Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-12-24

| gress. Women can now vote in q good
many states and while it may be nm.
| gracious to say so, it seems to he tba
acknowledged fact of their political
influence which has changed the atti.
tude of many men toward their cause
Marked Growth of Sentiment,
1t makes no difference how one
views the question of suffrage the
! fact of the growth of sentiment in frs
favor is so plain that it cannot be ig-
nored. Even in the south, where on
] position has been marked, the women
report progress. In New England
| where the anti-suffrage state organiza-
tons have been strong and in a per
sistent fighting mood for years, the
suffrage cause is gaining rapidly.
In Maine only two years age there
were few to listen to the cry Votes
for Women" Maine all at once I'M
derwent change of manner. Indiffer-
ence became interest and sleepiness
became wakefuIres3s In one year the
women of Maine sQcGaeded in winning
| to their cause almost majority of the
legislature of the state. They are at
work now trying to make victory
matter of the near future
In Massachusetts the women suffra-
gists have turned their attention to
the work of defeating for reelection
members of the legislature who OPP
pose their cause. Last year there was
majority of the lower house in Mas
sachusetts in favor of woman sui
frage, but the majority was not large
enough to secure a submission to the
people of an amendment to the state
constitution. The women already are
at work again in Massachusetts trying
to- make their victory complete.
In Connecticut the woman suffrage
movement has gone ahead rapidly in
the last year or two. There were
certain disclosures of vice conditions
made in the cities of Connecticut
which aroused the women of the state
to action and which they say made
them feel that unless women could get
the ballot the family life was not safe.
AS to Presidential Primaries.
President Wilson's recommends
ton for the selection of candi-
dates for the presidency by means
of general primaries has been the
subject of discussion and actual
controversy among the politicians in
Washington every day since the mes
sage was written. The Republicans
and the Progressives think that they
see symptoms of alarm in the Demo-
cratic ranks over Mr. Wilson's pro-
nouncement
1t is a fact, because the Democrats
have made it plain, that some of them,
few at any rate, are worried over this
thing because, as some of them view
it, the presidential primary in a way
would give state like new York with
its immense population an influence
and a power equal to that of eight or
ten states in the south. This view
of the matter has been set forth by
Democratic journals in the southern
states.
Now while some of the Democrats
of the rank and file are worried over
Mr.. Wilson's desires in this matter,
there are chieftains of the party who
seemingly do not worry at all so far
as the next national campaign is con,
cerned, and if they feel any fear it is
solely because the primary may be
stumbling block in the path of ambi-
ton in the far future.
The friends of William j. Bryan,
Champ Clark, Oscar w. Underwood
and other Democratic presidential
possibilities, or probabilities, seem to-
day to look forward to the next cam
paign with eyes that see things only
one way They say that presidential
primaries or no presidential prima-
ries, if Woodrow Wilson's administers
ton is a success he is bound to be
renominated and probably elected
and if it is not a success he will be
reneminated just, as certainly and
probably defeated.
1t is very simple proposition ap-
parently as the followers Ut Mr..
Bryan, Mr.. Clark and Mr.. Underwood
view it, and as probably also the three
chieftains themselves view it. with
Mr.. Wilson successful in his admin
nOl OuS Vi InS ChAOO PANS
ably thinks that he has chance fof
the nomination, and with Mr.. Wilson
unsuccessful not one of them thinks
Democrat would stand much chance
of election and consequently no one
of them cares 30 be offered up as
sacrifice.
How They See the Future.
Democrats in congress already are
talking of the campaign two years
hence They seem to think that II
the tariff law works well, if the cur
rency measure does not founder the
finf ces and if antitrust Legislation
{ es not disrupt business. not only
will Mr.. Wilson be assured OF the
nomination, but Clark and Under
wood following the lead of Bryan VIII
come out in public statements Ell
dorsing him for denomination and LOT
reelection. II this program, pleas
he fc aud with us