Arizona republican., 1909-02-20

Local option carried by a much mar rower margin even than the vote dis closes. a majority of one. So close was the situation in the morning that even the friends of the bill were fearful of defeat, while its enemies were confi- dent of success.
 On one side the strength of Mir St Charles was underestimated, and on the other side his weakness was overestimated. Neither side could cOmprehent his sacrifice of world ly advantage for what he might regard as a principle. On one side he was besieged by the temperance ele- ment who had no claim whatever upon his services. Whatever indefinite claim of right they had was more than off set by a few letters from his neigh bOrs asking him to stand up for the bill, but at the same time asking that their names be not made public. All this was calculated to make him doubt whether after all any principle was involved. for towards are seldom iden- tified with principles
 On the other hand, he was pressed by his party organization to vote against the bill. He had received long petitions from his county. signed by almost every prominent citizen, by wo- men and even by children. urging him to oppose the bill on the ground that it would be damaging to the county. The petition did not conceal a threat of financial punishment amounting to ruin.
 This was enough to make a man hes itate. MT. St. Charles did hesitate and would probably have been lost to the temperance forces but for his self sac rificing wife who had labored with him for two days. She was fully aware of what it meant, political ruin, loss of business and, perhaps, loss of home. He had not been wavering, but merely undecided. The afternoon before she had pleaded with him in a committee room If we starve." said she, i've will starve together" for hours on Thursday night and yesterday morning she importuned him to disregard everything but his convictions
 It is doubtful if even then his mind was fully made up, for in the roll call, when he arose to explain his vote. his opening sentences seemed to pronounce the doom of local option. Speaking from a personal viewpoint. there was little reason why he should support the bill He had his wife and five children to care for; he had his home to build up and maintain, and his paper, "Our Mineral Wealth." was his only instru- ment. In a community of hostile sen timent that instrument would be use less
 Then he turned to the subject of the honest convictions of an American, and the temperance people, who had lost hope, grew hopeful again. As he proceeded they knew the fight was won. And it was won by this vote: Ayes-Breen, Day, Goodrich, Morgan, ONeiH, St Charles, the president-7. Nays-Burns, Finley, Hampton, Nor ton, Weedin-5.
 So confident were the opponents of the bill that MT. St. Charles must yield to pressure that they abandoned the program of throwing the bill into the whole committee. Thus the bill passed without debate There was applause in the galleries, somewhat restrained by the order of the president the day before that there must be no more demonstrations.
 Though this phase. perhaps the last of the local option bill fight Is over, for nothing but a motion to reconsider which would require two more votes, could renew it, the saloon interests have not given up all hope of segre- gatfon of cities and towns in local op- tion elections It was reported last night that a bill with that provision would be introduced into the house today.
 Woman Suffrage.
 The blow has fallen. Many had hoped that it might be withheld. An equal suffrage bill has been introduced and 1t is not improbable that 1t will pass. That it will pass the council where it was introduced in the after noon by MT Goodrich. is regarded as certain if a vote on a motion to sus- pend the rules and give it a second reading may be regarded as test The vote was as follows: Ayes-Burns' Day. Goodrich, Norton, ONeil. St. Charles and Hunt. Nays-Breen, Finley. Hampton, Morgan and Weedin -5
 On of the main objections to the ad- mission of women to suffrage has been removed. Their most vigorous oppo- nents in the past have been those who have feared their influence in reform matters, but now about all has been done in that direction that is possible, and from the point of view of those