The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-07-01
MRS. CAROLINE CORBIN.

chain of circumstances these two women
are now pitted against each other in what
is one of the hottest suffrage campaigns
ever waged anywhere in the Union. Fol
lowing the example of the antisuffragists
in Massachusetts and New York, those in
Illinois have organized under the title of
"Illinois Association Opposed to the Ex-
tension of Suffrage to Women"
This Is the first attack on the suffragist
forces in the west by an organized opposi-
ton. The association was formed short
time ago at a private meeting, and IL was
intended that the fight should be carried
on secretly. Mrs. Corbin was made com
mander In chief, and she has as staff of
field officers Mrs. Roland G. Nickerson,
Mrs. Horatio N. May, Mrs. Edward G..
Mason, Mrs. George W. Smith, Mrs. En-
cline Conger and Mrs. Richard Oglesby.
This central committee has tho support
of standing general committee of 100
Chicago women whose work Is to be in
part the dissemination of antisuffragist
literature. Then there are to be large
number of associate members who are
willing to subscribe to the purposes of
the association, but whom it will not be
necessary to ask to take an active part in
the work.
Many of these women are we'll known
in philanthropic work, and q large number
are social leaders, but none of them is a
woman who aspires to public career At
the same time they cannot be designated
as "home bodies" 1t is expected that the
organization will be extended throughout
the state and that branches will be estab-
lished in various cities and towns.
The campaign which will be thus waged
will be one of education. None of the anti
suffragists Is willing to leave her home
and appear on "A public platform. All
are satisfied TO let the printer do their
talking for them, and they reach their au-
diences through the medium of tho mail
carrier. Perhaps you think this is not a
very effective way of campaigning. That
is u matter of opinion. But here is a case
in point: Last winter, when the suffrage
bills were floundering through the Illinois
legislature and had been sent to the com.
mittee, the mails brought one morning to
each and every lawmaker spioily worded
document which the solons read with
much interest. Ono particularly oaustiC
paragraph seemed to entertain the law.
makers nightly. Here IL Isl
"It is sometimes said that women OBJ,
ject to being classed by the constitution
with minors, idiots, criminals, paupers
and the insane. There may be some force
In this plea. Personally we have never
been inconyenienced by this fact. But II
there are any women who feel themselves
In danger of being confounded with any
of the above mentioned classes, of course
they have the right to complain. We dc
not think the feeling 10 general"
HnpnIppnt " MpG
Corbin, and this particular paragraph was
home thrust at the pet argument of the
chief suifraRist and her quondam friend,
Miss Susan Il. Anthony. Perhaps the doc,
ument had no weight Atany rate, the suf,
frage bills dill not get ont of committee.
1t is by work like this that the antis, or
the remonstrants, as they prefer to he
known, hope TO win the day, Mrs. Corbin
has been an active Temonstrant for ten
years, and she knows the full value Of a
protest to a Legislature, as well as how to
write one that will he read.
CHARLES WARNER,