New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-22

GOAL OF THE FOUNDERS
Ida Hustled Harper Says That
Since 1869 Aim Has Been
to Secure National
Legislation.
BY Ida Hustled Harper.

London. Sept 4.-Only the dyed-in-the-
wool suffragist. who for years has eaten
and slept and dreamed and had her being
with suffrage as the dominant thought.
can know what this summers exile in
Europe has meant for those of us who
came over for the Budapest congress and
/ remained.
We could not have imagined when we
left home the remarkable developments
that have taken place-the great victory
in Illinois and its direct influence upon
the United States Senate.
From the time the National Woman
Suffrage Association was organized IN
New York City, in May 1869. it's dominant
object has been TO concentrate the move
ment in Congress. Its founders Mrs.
Stanton and Miss Anthony. never for one
hour lost sight OF this goal and always
regarded the work In the states as only
auxiliary 10 this purpose. They realized
that Congressional action could not Doe
expected until there was a considerable
amount OF pressure from the states, and
they understood also that favorable de
cislon on the part OF certain states was
almost an impossbility until II could be
obtained through the submission OF ma
tional amendment.
In other words. the character Of the
men who hold the balance Of power in the
constituency Of a number of states is such
that majority vote I'm favor Of enfran-
chising women is practically hopeless.
The women first carried their case 10 the
voters OF a state in Kansas In 1861. and an
amendment for male negro suffrage was
submitted AT the same time. Both were
defeated. but even the liberal minded men
Of that progressive state gave "a larger
vote for the negro man. Just out Of
slavery, than for the white wives and
mothers who had borne their full share In
the hardships of the pioneer life which
had developed the state and IN the ioag
war through which it had just passed
Long and Difficult Fight
Yet this was the task imposed on the
women OF the nation in order 10 win their
political freedom-that they must obtain
the consent Of the majority OF the men In
every state-and before the series OF won
derful successes. which began In the State
OF Washington in 1910 they had made TINS
ATTEMPT through over twenty strenuous
campaigns and been successful only twice
in Colorado and Idaho!
This was the result OF forty-three years
Of hard and ceaseless work and II was
not until the political conditions became
such as TO threaten the very foundations
of the government itself that the men OF
the Western States. where all reforms De-
cir awoke 10 the fact that the only hope
~ salvation lay in obtaining the direct III
nuence Of women. The result was theif
acknowledgements in Washington IN 1917 III
California in 1911; in Oregon. Arizona ana
Kansas In 1912, thus creating with those
IN wyoming, Colorado, Utah and ldaho'
on aggregate of about 100000 women
voters.
To these were added in 1918 several thou"
sand I'm Alaska, and then the whole mum
her was probably doubled by the paftiai
enfranchising OF those In ILLINOIS,
While Illinois women cannot vote Tor
members of Congress, they can do so for
President OF the United States. women
rerresentlng now eishty-four votes IN the
Electoral College This gives them ire
uendous value from the political party
standpoint. and through this direct ana
,ou,or,uI influence upon Congress Thus.
af,ar fortv-four years OF unremitting eff
fort the suffragists find themselves at
last in a position to command It's at
tentiOn.