Catholic as we'll as
Protestant, aristocratic leaders of socie-
ty, millionaire coupon cutters, bioated
bondhoIders and "has beens." It called
upon the voters, irrespective of sex, to
perpetuate the male monopoly as II now
stands, and the appeal was followed by
a notification of the opening OF a head
quarters with the view of conducting an
aggressive campaign.
At the outset they were sharply ar
raigned and held up to ridicule, and the
Massachusetts Weman's Suffrage asso
citation promptly issued an answer to
their manifesto.
The Mans Anti Woman Suffrage as
ISOLATION then defined its position as
follows:
"Our association was formed, not be-
cause we feared our rights were in peril
but at the urgent request of the women
themselves, to protect them from the
imposition of any further burdens. We
have always supposed that it was the
highest chivalry Of the men to carry out
the wishes of the other sex, and that ii
exactly what we are doing now
There are $4,000 women of voting
age in Massachusetts. Do you believe
that $4,000 of these desire the suffra gel
Are not the wishes of the other 100000
who do not desire the suffrage entitled
to some considerations
The manifesto of the Mans Suffrage
association does not appear to have
aroused much enthusiasm among the
middle class, particularly among those
opposed to woman's suffrage. The fac
is, there is feeling ia the breasts o
most men against Fighting a woman,
and however they may vote en- the refer
endum they do not care to come out anC
form themselves in battle array, as i
were, against the woman. Then, too, til,
Woman's Anti Woman Suffrage associa
ton, whose membership comprises tn,
aristocracy, mostly wives Of the signer
-, .. !
of many only helped on the movemen
for extending the franchise. 1t would b
hard to make these good souls in tailor
made gowns understand how this is, bu
men are convinced of it, and possibly tn
''man's suffrage party" may check til
movement little.