The Portland daily press., 1900-08-23
THE NEGLECTED OPPORTUNITY
To the Editor Of the Press:

TO the Editor Of the Press:
Two great national parties are contend
ing for supremacy They are SO EQUALLY
balanced that the result is doubtful.
-Four years ago % states gave their cleo
toraI votes for Mckinley; % states for
Bryan. A change of fifty thousand votes
in the five states wherein the contest was
most close, would have turned the scale
Every effort is now being made to draw
to the respective parties all classes of
voters. The Hollanders, Germans, Irish.
Canadians, are each and all appealed to
for support. Farmers. miners, merchants
bankers. manufacturers, operatives. labor
unions, are all made the subjects of i'm
passioned defamation. But fourteen
million American citizens of the United
States of voting age are wholly overlooked
because they are women.
THESE fourteen million American eiti-
zens may be made voters in any pres5den-
tiaI election in every state, by Legislative
enactment, without any change OF consti-
buttons, state or national, by a simDle
change in state election laws. "Eaeh
state shall appoint in such manner as the
legislature thereof may Direct the presi-
Dental electors. Even without votes.
women are so numerous, and so Intimate.
~ associated with voters, that they c0uld
easily turn the scale In every conmunitv
between the parties struggling for
supremacy. Their sympathy and erOod.
Will, II enlisted, would ensure the suc-
cess Of The party which should esD0use
their cause. They are of our own race.
educated, enlightened, response BILE Dsr-
sons; graduates of our schools and col.
Of
bers of our churches, taxpayers, property.
owners; moral, law-abiding; three
tourthS OF our teachers; our mOfhere
wives, sisters and daughters They onlx
wait to be asked to vote, and would re-
SpOnd with alacrity and enthusiaSr,, 81
is evidenced by the fact that in the fon1
states where they are already enfraDchiSed
they vote hab1tuallY more generally Than
90 the men.
The faulty of party leaders in IGNORING
this great body of citizens is simDIT
amazing. 1t is the most SURPRISING In.
stance OF arrest of political thoughr ever
manifested. We talk of Chinese 0sf71Diri-
~; but that is far more easily explained
Never having voted themselves they
know nothing of the power or ~
lightened public opinion. They have had
no experience of representative Govern
ment
But with us it is altogether different
Our politicians are fully aware of the
DONCI VI tu6 LUSlf trade IL tho
manipulation OF votes. They stand On, fall
By their success or failure in seeuriny
majOrities
A frank, outspoken declaration or mr.
pose to enfranchise educated woman
would be in direct accord with the nro.
fessed principles OF 10th the great ma
UionaI parties Eight years ago, and
again four years ago the Republican
party in its platforms has IN exDress
terms declared It's purpose to secure q
vote for every citizen OF the United
States. or course that Includes every
woman, for every woman is a Citizen II
the United States. But the men who
adopted this platform probably did not
mean to include women.
The Democratic party this wear de-
clares ant1-lmperialism to be the Comi-
nant issue" Now, the disfranch1seme
OF women is the most fragrant form of
Imperialism, But the despotic severn
ment which is unjust for an unedncated
Filipino, Is considered good enough for
an American woman.
This absurd inconsistency is not fnten-
tional dishonesty; it is simply prelud1ce
and routine. One of these davs some
great party leader VIII have the sense and
courage to sound the trumpet of WON.
an s emancipation, and the walls of the
political Jericho Will fall forever.
HENRY b. BLACKWELL
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