New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-11
ANTI-SUFFRACISTS
AID SUFFRAGE CAUSE
lhen Methods Said To Be Winning Thousands
of Votes for Women-Replies to Some
of Their Arguments.

, suffrage. They have been slow to arrive
al this point. but there is every reason to
believe that this now represents the posi-
ton Of the masses of the intelligent, con-
scientious women OF to-day.
1t seems impossible that any woman
who loves children or has a spark Cf
sympathy for other women could read
the daily reports OF the investigation now
being made by the State Factory Com
mission and not feel that all other Te-
forms must be made secondary TO the
revision OF the laws under which these
terrible evils are permitted 10 exist in
the state OF New York And when they
see the testimony Of such women as Mrs
Florence Kelly, Miss Pauline Goldmark
and Miss Mary Dreier, who have conse-
Grated their lives TO this work. that the
factor needed above all else is the ballot
In the hands OF women. how can they
longer be deceived by the sophistries and
evasions OF those who are trying to pre-
vent u? How long time DO they need
10 weigh In the scales against il the tes-
timony OF women who have their boxes
al the opera, who supervise the "cotil-
Ion" for the debutantes OF the -four
hundred" who ride In their own automo-
biles and hold their snti-suffrage meet
ings at sherry's or In their own luxuri-
Gus drawing rooms?
In the face of the tragedies now beinS
disclosed in the canneries and tenement
house sweatshops. how superficial and
puerile seems the letter In yesterdays
Tribune by Mrs. Kiliani an official OF the
Arf G,fff fre
women can obtain all the legislation
necessary by indirect influence and that
votes arc not needed Like all the AN
it's" when on this subject she harks back
20 the New York equal guardianship law,
which was secured I'm 1893 by the Wom-
ems Educational and Industrial Union.
OF Buffalo. The facts In this case. as un-
derstood by the present writer. arc that
this excellent institution was greatly ham
pered In its work for poor abused wives
and childfen by tho law which gave sole
guardianship to the father. William i.
sheehsn. Of Buffalo. was AT that time. as
Lieutenant Governor. presiding over the
Senate, and. having personal knowledge
of the situation IN that city. and knowing
1t must he tho same IN others. he used
his influence to put through the bin with
out trouble 10 the women.
II would be difficult to find any other
instance OF this kind in the favorable
legislation for women which has bcsn
secured Miss Susan r. Anthony gath
cred up thousands Of petitions and worked
with the New York Legislature six ycsrs.
assisted by many able women. before an
equal guardianship law WAS obtained N
1850 Two years later the Legislature re-
pealed IL in toto and restored the guar
Gianship 10 the father, and II could do 20
again this winter II Il wished to Most
OF the improved laws FOR women IN every
state have been secured only by long and
strenuous effort OF women. and all are
held b. uncertain tenure until they have
direct voice In clocting tho lawmakers.
"Spugs."
The desire Of women 10 organize some
thing and be an officer In II IL amusingiy
illustrated in tho order OF Spuss for
the prevention Of useless giving. n tho
newsP0per accounts arc even remotely
accurate. Il is lucky for the cause ~
woman suffrage that IT, advocates were
not among the founders. n docs seem.
however, that when the "spuGs" make such
a strong point Of their overWccning love
for everybody. they arc stealing the am
munition OF Frederick Townsend Martin.