The record-union., 1898-01-26
AHTI-SJFFRAeE MOVEMENT.
WOMEN WHO DO NOT DESIRE
ADDED RESPONSIBILITIES.
Claim That the Vast Majority OF
Women Do Not Want to Vote
or Hold Office.

The Illinois Association Opposed to
the Extension OF Suffrage to Women
has sent out a pamphlet which con-
tains a brief history of the anti-suffrage
movement and the reasons for it.
Among other things it says:
The Illinois Association Opposed to
the Extension of Suffrage to Women
believes that in commencing organized
anti-suffrage work in the West, it is
proper to give to the public brief
account of the anti-suffrage move
ment in this country, and the circum-
stances which led to the formation OF
the Illinois Association, together with
a somewhat comprehensive statement
of its views and objects.
Il is now nearly fifty years since the
doctrine of the political rights of wo-
men had its first public expression in
this country. The movement, how
ever, made little progress until after
the Civil War, when q new impulse
was given to the idea of the public
rights and public services of women.
The fact that many women had been
celied into public life as nurses, and
in aid of the Sanitary Commission, and
the still more pressing fact that half
a million of our most active and en-
terprising young men had been lost
on the battlefield, left many women de-
pendent upon their own eXertiOns, and
many opportunities for labor were
thrown open to them by the lack OF
men.
In Massachusetts, where men had al
ready, before the war, been drawn off
by emigration to the West, leaving the
women in the majority, these condi-
tions were more keenly felt than al
most anywhere else. 1t was IN that
State therefore that the cause f-sf7a lti
best showing. 1t wa A~efe that the
ablest of its adherents were Concen-
trated and there the most influential
and widely circulated newspaper, de-
voted to the idea, was published. The
early Abolitionists were also advocates
of WomanS rights, and one of them
had left fund for the maintenance
Of the cause. Naturally, also, it was
in Boston that the first movement OPP
posed to it appeared
Nn 1870, a very remarkable petition
was sent to Congress. 1t was written
by Mrs. Madeline Vinton Dahlgren and
Mrs. General W. T. Sherman and Mrs.
Almira Lincoln Phelps (sister of Emma
Willard were her coadjutors. 1t was
signed by hundreds of the leading
ladies' of the land Fifteen thousand
names IL all were enrolled. But there
was no organization formed and the
work was not continued)
IT was in the early sos that a num-
of leading Boston women, several of
of
Charities and Reforms. called a meet
ing. and without forming any organ
ization, commenced to offer quiet but
effective opposition to the efforts of the
suffragists before the State Legislature.
Year after year they met petitions with
counter petitions. arguments with
counter arguments, and succeeded at
session after session of the Legislature
in defeating the proposed measures OF
the suffragists AS the contest grew
mere bitter, and extended beyond the
confines of Boston to the State at large,
many gentlemen became interested on
either side; and at last the Legislature,
with a view TO settling the vexed ques-
tion forever, submitted the whole mat
ter to the people of the State, women
as we'll as men being permitted to
register and vote upon it. The vote
was taken November q. 1899, and the
result was the most overwhelming de-
feat of the suffrag gists that any prop
osition had ever sustained in the state
OF Massachusetts,. while the number OF
votes cast by women in favor OF II
was less than per cent. of the number
entitled to register and vote. This
fact effectually disposed Of the claim
of the suffragists, that the women OF
Massachusetts desired the ballot.
The anti-suffragist OF course sup
posed that SO decided a victory would
result in at least a temporary cessation
of the contest; but the suffragists, iS-
noring entirely the principle that ma
iorities should rule in a republic, de-
clared that so long as one properly
qualified woman desired to vote she
ought to have that right, and returned
undaunted to the field. The MaSsachu-
setts Association Opposed to the EX-
tension Of Suffrage to Women, which
had organized in May. 1899, was there
fore compelled to continue it's work with
increased zeal.
Meantime the suffragists in the State
of New York took the occasion Of the
Constitutional Convention assembled al
Albany. in the spring of 1894. to petit
tion that the word male" as applied
to the qualification of voters, should
be expunged from the Constitution. I'm
mediately a numerous and powerful
body of women appeared in the field
to oppose this movement. Petitions
signed by thousands of well-hnown and
responsible women. including a very
decided mapority Of the tax-payine
women OF the district, We're sent in by
the Albany Anti-SuffTage Association
while in New York City the contest
called into action a very large con-
tIngent OF the best known and most
influential women in the city Wher
the convention by a decided vote re-
fused 10 consider the proposition IA
vcrably. the anti-suffragists supposed
that their work was done for at least
twenty years. and weary already of the
excitement and publicity involved il
the struggle. disbanded their forces. But
they had something yet 10 learn of tbs
tactics Of their opponents Early In
the following year they commenced tC
lay siege to the Legislature 10 obtain
the passing Of bill or concurrent res
olution for an amendment to the Con
stitution giving women the right e
vote. So quietly was their work prose