The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
WOMAN sUFFRAGE,s OPPONENTS.
Work Done by New York Women who Don't
Want Votes for Their Sex.

Work Done by New York Women who DOM
Want Votes for Their Sex.
The recommendation in Gov. ROOSEVELT
message that the electoral franchise In this
State be further extended to woman has had
the effect OF rousing to greater activity the
women who are opposed to woman suffrage
II any one thinks that all the women OF this
State want to vote, he ought to talk with mem
bers OF the New York State Association Op-
posed to Extension OF the Suffrage to Women.
The members Of tho association are women
who do not want to vote themselves. and do not
want any OF their sisters to do so. Indeed.
they are so determined in the matter that they
go 80 far as to say that never. IL they can help
1t. shall the women of this country be legally
entitled to vote.
This association was formed In 1895. It's
members are among the women socially promi-
nent In the city. 1t was organized because the
women who favor woman suffrage became 80
active. about 1895. that a number OF others.
who lust want to be women and do not want to
dabble In politics. feared that the sufTragists
would succeed in getting an amendment to the
State Constitution striking out the word male"
in that section prescribing who shall vote.
Mrs. Francis NJ. Scott. wife OF Supreme Court
Justice Scott. was elected President; Mrs.
George Phillips Of 100 East Sixty-eighth street
was made Secretary. and Miss Eleanor Hewitt
was chosen Treasurer. The suffragists. led by
Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Miss Susan
B. Anthony. had succeeded in having intro
duced in the Legislature q concurrent resolu-
ton which provided for submitting to the
popular vote a constitutional amendment strik-
ing the word male" from Article H.. sec
ton l. OF the State Constitution. Immediately
after their organization the anti-suffragists
began TO work to defeat the reso-
lptiop Tha InJioiarv nnpoittaa ~ thn
Senate appointed a certain day upon which the
supporters and opponents Of the resolution
should be heard. Mrs. Scott and some other
members OF the association appeared before
the committee. and mrs. Scott made what was
considered n most able argument against
woman suffrage. The antis succeeded in ac-
complishing their purpose. but the defeat Of
the resolution was not by any means decisive.
1t passed the Assembly and was defeated in
the Senate by o My a few votes.
The suffragists. being better campaigners
and much more used to defeat than to victory,
were not at all dismayed by the fate OF the
resolution. They didn't even denounce the
ants. They simply remarked that there
would be other years and other Legislatures.
and they would try again. The ants weren't
looking for notoriety; they had no machine.
and they didn't want any. Having accom-
plished their purpose. they went back to their
homes. their afternoon teas and their children. |
and became just old-fashioned women again.
Those who went to Albany got their names In
the papers. and that alarmed many members
the ASSOCIATION. The publicity OF the thing
disliked, and thev were glad TO be done
with the whole business.
Just before the Legislature OF 1895 met it
to the ears OF some OF the ants that the
suffragists had bobbed up serenely again and
he esi sHeSseee to II intRr ssddins a anetRe eef e 90 snE nsT
whose proylslona were exactly those
Of the resolution Of 1895. The antls we're an
suffragists could be so persistent., Didnt they
know that they had been defeated And, hav-
The antis decided at first not to have
anything more to do with the business, A few
1iHtio ,ate pn some 8. ine WAS sG iiEe STiu to en4 pa sse b res1
branches Of the Legislature. and that IL the
good work they had lone the year before was
pose the new resolution.
Accordingly, a meeting Of what was supposed
called at the house Of one OF the women
who had belonged to 1t. Ways and means were
humber called attention to the fact that 4
he cause they had espoused was a righteous
, ,neo It vas sb wG sIso d dsIfsd atie T " TO The It f"es
Fomen were th9roughly vel 9rGanLsed' that
here was even half a chance OF success, She
,ompiish what they ali desired was to set about
he business In a Systematic way. through a
The result Of this speech was that the orig
nal organization was revived, and called the
Branch OF the New York state Asso-
rage to Women, The same officers were re-
aimed except Miss aegitt, Who a at her
leaIth. Mrs, Scott was relieved q the active
u p6 bein 81 c shf apr President she was called CHAIR
nan OF the Central Branch, and Mrs. Gil
Jones was made acting Chairman; The
ssiS 'H eTsr y Assemble distTiot il the City.
here are some fifteen or, twenty OF these
i frs' Man nSS s sna sm &4s, ' a B sAs stons. Mrs. Sfs:
.oulse dFswoldi Mrs: Arthur II Dodge. Mrs.
isnes !. spIds% ana lirs: v. Y, epaSnSl
sssl start ta9 II Se Hl6 HGrE Rroys Mount atx Vernoa.
h%errsfo%re, pretty, We'll Organized when the sui:
appointed, before the Senate judiciary
made her argument and the reso-
Whether the JOY, OF victory or the fear OF a
s oes not ~ a pHefH but but soon SS9a after Tie Victory Of
\ ~ the antis, pushed beyond the confines OF
bis state ate and Pd.h IoTGmsd l. an M iMtsrsstSts %sssOffI I.
Snth If BsRo @a'9oIiP tRis ss s9el s sEss & aSss4 4Iliu 2
| | 't Rsf iSte rs ate orssnisasIon L 70 Z toI ies p efRss
tates the same course which the ants have
uisued In New York, TO attempt TO defeat any
that may be introduced In the
OF any Of the States providing for
he granting Of the suffrage to, women.
In this state Coy. Hoosevelt,s recommends
ntis plenty Of work to do. Anticipating that
he suffragists would be early In the field with
heir annual resolution. the antis got Senator
'homas +. Grady to Introduce. for them q pc
ution In the Senate on Jan. IL, praying the !
not to adopt any resolution having
It's object the amendment OF tho Constitu;
on so as 70 extend the suffrage to Momen."
he resolution further says that the petitioners
are convinced that the adoption OF such an
would necessarily lead TO seriouS
10 both the political and social
atoms would be harmful TO the State In every
Tay." The petition lie signed by Mrs. George