Grand Forks daily herald. (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1914-1916, 1914-11-02
Suffragists
In minority

The columns Of the state press for
several weeks have carried plate mat
ter furnished by the %suffragists setting
forth the suffragist's reason why the
voters should vote for the suffrage
amendment.
These columns are invariably head
Cd with a list Of men who are report
ed to have endorsed woman suffrage.
1t is a significant fact that the men
referred to have not spoken during
the campaign in favor Of the amend
ment. nor are the two leading candl-
dates for governor advocating it. 1t
- also significant that the ~suffragists
have not published the names Of the
other candidates and the hundreds Of
other public men and the thousands
OF well known men who do not en-
dorse woman suffrage.
The fact is, as everyone should
know, hat planks we're presented by
the suffrage organization to the party
committees at Bismarck September 2.
1914, for the purpose of endorsing
woman suffrage. The endorsements
were rejected by both the republican
democratic parties. These COM
mittees officially represent the voters
OF these two dominant parties; that Is,
according to the 1912 vote. they rep
resented 1851 republicans and 31,544
democrats. Both parties refused to
accept woman suffrage as an article
OF their political faith or as q cor
rect principle Of government.
These Facts Are Significant and
Every Voter Should Ponder Them
Well.
The woman suffrage organization OF
n state has issued dodgers claiming
to represent 10000 North Dakota
women in their request for the ballot.
The fact is that there are over 1907
900 women in North Dakota Of voting
age. The suffragists, then, by their
W admission, are in the minority.
Ihe question is, shall the wishes of
women who. by their own statement,
are IN n minority. prevail. or shall
the majority Of women who do not
want the ballot prevail? II Won be-
lieve in a democratic form Of govern
ment and that the majority should
rule, you should vote against the
amendment which proposes to give
the franchise to women against the
VIII OF the great majority Of the e
Here are the facts:
The suffrage association possibly
mas 1000 members. The women;s
ciuos nave a membership of less than
o.ooo. The members themselves are
very much divided on the subject. The
enooreemen at jamestown with ap-
prox1mateiy $50 voting. was far from
qn1ninaoos The North Dakota W. G.
IL. a a membership Of about q
900. The State Teacherr +ion
mas probably a membership Of 1000.
both men and women. ann
tne state Nuroes' association nrobablv
loo. Nany teachers and VIC = *
women and club women are member,
OF the suffrage organization. 40 thai
mere Is much duplication: but assum.
ing tnat there IL no Duplication O,
mempership and that all Of thu
members are s~ufragists. there u only
aDoa. s.ioo OF them. Where are thu
resi- OF the 10000 women they speak
OF? 1t must be that thev hav.
counted the Sunday school chf,drs,
n members Of the Epwortf
leaEue as they also claim to nv. ~.
endorsements OF these o~rgani1ations
Tho Epworth league membershin I,
confined almost entirely to bows an
girls who have not reached thu votins
age. "
It II true that the vome A M
want the ballot. and who feeI ths
woman suffrage Is q ena 10 III,
home. only recentlv started to ~
lie. They have hsd no large cam
palm fund ana practically no. news
spapers IN which to make thefnseive
neard. These women are not by M
tufe D as~1tators.. but are 'conten
( : oceupy the highest place IN life
the dominion Of the home. Thev a,
ot3aspsr TO make political speerhe
rom soap boxes ana street cornerlL
Ee1tnfsa
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