The times., 1898-02-15
WOMAN SUFFRAGE DEFEATS.
(From the Albany Argus.)

l
| going the rounds of the press giving
| what is termed the gains made by the
| women suffragists during the last fifty
| years. 1t has been clearly proven in
Woman and the Republic" that
neither Mrs. Gage, Mrs. Stanton nor
| Miss Anthony knew the names of the
| proposers and defenders of the bill that
| opened the way in New York for all
the liberal legislation that has follow
ed. During the constitutional conven-
| ton of 1894 Mr.. Church, of Allegheny,
| presented an appeal from his county
asking for. the suffrage. He said in
| part: beginning in 1s4S the male citi-
| zenS of the State of New York, not at
| the clamor of the women, as 1 under
| stand it, but actuated by. sense of
| justice, began to remove the disabiil-
| ties under which women .labored at
| that time. Gradually, from that time
on, the barriers had been stricken away
until, in 1891, j believe, the last impede
| menta We're removed.
A careful study of the laws of our
State shows that the change in the
laws did not originate in the suffrage
movement; that change Of law has not
been so much sought for by the suf-
frage leaders as "A voice upon change
of laws: that not so much demand has
been made for better laws as for Wom-
an suffrage; that being Eeld up to be
the panacea for all woman's wrongs.
Women today in nearly every State
of the Union stand on par legally
with men, or are raised upon legal
plane above men. Suffrage to be grant
ed to women should only be considered
from the standpoint, first: Will the
right to vote confer upon women any
benefit from which she is now depriv-
ed? And second. will the State be bene-
fitted by allowing all of It's women to
vote.
That these questions have been de-
cided in the negative by the States be-
low is proof that the suffrage cry of
gain" is an empty nothing. These sta
tistics are given from the time of the
late Presidential election.
In Arizona a woman suffrage bin was
defeated by the assembly. In CaIifor-
MIA constitutional amendment con-
ferring the full rights of suffrage upon
women was defeated by the people at
the election in November, 1885, and
both branches of the legislature of 1897
rejected resolution 10 submit the
question again to the people.
In Connecticut the legislature reject
ed all woman suffrage measures, in
Guiding bill TO permit women to vote
on the license question and one al
lowing tax-paying women to vote upon
questions involving the Ievying of
taxes.
In Delaware the constitutional con-
vention refused to strike the word
male from the election clause of the
new Constitution. Similar action was
taken with motion TO make the clause
read every citizen"
In Illinois it failed to be the one con-
Stitutional amendment possible TO be
adopted
In Indiana the supreme court handed
down decision denying the claim that
women have the right of suffrage un-
der the existing Constitution. The
courts held that the Constitution pro-
ceeds on the assumption that the suf-
frage is not an inherent or natural
right; and that this is the assumption
of the trainers of all the constitutions
in the land
In Iowa a suffrage amendment to
the Constitution was defeated
In Kansas a bill to give women the
right to vote for Presidential electors
was reported adversely by the COM
mittee on elections, and the House re-
fused to give ii a place on the calendar
fol- discussion.
In Kentucky a bill permitting women
to vote for school officers and to be
eligible to the office of school trustee
wal rejected.
In Missouri resolution for con-
stitutional amendment comforting the
suffrage upon women was defeated.
In Massac achusetts a resolution provid-
ing for the submission of contitu-
tional amendment striking the word
male" from the Constitution was de-
feated: also "a bill TO permit women to
vote on the license question; and prop
ositions to confer municipal suffrage
and Presidential suffrage upon women
wer. defeated.
In Maine the judiciary committee of
the legislature gave the petitioners for
a municipal suffrage bill leave to
withdraw"
In Montana the legislature defeated
a proposed constitutional amendment
to confer the suffrage upon women.
In Nebraska the House defeated
resolution to submit a woman's suf-
frage amendment to the Constitution:
and the Senate refused to consider
municipal suffrage bill.
In Nevada the assembly defeated a
woman suffrage bill.
In New York resolution for a suf-
frage constitutional amendment was
feated in the judiciary committee. A
proposed womans suffrage provision
in the Greater New York charter failed
in the legislature.
In New Jersey proposed amend
ment to grant school suffrage to women
was defeated
In Oklahoma the House on January
%, 1897, defeated by a decisive vote
a bill to permit women to vote in the
territory; and on February Is reaf-
firmed the action.
In RhoSe Island a resolution for a
suffrage amendment to the Constitu-
tion was defeated.
In Vermont bill to confer municipal
suffrage upon women taxpayers was
defeated.
Woman suffrage bills We're defeated
also in Nova Scotia, in the British
House of Commons. later in the House
OF Lords and still later in Australia.
To this statement may be added the
fact that the assembly judiciary comI
mittee of New York voted against
woman suffrage on February 2, 1898.
MRS. w. WINSLOW CRANNEII,
Albany. February 1898.
WI - fvu