The San Francisco call., 1896-04-26
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
An Earnest Campaign to Be Under
taken in Its Behalf

taken In Its Behalf.
When number of prominent women went
10 the last Legislature of California and asked
for a bill comforting suffrage upon the women
of the State they were granted instead an
amendment to the constitution, to be acted
upon by the voters. Whether in asking for
bread they were given a stone can better be
determined after the returns are received
from the November election. The submission
of such an amendment was unexpected, and
the State Woman Suffrage Association finds
itself at the beginning of a campaign practi-
cally without funds and with an inadequate
organization throughout the State. The
amendment will be opposed by an element
which is thoroughly organized and has un-
limited funds at its command. 1t also must
meet the opposition OF strong and Unborn
prejudice, and what is equally as hard to COM
bat, the dead wall of Indifference. To coun-
teract the first named opposition suffragists
must rely wholly upon the justice OF their
cause and the support OF that large body of
voters which cannot be corrupted and
which recognizes that equal suffrage Is
fundamental principle of repu blican govern
ment. The prejudiced and the Indifferent can
be moved only by argument on the platform
and in the press.
Notwithstanding these obvious disadvan-
tages, the managers OF the campaign find many
reasons for encouragement. First among
these is the attitude of the press. Not one
prominent newspaper in the entire State has
taken a stand in opposition to woman sui
frage. That the question is receiving con-
siderable share OF attention may be shown by
the fact that during the past four weeks the
Press Clipping Bureau has furnished about
700 clippings on this subject taken from the
papers OF California alone OF these not half
dozen have been disrespectful, and not "a
dozen directly opposed. The City dailies haze
reported the meetings with the greatest fair
ness and have allotted ample space; and lead
| ing representatives among the suffragists have
been received by the editors, without excep-
tion, with especial courtesy and cordiality
Two or three weekly papers in San Francisco
have been somewhat insulting, but opposition
to q cause may be OF such nature as TO make
for it more friends than enemies. The con-
yentions and maSs-meetingS from San Diego to
San Francisco have brought out very large
audiences and many prominent men and
women have identified themselves with the
work.
The State Suffrage Association, through its
president, Mrs. A. A. Sargent, has invited to
assist in the campaign Miss Susan B. Anthony,
Rev. Anna Shaw, Miss Elizabeth Yates Miss
Mary bay and Miss Harriet Mills. Miss
Anthony, president of the National Woman
Suffrage Association, comes of a long line of
Quaker ancestry, among whom were many
noted reformers. She is a noble, digniied,
well-educated woman, who mas devoted all her
time, ability and energy for fifty years to Sc
cure the franchise for women. She has never
swerved from this one object, or been led into
any side issues, and during all this half cen
tury she has never once asked for any official
position or any place of honor or profit for
herself, or ever made an effort to secure such
position for relative. She has gone before
Congress in Washington every winter for thirty
years and asked for woman suffrage amend
ment to the constitution of the United States
During her whole lifetime she has donated her
services and her earnings to this one cause
without hope or desire for any reward except
to obtain full liberty for women Miss
Anthony is now rs years Old and the present
is pro bably the last State Campaign she ever
will undertake. Her mental and physical
vigor is unimpaired. but she desires 10 put in
order the vast mass of material which will
enter into her biography and which will form
valuable addition to the history of the pres.
ent century.
Rev. Anna Shaw is an ordained Methodist
minister, one OF the most eloquent women OF
the age, woman who longs, more than any
one can understand to give up her wander
lngs ana nave permanent abiding place But
SO thoroughly is she convinced of the terrible
lnJustlce or the dlsfranchisemenr of women
that sne Will devote her life, if necessary to
the work of securing its removal
Miss Eliza beth Yates was educated and
trained for the worK of a foreign missionary.
ana spent i've years in China enduring ali the
harQsnlps OF misStonary's life At the end
OF tnat time she came back to this countrv
nlmiy convinced that the field of her labor
that no greater wrong existed anyWhere tn m
lnat OF deprlv1ng half of our people of a voice
IN the government She, too, has gone into
Inc work Tor life, or until every State has rem.
dered justice to its women
Miss Mary Hay is one of the foundars ~ ~ =
Young Woman's Christian Temperenca TInio,, SIro
ana mas remarkable talent for organizarion
ror several years her entire time hos baen
given TO suffrage work. She feels in comm or
WIN most women who attempt to labor for the
pupi1c good that in the ballot is the no,var
Miss Harriet Mills is a graduate IF Corne,l
University, and perfected. a most tborongh
orgahiZatlon OF the great State of New York Ia
carry on suffrage work. e" Iva ~
Sucn IN Drlef is the personnel of the women
WHO nave come several thousand miles in