Newark post., 1912-11-20
SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS OF
WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE

years, if not always, helped in the suf-
frage movement and the Socialist party |
has never failed to include a suffrage
plank in it's platforms. The Progress |
sive party adopted it on its formation
this year and though it did not come into
being as a party early enough to make
a long campaign for the cause, it has rem
dered substantial service. Only the Re-
publican and the Democratic parties and
considerable body of clergy and church
members now fail to indOrse the suffrage
movement. Wyoming gave woman the
ballot when it was yet territory, back
in 1869. Twenty four years later Col
orado followed its example. Utah and
Idaho then followed and Washington
came next, with California falling into
line last year. This year the workers
hoped when they met in Philadelphia for
their convention, that they might have
one or two more states to rejoice over.
They have won at this last election Ore
gon, Arizona, Kansas, and Michigan
Except Michigan every state which has
been won has been one adjoining a
state having woman suffrage. The eX
ample has been contagious. Each state
west of Kansas, except Nevada, Montana
and New Mexico, is in line. The cause
received a setback in one state, Wiscon-
sin, this year, but it is merely temporary.
Each state won is always held. Each
.l,,% Il, t,I ynr
the day when women shall be voters in
it. The defeat in Wisconsin is discour
aging but it was not unexpected. That
state has a very strong liquor interest
and they know that women are not fav-
orable to saloons. 1t has a very large
Scandinavian population and this, though
the younger generation is as bright and
as progressive as any in the world, has
many preachers and many foreign born
men who think the women should continue
in an inferior position in state and So
riety. The employing class which has use
for women and children, is also large
there and naturally uses its power to pre-
vent the women from getting the ballot
and making laws to keep working women
from unsanitary conditions, night work,
long hours and unsafe working places,
and to protect the little children from en-
savement.
With the tremendous impulse recently
received woman suffrage, at last respect
able, will soon be gaining the attention
of the politicians of Delaware. For when
the women are powerful enough to carry
an amendment, or nearly carry it, if sub
mitted to the voters of state. they are
powerful enough to defeat any part cular
politician they start to defeat, ar0 pO-
likeness on the part of politician as be-
comes necessity as well as virtue.
With the cause grown respectable the
church opposition loses its greatest wea.
pom and we may expect Delaware soon
to be among the cOmmonweathS that re-
gard the mothers with respect and the
daughters with approval. And, after a
long time, when all other states have
granted votes to the keepers of our homes
who train our boys to vote, Maryland, the
most northern state without compul-
sorry school attendance law. the land
in politics it is always afternoon, the
place of dignity in procedure and stupid
ity in reform, will at last be brought into
line with enlightened commonwealth as
to its treatment of women. Meanwhile
the people who understand the forces Of
the political and industrial world may
well rejoice, that ten states are now re-
deemed from the old injustice to women,
that more are on the way and that by
seventy-fve years of effort the first de-
cisive battle has been won.
Iron Hill, Nd o. r. Uashbuyp