The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-21
WOMEN RULE
DEW Err.
Dictated the Nomination and
Secured the Election
OF the Mayor Who Has : Just
Been Inaugurated.
GAINED THE VICTORY
Over the Combined Forces of
Corporations and Wealth
Through a Powerful Civic Fed
GRAFTON Led by a Woman.

0EuNGIs 0Ol.y April wv men MAY OF
McMurray was inaugurated before a
great audience composed largely of wO-
men voters he received no more atten-
ton and no more applause than did a
medium sized woman, nodestly attired,
who entered just before the exercises
We're opened and who took a seat near
the railing hich separates the council
from the space set apart for spectators.
This lady, who blushed deeply at the
volley of applause which greeted her
entrance, was Mrs Sue e. Hall, presi-
dent of the Civic Federation and chief
executive officer Of the campaign which
resulted in the election of Mayor Nc
Murray by a majority of more than o.
900 votes although he had opposed to
him the combined opposition of the
great corporations of the city and the
wealthy leaders in both the Republican
and Democratic parties.
Two years ago Mrs Hall was urging
the Republicans to nominate a clean
municipal ticket. and she was anxious
that her husband should be renOminat-
ed for the office of city treasurer. When
the offer was made to her to give Frank
Hall the nomination provided she
would use her influence for the entire
ticket, no matter whom the convention
might nominate for the other offices,
she Hatly refused.
The women Will support none but
good men," was her steadfast reply.
The result was that Frank Hall was
troll put UP a ticket regardless of the
opinions of the women.
THAT settles one thing" said Mrs.
Hall. women can do nothing through
organized political parties and in con-
ventions, and we will organize upon a
non-partisan basis hereafter"
Thomas $. McMurray was nominated
by that convention controlled by the
water gas and street railway corpora
tion influence as Republican candidate
for the mayoralty, and he was elected
ON the day after his election several
women met at the residence of Mrs
Hall and discussed the preliminaries
for non-partisan organization. The
result was the overwhelming defeat OF
the corporation influence at the recent
municipal election and the main credlJ
generally is given to the remarkable
executive work of Mrs. Hall. Every
municipal office, with the exception Of
two contested seats in the board OF al
derInen was captured by the reform
ers, backed by the Civic Federation.
The women had unusually favorable
conditions in this campaign. The PEG
pie of the city had the issue of re-
ductiOn of the water rates to meet and
as the Womens ticket was for that re
form they pitched in with a will to roll
up the great majority Efforts at fu-
sion between POpulistS and Democrats,
the split between the silver and Mck1n-
ley Republicans caused by the national
campaign of last fall, resulted in de-
moraliZing all three political party
organizations, SO that none of the OPP
posing tickets could muster much
strength All these things combined
to aid the women. but the contests IN
each ward over aldermanic candidates
showed conclusiVely that the results
were due largely to the generalship and
thorough work of the Civic Federation.
In recognition of her work, Mrs Hail
has been selected a delegate to attend
the National Municipal league conYen-
ton. which meets in Louisville, Ky,
next month. This will be the first ap-
pearance of woman delegate before
that body of brafny men and the honor
is considered accordingly, but Mrs.
Hall will be able to talk practically to
the theorists that assemble on that oc-
casion.
How to make the best use of our
victory is now the great problem, re-
marked Mrs. Hall after election day.
I'VE are now very popular because we
won, and the swarm of office seekers
and patronage hunters that always fol
low a victorious party may be our own
undofng We do not lack for numbers
now but how to handle the material
properly and wisely is a problem more
serious than any we have so far en-
countered When we seemed appar-
entity a party without much more than
a vague hope, we were not OYerWheIll-
ed with applicants for membership in
the Civic Federation, but now every
body wants to join
i think that women in this state gen
orally are now satisfied to have equal
suffrage and they would strongly OPP
pose any effort to repeal the law. L was
not a suffragist until the ballot was
placed in my hand. l am not lnclneq
to become a permanent politician and
hope now that / may have long rest
in private. Somebody had to take the
initiative however and the women came
10 me so much for counsel and advice
that I was drawn into the fight rather
against my wishes. I certainly shall
not accept the office of president of the
federation for another term. / know
the gang politicians viii say I made the
fight in order to secure revenge Never
mind about that, though; the issue was
for decency in municipal affairs and an
honest administration for the people
We took up McMurray for reelection
because, though he was nominated or
iginally through corporal ton influence
he dared to stand for the rights of the
people against the corporations during
his first term. The corporations never
would have permitted him to secure a
second nomination through the Repub-
lican party, and we had to place his
name before the people"
The Civic fedora ton was slow in for
nation, but it was in good working or
der in the fall of 1895, and though TAX
candidates it Endorsed certain candi-
dates set up by others and by quiet
work among the women broke up the
county ring by electIng three of their
Endorsed men. This was a great sur
prise to the corpora iCns and clearly in
dicated that there would be trouble
a head in the next municipal campaign
Last fan during the heat of the presi-
Dental campo ign, the Civic fedora ton
assisted in the selection of fusion
county legislative ticket and again, to
the surprise of the politicians, this legis-
1ative ticket was elected.
No political machine was ever more
completely organized or in a more har-
Enonious condition than was the Civio
campaign. Mrs. Hall, chief executive