The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-10-22
WOMAN'S WORK IN THE CAMPAIGN

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Never was there before a presidential
campaign in which the women of the
country have taken such an active part
as in the present struggle.
In three states of the Union. Wyo-
ming, Colorado and Utah. women have
the same voting privileges as men; but
feminine interests in the campaign are
by no means limited to those states.
intelligent women all over the country
seem to feel that the contest has an i'm
portant bearing upon the welfare of their
households. They think that the cause
Of protection and sound money is bound
up with the prosperity of the family,
and they feel a great interest in the Re-
publican presidential candidate because
of the nobility of his character and his
devotion to his home life.
The Woman's bureau is under the di-
rection of Mrs. j. Ellen Foster. the we'll
known orator and political writer of Des
Moines, Ia, for several years president
of the Woman's National Republican as
ISOLATION. The bureau is established in
commodious quarters in the Auditorium
Annex, Chicago. quite away from the
noise and activities of the national COM
mittee, where Mrs. Foster is provided
with every convenience, and assisted by
capable aids.
The Woman's Republican association
is composed of thinking. active women
women intensely alive to the best inter
ests of their countr- and homes. The
WomanS association is not a suffrage
association. Many of it's members do
not believe in suffrage at all. 1t is not
a moral reform association. although
many of its members are engaged in the
philanthropies and reforms which illu-
mine this decade of our national history.
They do not seek to utilize the Repub-
lican association to advance any of these
reforms. Its members are simply. and
all the time. Republicans. laboring for
the support of the principles of that
party and for the election of it's candi-
dates.
Mrs. Fosters immediate associates
and assistants in the work are women
of capabilities in various lines. Mrs
Thomas w. Chace. the general secre-
tary, resides in East Greenwich X: l.,
and from there exercises a watchful
care for the work in the New England
states. Mrs. Chace has an extensive ac-
quaintance and is identified with many
great charities, philanthropies and soci-
cites, aside from her political duties.
The national treasurer. Miss Helen Var
wick Boswell of New York city, has SUI
pervison over the headquarters of her
state. located at 1913 Broadway. Miss
Boswell has inaugurated the plan of per-
sonal visits among the women in the
tenement districts of New York. for the
purpose of showing the women the mean
ing of the free coinage of silver and how
it will affect the purchasing power of
their dollars. She finds these women
with well-defined views on the currency
question and ready to defend them, as
they do in insisting that the voters IN
their families shall maintain them at
the polls Miss Boswell has enlisted
large number of young business women
to help spread the doctrines of sound
money and protection and to help secure
votes for the Republican candidates.
In the Chicago headquarters Mrs. Fos-
ter's chief assistant and secretary is Mrs.
Alice Rosseter Willard, who has wide
experience in general business and news
paper work in this country and in Eng
land. Next to her comes Miss Anna
Brophy of Dubuque, la. Miss BrOphy
is not only valuable for her education
and wide general knowledge. but because
every piece of work which passes
through her hands receives her critical
attention as to its correctness. it's ac-
curacy. Miss Brophy is chief stenog-
rapher.
Almost the first thing done by Mrs.
Foster after opening her headquarters,
was to issue an appeal to the patriotic
women of the country. urging them to
organize committees or clubs for study
of the issues of the. campaign, and to
help promote the cause of national unity
and protection. The responses have been
most gratifying. coming as they have
from Oregon to New Jersey. These
women are directed in their work of or
ganizing and advised how to make their
efforts effective. The weapons of the
women are personal appeal and litera-
ture. These are used TO convince tne
women that their own personal welfare.
including the interests of children and Of
the home are on the side of the Repub-
lican party. This conviction assured
little doubt remains as to how the vote
influenced by these women will be cast.