The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-10
CALIFORNIA WILL
DECIDE IL TODAY
Question to Be Settled at Polls
by Male Voters One of Vital
Importance to Politics of
State = Battle Has Been
Vigorous, but Not of
Militant" Sort.
Especial to The Times-Dispatch.l


San Francisco. October 9.-After a
whiriwind campaign. conducted with
an orderly effectiveness that rivals
the most successful political campaign
OF mere man" within tho history Of
California. the Equal Suffrage Asso-
predicting victory tomorrow at the
polls, while the antsufragists are no
less certain that the voters will turn
down tine proposed amendment TO Lne
state Constitution allowing women to
vote.
Inc campaign has been the hardest
fought political contest this state ever
has seen. Tue territory mas been APP
poTtioncd among the women making
the night: throw-aways, posters and
where. anu for the past week San
Francisco has been the scene OF
speeches. rallies and parades. while
prominent women from all quarters OF
the United states have sought to clinch
tho predicted victory wttn eleventh
hour oratory.
"why Shouldn't Ny Mother votc"
In other parts OF the State the eS-
element has been no less intense. The
Los Angeles sufIraSists rivaled in zeal
their sisters in San Francisco. a gi-
San;ic mass-mecting closed the cam
paiEn. and thousands of poste were
distributed bearing the inscription:
Why Shouldn't My Mother Voter"
Oakland was also the scene Of pre-
election enthusiasm. and reports from
the far corners of the State indicate
that the women have campaigned
thoroughly and been well received
on the other side of the political
fence the "antis." under the leadership
of former United States Senator's
Frank r. Flint and Cornelius Cole,
have spared no pains to mold the pop
ular vote against the measure. They
nave followed the sunragettes into
the peoples homes with arguments
ment, have sought BY ridicule to sway
the voters. and have organized oppo-
sition meetings wherever the women
were scheduled to speak
The opponents of the measure soon
at the womcn's claim to the working
mans ballots. and figure on the heavy
Chinese vote to defeat the measure.
as II did in 1896. They have the entire
saloon vote" and also claim the farm
er vote.
Women Confident.
The women. on the other hand, e1-
pect to carry the large cities. or al
least, break even, and also predict a
majority in the rural districts.
The question of equal suffrage Is
one of vital Importance to political
California. In the event that the women
win at the polls tomorrow. and sue
coed in forcing an adoption OF consti-
tutional amendment No. s. the new or
der will go into immediate effect, and
will add thousands of women voters
TO the army that will choose the heads
of departments in many of Califor-
MAS largest cities in December.
The threat OF legal interference with
.he women's vote-provided they get
it--has been secuted by legal authori-
ties. who state that the way is clear
for the feminine vote this fall should
:he male population vote 1T in to-mor-
row. There seems to be no doubt in
the minds of tho lawyers that the
amendment goes into effect automati-
cally the moment 1t Is confirmed. This
VIII make registrar ton on October 81
impossible. but will provide plenty of
time before December for the proper
enrolment of the newly made voters.
The campaign throughout has been
noticeable for Its absence of the ply
sicaliy militant features that helped
~ uelcdl eQuhl SuHThBc amendments
fifteen years ago. Everywhere the
women workers have displayed a quiet
earnestness that has won them many
friends both among the State legisla-
tors and the press, which has been no.
ticeably lenient in dealing with the
issue.
Female SpeIlbinders.
The womens campaign started sew
eral months ago. when Mrs. Elizabeth
Lowe Watson, president of the Equal
Suffrage Association, appointed dele
gates to propose an amalgamation Of
the several equal rights clubs then
existing throughout the State. The
proposal met with instant approval.
and the organization was strengthened
daily by the arrival of prominent SUI
fragette speakers from all parts Of the
country. These women were sent out
in search OF the vote. Just as the male
spellbinder is. Their expenses were
largely paid by subscriptions raised by
equal rights enthusiasts throughout
the United States.
Particular attention has been paid
to the rural districts. The State cam
paign committee. under the direction
of Mrs. James B. Hume, ex-president
of the State Federation of Women's
Clubs, and Miss Blanche Morse. former
secretary of the same, arranged TO
cover even the most remote counties
through their circuit riders" They
say that their speakers were met
everywhere with courtesy and atten-
tive interest
Injured In Explosion.
TILL I'll