The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-11-28
IT WAS DEFEATED.
Woman's Suffrage in Massachusetts
Defeat or Victory.

| W oman SuuraSc Ill laSSdCnuScllS-
Defeat or Victory.
One of the surprises of the MaSsachu-
scttS election was the vote on the muni-
cipal suffrage proposition. The result
is regarded by many as Bull Run for
woman suffrage. while the woman suf-
fragists and their friends claim that il
| is rather sort of Bunker Hill. The re-
turns show large. overwhelming ma ior-
ity of over $4,000 against woman suf-
fragc and on this the claim is based that
neither the men nor the women of Mas
sachusets are i'll favor of woman's en-
trance into politics. On the other hand.
however. an analysis of the vote is point
ed to as showing that in Boston alone
over $4,000 men and women believe in
woman suffrage. that one city and num-
Der of towns in the State actually give
n clear suffraSist majority, and that in
many of the best Republican wards
forty-three per cent I7,O0O) of the total
vote on the referendum was in favor of
the reform. Such majority. it is said
is liable to become a majority at any
time, and that the wonder is not that the
proposition was defeated, but that it is
Endorsed by one voter by every two
against it. Such n defeat is hailed rs
Il moral victory.
We give comments representing both
| views:
The Popular Will Against Woman Suf-
frage.-"lt was the honest purpose of
the legislature. when il decided to sub
nit this vexed question to the people, to
secure the fullest and faireSt expression
of opinion possible. If the women of the
State generally wished the privilege of
exercising the franchise in municipal af
| foirS fhnN hol tbn nnnprt1lnifN- N rows
ter and to record their desire ut the polls
for the instruction of the law makers.
| If the men of the State wished that the
ballot should be given to women, they
could do the same. The defeat of the
proposition and the general apathy which
the women themselves have manifested
ON the subject is plain evidence that the
granting of municipal suffrage To women
would be contrary tC the popular will.
The general court must 50 accept II.
and for term of years. at least, it would
seem as if the annual wOman'S suffrage
campaignc before the legislature would
have 10 be suspended.
But while this result may diSappoint
the advocates of woman suffrage. we do
not expect that it will daunt them. They
are courageous and persistent. They be
lievc heart and soul in the cause for
which for many long and weary years
they have been battling. All honor To
them for that, They must now recog-
nize. however. il seems TO us, that II
they would win any further real and last
ing advance, they must turn their cner-
gies into different directions. Instead of
hcSicging the legislature they must first
convince the great masses of the women
of this commonwealth that they want the
ballot. and that il would be better fol
for them and for the commonwealth L
have it. As the situation now stands
there can be no blinking the fact that the
women themselves are either hostile t
the idea or are profoundly indifferent t
: 1.-THE Journal. Boston.
Promise of Steady Triumph :-Accord
ing to the returns thus far received
more than thirty-seven per cent of al
the votes. of men and women groupct
together, are yes votes. Even so. i
is a good and most encouraging exhibit
l from the viewpoint of the friends OF thi
great reform. Thrty-seven per cen
; lacks but thirteen per cent of being one
half; fourteen per cent more than tn
yes votes cast would make majority
, Considering that only Il comparativel
; few years ago the proposal 10 Civ
women the ballot was anywhere trcate
, with disdain by all but a few enthuS
: aStS. considering how rapid and conStan
has been Of late the advance Of publ
sentiment in the direction of reorgani7
ing the justice. righteousness, and nece$
, Sity Of the enfranchisement of womeI
the fact that even on q sham referendum
! potoViously contriye! by the enemies G
y the woman suffrage cause TO give III
movement 4 setback, the vote III fave
came within fourteen per cent Of a m;
jority, the result may reasonably
claimed as strong promise of its speed
4 triumph. The Advertiser, Boston.
An Evidence Of Enlightened Publ
Spirit.-''One hundred thousand men an
!. twenty-five thousand women in roun
Z numbers voted for woman suffrage
! MassSachuSsttS on the fifth day of !, \,
=. vtInber. This fact will give standln
', and an impetus to the cause in this Stat
!; which it never had before.
:, "Ninety-iyc out Of every hundrt
:, women who voted on the sham rcfe7c'
= dunn voted for woman suffrage. Lee
: than Eve women ont Of every hundrt
n voted against it. l. the question ha
X been left 70 the wolnenS vote. II Won
: have been almost 4 unanimous yes
y Let no one ever again say that the III
5, jOrity Of women are opposed q SlftraS
:. Th,. women opposed to suffrage are s
10 insignificant minority. The fact that
: many women took the trouble 10 vote {
N 4 mere expression Of opinion i an eN
ri deace O: enlightened public spirit almo
+ unexAmpled in political history. "
1. doubt whether under similar conditioi
y ten thousand men would have rcElSte7'
is and voted. The Woman'S Journal
= "Heretofo7e the belief in woman 81
= fase has been supposed 10 be conhn,
n II small remnant Of the remnant :
u the long-haioed men and shorI-hair
he women who are the contempt Of I
hi masses ani their leaders; hut here
- proved that in Boston over e2-plo Of I
si voters cS0e enough for woman sufra
III 70 cast their votes for il il spite Of I
GiSSuaS;on aad influence actively ARA
IN al with advertising and posters again
W 1.-THE Transcript. Boston
on We hare 81 along felt confident n
- Mass chuSeItS would raise her yol
against $ change which involved con:
Cue2caS ST once - important and - q
AZ Scult 10 measure II Advance The IL
=. sid. BoStOa-
is GUARANTEED CURE
IT. We SuShor.ge Our advertised drug
- E-E-"S \a-~ IlsS~nT-a-T