The Washington herald., 1914-09-06
CLIMAX IN sight,
SAYS SUFFRAGIST
Mrs. Mary Ware bennett
Predicts Seventeen States
in November.
PREPARE FOR CAMPAIGN
With a Roll Call of Ten States Al
ready, Women Leaders Are
Gaining Hope.

Mrs Mary Ware bennett. correspond
ing secretary Of the National American
Woman Suffrage Association, of which
the Congressional committee has head
quarters in Washington, in charge OF
Mrs. Antionette Funk, is well known in
the Capital and throughout the country
for her untiring efforts and effective work
for the cause.
She recites the fact that there are ten
States now with the vote, and asks how
many there will be in November. 1914
The answer to this question should he
seventeen" Mrs. bennett declares. 1T
may be more. for although this is not
what suffraEists call a legislative year,
since most State legislatures meet every
other year on the odd years. nevertheless
there are twelve States with legislatures
meeting this year, and among these are
three in which a suffrage amendment
might be passed and thus increase the
number Of 1914 campaign States TO ten.
In the other nine States, the amend
ment either has to pass two legislatures,
or II it were passed at this wears ses-
sion. would not he submitted to the
voters until 1915 or later.
The Climax in sight.
In any case" Mrs. bennett continues.
the climax of the suffrage movement Is
in sight and the suffragists are plunE-
ing into their campaigns with a con-
tagious enthusiasm and determination.
beginning with the Pacific Coast and
making an eastward survey. one finds
Nevada the last stand of the antis west
OF the Rocky Mountains: for it Is com
pletely surrounded by suffrage territory.
"GlancIng casually at the Nevada sit
uation. one would say IL was a mere bag
atelle to reach and convert. or finish the
conversion of its voters. in whose hands
rests the fate Of the amendment next
November But a close inspection re-
veals certain very real difficulties. which
the plucky handful OF suffragists are
facing For instance. there are no large
cities where extensive suffrage work is
easy and effective. The population is
both scattered and miscellaneous More
over. there are 10 men TO every 1O0
women. and the women are for the most
part housewives. who are so tied down ny
their domestic duties that they can spare
little time for suffrage work. This ex-
cess Of men is largely a shifting popula-
ton the most difficult kind TO reach and .
hold to a sense Of responsibility. On the /
other hand, even in this foot-loose class .
there is a compensating sense OF fair .
play. and when once they see that the 4
women who are bringing up families need .
every power they can possibly have-po- /
litiCal and OtneTWlSe-ln OTOer 10 SAFE
guard their children and widen their pos
sibilities. they are quite ready to admit .
It and TO act accordingly when it comes
time to vote on the amendment
The recent reform in the Navada d.
vorce laws has somewhat affected the
OF the temporary population.
but the industrial conditions are such as
still to produce a large number OF men
without families and without homes.
Minority Is Powerful.
State suffrage headquarters are estab-
lished in Reno, and there are a number
Of prominent names found on the execu-
tive board OF the suffrage association.
including Gov. Oddie and United States
Senators Pittman and Newlands.
The only serious opponents to woman
suffrage in Nevada, as in most other
States, are the vicious interests-the sa-
loon owners, the gamblers and the dive {
keepers. who naturally flourish where
there is a shifting population Of unat-
tached men, quite reasonably dread the {
possibility OF being regulated by woman's
vote, and while the majority of citizens, ,
both men and women. would stand for {
IN increased amount Of civic housecIean-
ng. the minority which opposes II is '
small but powerful
SO it is in Montana. the next east :