Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-05

Never in the history of the suffrage
movement has the sentiment in favor OF
votes for women been go strong and SO
far-reachirg- Despite the recent defeat
Of the effort in three state legislatures
and in one state at the polls. the leaders
never were so hopeful. To the general
public the defeat in Michigan seemed a
hard blow to 1.-The cause. To the lean-
ers Of the suffrage movement it was only
stimulus to encourage them to greater
effort. as the enthusiasm over the enor-
nous parade in New York last week
bears testimony.
recent militant demonstration in England
was the prime reason for the defeat In
Michigan. Others ignore that theory ana
accredit the defeat partially TO the HOODS
reaching the polls. The short voting
hours in many towns. it is said. prevent
ed large number OF men from Young.
The majority of the leaders agree that
the combined forces of the liquor inter
ests had most potent influence in add-
ton TO these other causes. At the eiec-
ton last fall the liquor interests scat
tered their forces over the dinerent
states in which the suffrage amendment
seemed likely 10 BE- adopted. Little at
tention was paid To Michigan then be-
cause even the leaders themselves had
not regarded the situation as promising.
This spring however. Michigan was the
one state upon which the liquor inter
ests had been concentrating their efforts
for six months. and the. power of their
influence in the minds of the suffrage
leaders who have been carrying on the
campaign in that state is largely re-
sponsible for the result of the vote in
the legislature OF course. all such views
are secuted ridiculous by the opposi-
! ton.
| The loss of the state of Michigan is
/ not regarded by the sufrag SITS as more
| than temporary defeat. 1T is more than
| balanced in their minds by the increased
/ interest In the submission of the federal
constitutional amendment. On the Very
| day Michigan voted adversely regard ng
granting the vote tn women the con-
/ gressional committee of the National
| American Woman Suffrage Associat on
\ marched to the Capitol in Washington at
| the head of long procession, TO present
! its petition TO the new Congress to sub
nit to the states amendment TO the
/ Constitution of the United States so as TO
4 give political rights to the women of
4 the nation. This petition has been made
/ to numerous other congresses, but with
| far less apparent results. The committee
! this year was received at the Capitol steps
/ by a committee representing both the
\ Senate and the House of Representatives.
!, Ii was extended every courtesy and has
| the assurance now that respectable per-
! centaee of the members of both bodies
| are actively interested instead OF being
| passively unopposcd, which was the most
| hopeful attitude encountered even five
| years ago
| Further than this. the woman suffrage
committee. which has always been re-
garded as inactive. Is to be a most active
| one in the present Senate for the first
time in the history of the country. The
| democratic leaders notified the republl-
cans that they intended to take over the
committee on woman suffrage. which had
| hitherto been known as minority com
| mittee. and enlarge il from I'VE to nine
| members The Senate committee on WON
an suffrage now includes Senator Thorn
as OF Colorado chairman: Senators Owen
Oklahoma; Ashurst. Arizona; Ransdell
Louisiana; Hollis, New hampshire; Ciapp
Minnesota. Sutherland. Utah: Jones
! Washington. and Catron, New Mexico.
< *
While all the leaders of the great suf
frage movement in America work har
monously to
Divergent Opinions sether for tn
on English Methods. s soUa 81 -. .n
difference NJ 0piufOn cyiSfS among then