University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1912-04-24

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the English Parliamen, in 1867
In the following year the first Ia.
tional suffrage meeting was held
In the United States the question
~ss not brought up until some years
later. In 1872 Susan B. Anthony
voted. against al protests. in a presi.
Dental election. because she consid-
cred it her natural righr-and was
| fined 300 for so doing.
The theoretical side OF the suffrage
question has always been fought ou,
in the East. and all Of the states in
I which women are now allowed 10
/ "Ote are in the West. The greatest
and most determined suffrage lead
erg have been among women of New
! Eng!anf-and the greatest victory
! hat the surragisrs have won in the
United States was in California
I The theory Of the right of women TO
vote seems 10 have been unable 10
overcome the conservative attitude of
ne older states. while as a matter
Df simple justice and as important
factors in the promotion of good
government they have been granted
a share in the government of six of
the states less trammeled by tradi-
lion, lying on the other side of the
continent
Few American women approve of
the methods employed by the mill
tant" branch Of the English suffra-
gettes. The argument of Mrs. Pank-
hurst that stones are a time
honored political weapon" has little
value TO those who deplore the recent
stOne-thrOwing and window-smashing
episodes Of advocates of Votes for
Women" in England. IL is generally
considered that more harm than
good has been accomplished by the
means employed by a faction which
does not by any means represent the
wishes of all the English women who
are in favor Of the ballot.
But if these incidents of occasional
destructive violence by a small pro-
portion OF women in one country do
furnish the best argument that has
yet been advanced against suffrage,
the story of the recent elections in
California. where women voted for
than Offset such an argument. In
one city, the universal judgment of
the press was that the women by
their votes and influence at the polls.
saved the day for law and order"
in that, their first balloting.
The story of the first election in
Los Angeles after women were given
a voice in the government of their
state is now known all over the coun-
try-hOw the women hastened to reg
lister in much greater numbers than
had been expected; how 10000 more
men than women were registered.
but out of the total number of men
who registered. 10000 failed to vote,
while over 50 per cent of the women
who had registered also voted; how
two thousand women were stationed
in the dierent polling districts from
before daylight till long after dark;
how women were the first to cast a
vote in a number of the voting
places, some of them casting their
ballots at exactly one minute after
the polls were opened, at 6 o'clock in
the morning; how some women over
50 and over 80 years old were anxi-
ship; how families OF three and in
one instance, four generations went
together to vote; and how (mOst in
credible of all, perhaps) the line of
baby-carriages outside the voting
places increased in length as the
hOusckeepers and mothers came to
lend their support to the cause of
good government.
The campaign issue was conflict
between a radical political party and
the party of Good Government, with
which the WOmen's Progressive
League was allied. The campaign
managers were all agreed after the
election that they had never seen
such effective campaign work as was
done by the WOmen's Progressive
League. just entering the political
field, with no previous experience.
1t was the most important election
ever held in Los Angeles on account
of the political principles involved.
Though it was an exciting day. with
political feeling running high, there
was not one arrest made, and this
was universally conceded to be due
to the presence of so many women
on the streets"
Nor did the women stop with the
victory of one election. The WOm-
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