Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1911-11-02
Good judgement
Recognized
Great Reform Measures Advocated by
the American Federation Of La
Dor Becoming Operative.

Washington, d. c., Oct. 26.-The
recent election in California has dem
onstrated beyond the peradventure of
a doubt, that the Judgment of the
American Federation of Labor in the
matter of great reforms has been ex-
celIent and praiseworthX. Two of the
great measures, Woman Suffrage and
the Initiative and the Referendum,
Just made law by the voice of the
people of California, have been ener-
getically supported by organized la
Dor for many years, and it is to the
credit of the American Federation of
Labor that it initiated the national
movement for the latter reform.
The last number of the Weekly
News Letter told of the great victory
for the Initiative and the Referendum
and the Recall in California. It now
records victory for Woman suffrage
The following press message tells the
story: San Francisco, Cal.-Califor-
MIA has voted to enfranchise her wo-
men.
With the votes all but counted in
the golden state, the suffrage amend
ment is assured of a majority of 1900
votes, and the final returns may make
the figure higher than that.
cit was day of wild exultation
throughout the state. The women had
snatehed victory out of defeat. and
they were beside themselves with joy.
Particularly in San Francisco, where
the suffrage amendment had been de-
feated by a majority of nearly $4,000
votes, was the spirit of rejoicing let
loose in all It's Eigor and intensity.
Women embraced and kissed one
another Unfortunately, and all per-
sonal and sectional difficulties were
forgotten in the glad word that
suffrage had won.
y Club women, college women, work
ing women, and just plain women join
ed hands and hearts in one great
f.
happy throng and sang and shouted
the California verdict SO long and
Justify that it must have been heard
around the world. kilograms and
.cablegrams, frantically penned by ex-
cited fingers, were sent chasing over
the wires to all parts of the globe in
forming men and women that Cali
fornia had decided in favor of votes
for women.
aon the might Of election the de-
voted workers in the cause of equal
Suffrage, had gone to bed with the
Isomber feeling that their brave battle
had been lost.
aThe mental and physical strain to
which the suffragists had been sub
Ejeeted during forty-eight hours was
more than human strength could with
stand. Within that time they had
been sas.-lea and counted out, had
been called back into the ring for
more drubbing and fought along on
their knees for whole DAY, nau
staggered up under their second wind.
had slowly recovered their strength
with which to hold their adversary at
a standstill;; finally with black defeat
and gray doubt behind them, they
had emerged big and strong in the
clear, white light of victory"
In 1890 the American Federation of
Labor endorsed Woman suffrage, the
endorsement of the Initiative and the
referendum followed in 1892, and in
1898 the Postal Savings Bank received
the stamp Of its approval. The latter
measure has now been adopted by the
National Government, while the
states are wheeling into line for the
other two great measures. The agita-
ton for ali three measures has been
pressed without let up for years,
and organized labor can sbe justly
proud IN the part it has played in
bringing them into operation.
IEIpf fsI,es aAr%n1 a,,,aEae mad vnI,re