The sun., 1908-12-27

Woman Suffrage Association.
AZ matter Of fact the anti Eillra Riats
ere playing q losing game and before long
they will begin to realize 1t. The first
society was organized in Albany by
Bishop Doane In 1894. when the State
Suffrage Association was trying to have
the constitutional convention adopt O
clause providing for the enfranchisement
OF women. Seven men and few women
were present at the first meeting, and
men have been behind the movement
ever since
Elihu Root and Francis NJ. Scott went
before the committee and used their utmost
eHort TO defeat the measure, and Joseph
H. Choate. president of the convention.
threw all his influence against it. The
"antis.' with plenty Of money to bacl;
them. succeeded in getting $1,000 names
to their petition in this State. The suf-
fragists secured nearly 400, 900, but the
papers said then and have been saying
ever since that -the vast majority are
opposed TO woman suffrage"
In the nearly fifteen, years that have
elapsed anti societies have been estab-
lished only in Buffalo and Greater New
York and the Albany society has appar-
emily been defunct for a decade, while
more than half the counties in New York
are regularly organized as auxiliary 10
the State Suffrage Association This Is
peculiar situation IL the vast ma ajority
of women are determined not TO have the
suffrage thrust upon them. 4
| In 1905 an anti-suffrage society was
formed in Massachusetts, to work against
the referendum which had been sub
mitted by the Legislature That year
twelve remonstrances were sent to that
body signed by 74s women and 21O petit
tions for the suffrage signed by 1911
persons. This society still lives and
holds parlor meeting occasionally. but
its membership is not known. 8
There used to be little anti-sutfrage
society in Chicago and a remonstrance
was once sent to the Illinois Legislature
signed by twelve names. The Legislature
received at another time petition for the
suffrage of over $1,000 names, At the
recent charter convention In that city
eighty-six organizations Of women. repre-
senting every line Of work. sent delegates
with petition seventy-five yards long
! u,
and none appeared in opposition.
1t is said there is a little handful of
women in Kentucky organized against
suffrage DIR. Abbott declared with ap-
parent pleasure that the Anti-Sufrage
Society of Oregon defeated the consti-
| tutional amendment there q short time
ago. This society only claimed eighteen
members, all in Portland. After the
election, when the paid attorney Of the
liquor dealers was opgniy boagting Of
how they spent s2So.ouO to defeat this
amendment he did not give the slightest
credit to these women allies.
So far as the present writer knows,
the above represents the entire strength
Of the "large and influential associations
OF women banded together against the
suffrage As an organized body there
is practically nothing OF it outside Of
New York and possibly Massachusetts,.
It is not probable that the vast ajority
Of women want the franchise, but the
majority of those who have expressed
themselves at all certainly do want it.
The time is 'almoSt at hand whsn this
movement will sweep over The country
like the wind, and no power can check it.
These very women who are at the front
OF the opposition are simply carrying
out the tendency Of the modern woman
to take part in large affaifs.
| They enjoy being in tho limelight and
they court publicity as mitch % the most
ardent suffragist Both make duty the
excuse. and IL In good excuse.
In all Of the New York villages where
women have the taIpayers' franchise the
anti-sufHragists are the Hrst at the polls.
In Massachusetts, a number of their
leaders hold various public ofioes and
none ever was known TO refuse. They
have their pictures in the papers and
themselves interviewed whenever oppor-
tunity offers. They long for public life.
and they merely happen to have got on
the 'anti' instead Of the pro side Of the
suffrage question.
They themselves refute every one Of
their own arguments. The fundamental
difference between them and the advo-
Gates OF the suffrage is that the latter are
not afraid TO trust those Of their own sex
with the ballot, and the 4antis' are. Both
want to control legislation, the suffrag gists
by going directly to the ballot box and
doing 1t In a legitimate manner. the 'antis"
by devious ways and through an influence
which they can exert without having to
assume any responsibility for it.
Their objections to woman suffrage are
a curious mixture Of sophistry and selhsh-
ness and not very oreditable to woman
hood, but they serve a good purpose in
illustrating the necessity for the fran
chise as a broadening and educating in
fuencet In their manifesto Of last sum-
mer II 4 santis' promised to produce on
their platform this winter members of
the Cabinet. Senators and Representa-
tives. These have not materialized and
they will not do 30. The ladies must con-
tent themselves with poets preachers and
philanthropists.
In their ranks they have none Of the
women who are prominent in the great
educational and reform movements OF
the new century. but they have number
who with the experience they are getting
will make very good voting citizens by
the time the ballot has been secured for
them. There is nothing at all alarming
in the spectacular public appearance OF
the aantis." They have oooperated ad-
mirably with the suffragettes in giving
the question stirring up which it very
much needed
IDA Hustled HARPER.