New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-16
SAYS WOMEN BEAT TAFT
California Suffragist Explains
Result in Her State.
LA TOILETTE HER FAV0RITE
Another Coast Voter Declares
Progressives of Both Sexes
United to Defeat President.

Mrs. Mary Austin. of California. author
of THE Arrow Maker" and such an ardent
suffragist that. although business Is keep
ing her in New York and will for some
time to come, she Is going TO make spe-
cia trip home to vote at the November
election. has no doubt whatever that the
women had Lot to GO with bringing about
President Taft's sweeping defeat a. the
Presidential primaries in California on
Tuesday. They did it. she says. because OF
his attitude toward their sex and the things
he said at the suffrage convention at Wash
ing,on in April, 1910
That speech was a grave plistake. a
grave mistake" she said last night at her
home. No. 40 Riverside Drive. Mr. Taft
is going 10 feel the effects OF it not only In
California hut in all the suffrage states.
Mr. Taft didn't realize at that time what
power the women had and what power
they were going to gain.
Few public men have realized il. They
are beginning 10 nov. don't think many
politicians now would tell an assemblage
Of women. as Mr. Taft did two years ago.
that there was danger IN giving the fran
tcntot ought 10 vote"
NO. the California women don't Ike Mr..
Taft. You sec he has been shnly-shallying
about suffrage for good while and the
Western women won't stand for that. They
like men 10 bc definite even if they're
wrong. They don't like trimmers. ard
that is what Mr. Taft 49, Now that he Is
beginning 10 realize tho power ~ women
he comes and asks for their support.
But Mr.. Taft doesn't know how to speak
10 his new constituents. His attitude tow
ard us still Is the 1921 attitude. IIe pats
women on the back and Western women
don't intend 10 ho patted on tho back. lie
patronizes us-and won't ha ratron7ed.
Eastern people don't comprehend how
different conditions are IN the West. espn-
cialv IN the suffrage states. our mon are
so much more comfortable now that women
arc on mn equality with them, and they
don't have IN fon psined and mortified as
vour Eastern men do, when woman goes
anesd Of them I'm ANYTHING
or course. Mrs. Austin said, there wer"
other factors besides suffrage in colonel
Roosevelts success at Tuesdays primaries.
"There is p good deal OF Roosevelt senti-
ment in California" she observed. They
like his policies therc. And Los Angeles
likes him because no pas ~ service in
bringing that city water from owens River.
Whom shall vote for? Well I am
Republican. and I would vote for Roosevelt
or-yes, ! might vote for Taft. Ia Toilette
il tho man I'd like 10 vote for. but am
afraid he ie ont Of tho running.
Mrs Elizabeth Gerhordlng. also a Calf
n
Neyv York. ~ the Madison Arms No. l6
Madison avenue. didn't think that NJ
Tafrs attitude on the suffrage had any
thing 10 do with his defeat
1T wasn't suffrage matter nor sex
matter" she declared. The mon ana
women ~ California together declared for
Roosevelt because California Is pro-
gresslve state. and Roosevelt u pro-
gressve man. and they like him. -"
stands for the initiative and referendum
and all the things that came IN when
suffrage did out there. And. by IN" waN.
want to say right here that sunrar"
was helped Immensely In California by
being hracketcd In that special election
last fall with the initiative and referendum.
which the people, especially the country
people. believed in
Local sunrragists hero were wary about
expressing any opinion about the CALI
fornia Presidential primary election. Even
Mrs Harriet stanton Blatoh, who s"h'
hot shot By telegraph Monday, advising IN"
California women TO vote against Iait'
would say no more than. well. I'm glaH
Mr. Taft was beaten But she chaCkIrd
YES. the organizer OF 'the biggest parad"
ever" was chuckling Enthusiastically az she
read the news Of Mr.. Taft's downfall
Fine, Glorious exclaimed Mrs \. 9.
Uughston, chairman ~ public d"monStra-
lions for the Woman Suffrage party, when
asked what she thought about the women
vote in California. Just 10 think that
the women have the power and can GOWN
a man OF whom they don't approve. can
that splendid. Were coming into our own
laCi''