Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-02
WOMEN WOULD VOTE
Conditions in America Set
Forth by Suffragete.
MRS. WARD IS COMBATED
Elizabeth Robins Denies That There
Is Apathy in America.
FOUGHT BY LIQUOR INTEREST
Opposition in America Weak Except
in New York, Where Men
Animate the Cause.
MRS. WARD IS COMBATED
BY LIQUOR INTEREST
Special Cablegram to The Star.


LONDON. November miss Elizabeth
Robins, the we'll known actress and writ
er, has just returned from America
armed with statistics and facts to refute
Mrs. Humphrey Wards statements con-
corning the suffrage question in America
and also to prove that American women
not only want the vote but demand II
as ardently as any Enghshwoman.
Miss Robins is an American who has
resided much in this country, and is q
vigorous suffragist.
Mrs. Ward Is the victim of a colossal
misunderstanding" Miss Robins told a
Daily Chronicle representative. The wOm-
ems anti-suffrage cause in America is alb
surdly weak. the membership is obscure,
and but for the backing of the men, 1t
would long ago have been non-existent.
New York Is the only state where the
anti-suffragists have any pretensions to
strength. This, however, Is owing to
masculine support.
en- Is proved by the fact that at the last
constitutional convention the suffragists
secured 3OO COO signatures to their petition,
as against the anti-suffragists' $4,000.
Situation In Massachusetts,.
In Massachusetts the anti-suffragists
have thirty-eight associations. the suffra-
gists Ill. During the constitutional con-
vention In Michigan $4,000 signatures
were secured by the suffragists. The anti
suffragists presented no petition. In Chi
senting 10000 women. petitioned for the
suffrage, and were opposed by one small
association Of women.
Mrs. Julia Ward Howe has already
sent these figures to this country. l have
proved their correctness by my own in
designations, and fully indorse Mrs.
Howe's statement that whenever women
have sent to the legislature petitions for
suffrage and remonstrances against It.
the petitioners have always outnumbered
the remonstrants.
The only point on which I disagree
with Mrs. Howe is In her statement that
in America most women are still indif-
ferent on the question Of suffrage l as
sert. on the contrary. that all thinking
American wonderland they are the ma
jority-ardently desire the franchise, but
they have to fight against masculine con-
servatism and the organized opposition Of
the liquor interest.
The liquor interest of America is
strenuously opposed to the woman's vote.
The men behind 1t know, as all the world
knows. that corruption will come to an
end when woman come into her own.
Happenings In Oregon.
ITO prove this take Oregon. l speak
from personal knowledge. No element of
intrigue was lacking in the fight made by
the men backing the anti-suffragists. The
women were a negligible quantity and
those who constituted the membership
were merely used as tools.
What happened? A confidential letter
was issued to the entire liquor interest OF
Oregon. stating that $1,000 votes must be
secured to defeat womans suffrage. The
letter scheduled the ways and means that
could be adopted to secure this result.
Bribery and corruption in their most ex-
haustive forms were sanctioned.
And what happened in Oregon has hap
pened elsewhere When Washington s
supreme court set aside woman's suf-
frage, which was granted in the days
when it was a territory, the liquor in
terest found 1t an occasion for rejoicing.
-Four states have granted the franchise
to women. After many years experience
1t Is admitted that the women's vote has
always been used for the retirement of
the state and the people.
IT." said Miss Robins in conclusion.
Mrs. Humphry Ward will study the
question more closely, she would. l am
sure. be the first to admit the growing
strength and power Of the American suf-
fra1e n10vement'