The Washington times., 1901-10-23
Women In Politics.

There has been a catastrophe in the
Women's Municipal League of New
York, due to several hard chunks of
brutal, unadulterated truth, hurled into
the midst of the organization by a mere
man-William Travers jerome by name,
the anti-Tammany candidate for Dis
trict Attorney in New York.
The women of this league have been
distributing campaign literature broad
cast among the people of the tene-
ments. They have an office somewhere
in that region of New York which is
mostly owned by Tammany, and there
circulars which they hand out, with
sweet words. to the women of the dis
trict They thought they were doing
good work for Mr.. Low and Mr.. Jerome.
But when Justice Jerome came to
know about 1t he appeared before the
league and said:
"A friend in the Citizens Union told me that
they were going to organize the women and that
they would do wonders in the distribution Of
campaign literature in the lower districts I
SAID to him. II you've any influence with the
women bern and bred above Fourteenth Street
keep them above Fourteenth Street.
In Carnegie Hall the smallest political refer
ence needs diagram to make it clear, but down
there the most recondite allusion is understood
It's their life. They don't wear as good clothes
as you do, but in intellect and probity and de-
cency they could give you lessons. You can't
go down there and insult these people
''Nou go down there in your carriage with
your coachman on the box, wearing your new
fail bonnet and say, We're so interested in good
government. You will have your husband vote
Tor MIR. Low when he comes home won't you9
Here are these tracts. / don't know exactly what
they are about but they will help you some
hhy, you lose more votes in tenement houses in
a day than we can make In a week
The men in the families from which YOU
come are false in their civic duties in every
respect. They are ignorant OF condtions-mere
children in politics. They were never known
to give ten dollars for decency. They give to
charity, salye to their conscience, but for de-
cent politics never put up cent
1T is too late for you to do any work two
weeks before election. But you can contribute
money to help the along to enable us to
employ people who do know the situation"
Diplomacy and tact and Christian
charity are all very well, but there are
times when straight truth is worth all
of them put together, and one of those
seasons is two weeks before election.
Justice Jerome knew that there was no
time to lose, and that these things
needed to be said; and he said them in
the shortest and most direct way 1t is
to be hoped that he thereby saved
great deal of trouble for his party. and
much time, money and energy for the
ladies who supposed themselves to be
working for good government In man
aging a political campaign it is quite as
important to know what not to do as to
do the right thing. This is especially
true when any sort of reform ideas are
mixed up in the business. The average
reformer is his own worst enemy He
goes at his object in an unbusinesslike
way, without paying any attention to
the conditions which absolutely govern
the problem, and makes of himself
either a laughing stock or a martyr,
neither of which will do his cause much
good
II there are any women in New York
who have a vital interest In politics
they are the women of the tenements
When ones husbands job depends on
his voting for the right man, one takes
an interest in the election. The idea of
instructing them on municipal govern
ment is one which needs to be handled
by master of the subject, and even
then they will be likely to confront him
with hard facts and the argument,
What are you going to do about it?''
What they want Is practical results.
not tracts and circulars.