New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-07
By Ida Hustled Harper.


The oricial count of the vote for Pres-
Dental electors proves nothing at all as
IN the Marty affiliations of women in the
states where they are enfranchised, and
this fact Is very gratifying to those VINO
are trying 10 get the suffrage Tor women
in other states. California may be dis
missed from consideration, as TAN sup
porters were prevented from expressing
themselves. Washington gave RooseVeit
over 1900 above Wilson, but he wouiu
have been defeated by about 500 IL the
Republican vote had been added to that
OF the Socialists and Prohibitionists' 10
which women doubtless contributed large
". Similar conditions prevailed In Oh
orado. which gave its electoral vote 10
Wilson. with Roosevelt very poor third.
wyoming gave Wilson only 200 more
votes than Taft. with Roosevelt stiii
worse third Idaho cast l,lOc more votes
for Wilson than for Taft. with a good
showing for Roosevelt.
Therefore the recent election gives no
clear indication az TO women's pohticai
preferences. except that apparently thIy
we're not stampeded to Roosevelt. or the
three states having the largest number or
voters he carried one-Washington; Tart
one-Utah; Wilson one-Colorado-aat
also Wyoming and Idaho by very small
pluralities. In all of these states except
Washington women have had the fuil sur
frage for from sixteen to forty-three years,
and the political bosses have not yet been
able to ascertain to what party the
majority OF them belong. The reason Tor
this IL that they have always maintained
non-partisan attitude, and this Is the
reason also why the party machines IN
those states hate the very idea Of woman
suffrage
Suffrage Defeat in Wisconsin.
Appreciation is due to Mrs. Crystal
Eastman Benedict, one of the leaders in
the recent suffrage campaign IN Wiscon-
sin. for her Illuminating report on The
conditions which led TO the defeat OF the
constitutional amendment. Before consid-
erlng this report il is significant TO note
that at this election about $500 votes
were cast for Presidential electors; 356,pp
with one county yet to be added were
cast on the woman suffrage amendment,
proportion never before approached In
any state In Ohio, for instance, about
$4,000 votes were cast for Presidential
electors. and two months before only
$50. $50 on the suffrage amendment. As this
was, however. at least 5000 more than
were pollod for any other amendment in
the new constitution, and as the increase
was entirely in the negative vote, II shows
the EFFORT that vas made by the opposi-
ton
In Chic there were 2is. 40 ayes. S5e,s7S
noes: in Wisconsin. I'm round numbers,
$4,000 ayes. 22l,0oo noes The fact that
although 10000 less votes were cast in
Wisconsin its adverse vote was 5000 larger
than in Ohio shows the strength OF
the opposition in the former state. Mrs.
Benedicts report proves clearly that the
prime cause Of the defeat was the vast
brewing interests, and while the SUI
fragists expected their hostility they did
not dream that these interests would look
upon the enfranchsement of women as
such a menace. Many millions Of capital
are invested In them, and there Is hardly
a town OF a few thousand inhabitants I'm
the eastern part OF the state that has not
one or more breweries. In many OF the
towns and small cities not one business
man would allow the women OF his family
10 DE Identified in any way with the suf-
frage movement. Not only the retail deal
ers. saloonkeepers. grocers and druggists,
but the Germans and all who consume
beer. tho newspapers. with advertising
space to sell; the farmers, who value this
great market for their grain; the makers
OF barrels. bottles, corks and supplies OF
all kinds. were given to understand that
they must work and vote against the
amendment
The greatest blow to the suffragists
was the detection OF those on whom they
had counted for support. The Progress
sives, part OF them under the leadership
OF La Toilette and part under that OF
Roosevelt cast 1880 votes. Compare
these with the $4,000 for the suffrage
amendment. And then there were $40
Prohibition votes-where did they go?
How far did the Socialists stand by this
cardinal principle OF their platform? A
considerable number of wards In Mllwau-
kee which gave Victor Berger large ma
Jortties went two TO one against the
amendment, Never was there so striking
an illustration of what the nom partisan
suffragsts so stoutly maintain-that no
one party can ever be depended on 10
carry this measure. but that ii must re-
ceive the support OF It's friends in all par
ties. There is no doubt that many Demo-
Gratis in Wisconsin. bound by no party
pledge, nevertheless voted for the amend
ment
The Swedes and Norwegians also proved
a great disappointment. Ii was supposed.
OF course. that as the women In their
native country had the suffrage they
would gladly give 1t TO them In their new
home. II was not taken into considera
ton. however. that In Norway and
Sweden the individual men never had had
u chance to vote on the question. which
was settled By Parliament. and, as the
election showed, they were no more lib
eral than other men
Tho Allied Anti Suffraaists.
IL will be noticed that In no ANALYSIS
from any source as to the causes OF the
defeat in Ohio or Wisconsin has the
slightest credit been given to the Anti
Suffrage Association of Women, and vet
they themselves are claiming a large
share OF II and redoubling their efforts In
other states. Nothing is more generally
conceded by the press and the pubic than
that the defeats were due principally to