The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-17

In this respect and this equality OF
mental and moral equipment renders
all the more perplexing to the mind
Of the male citizen who has been
showed by circumstances beyond his
control, and perhaps beyond his pri-
vate desires. into somewhat of the 20.
sition of arbiter of rival female claims.
the absolute, preposterous, irrcconcll-
able contradiction Of figures In the
statistics %propounded by the one camp
and the other concerning the vital
fact at issue.
For example, we understand that a
most thorough and accurate house to
house canvas IS in New Jersey, con
Quoted by experts In behalf Of the suf-
fragists with a view to ascertaining
exactly what proportion Of Jersey
women want to vote, has resulted In
demonstrating with approximate GER
tainty that sixty per cent. belong to
that class, while thirty per cent. are
Indifferent and ten per cent. are op-
posed to woman suffrage. This. OF
course. would he conclusive with any
reasonable and chivalrously inclined
male voter were he not confronted
by the assertion from the other side
that an equally thorough and impair.
tial by nti-suffragist experts
has proved that the percentage Of
women in New Jersey desiring the
vote IL somewhere about ten. with
ninety per cent, more or less. cold on
the subject or openly enlisted against
the movement. There Is no contro-
vertlng the good faith of these con.
fiictlng censuses: the only trouble for
mankind is in reconciling them.
Thus comes about the surprising
and perhaps unparalleled circumstance
that in the four States the men who
are to decide by their votes the pres
ent fate Of this measure Of immens,
political and social consequence are
called upon to decide It In blind ig-
norance Of the properly determining
consideration, in the face Of conflict
ing and irreconcilable claims from
two factions Of women who according
to superficial appearances are about
equally divided.
That is perhaps why so many Of our
fellow citizens are finding a comfort
able solution Of their perplexity In the
purely academic ac~quiesrence repre-
scented by Secretary GARRIsoN's recent
self-committal: Woman suffrage can
not possibly work for society and for
good government the miracles pre-
dicted by the extremely sanguine
among Its advocates; It can on the
contrary do no harm and bring no
danger. and 1t may do good. Let us
try II. Thus Mr.. GARRISON.
One fact, however, stands out con-
spicuously in this campaign OF the
women. and THE Sun wishes to ex-
hibit 1t in all its significance. Both
the campaigners for suffrage and
their equally earnest and convinced
antagonists have deserved and earned
the respect and admiration Of every
body by their political methods. From
first to last and throughout all the
provocatlons Of the controversy their
demeanor has been an honor to Ameri.
can womanhood. The shameful rsr.
formances OF female agitators In Eng
land, which did so much harm to the
cause during the year or two preced-
ing the great war. have had not the
remotest imitation here. Not n trace
| Of the evil example OF Pankhurstlsm
Is to be found In New York, New Jer-
sey, Pennsylvania or Massachusetts.
No such reproach, no such shame rests
on our women
As an intellectual performance of
organization, OF assignment of func-
tons, Of legitimate emotional appeal,
Of the proper use OF social forces, of
selection IN argument, of effective dia-
~lectlcs, OF good natured %rejoinder, of
tolerance even Of that good humored
fun which relieves and ought to at
tend every hotly contested political
fight, the campaign Of the s~uffraglsts
stands comparison with any similar
enterprise ever conducted by men. In
Its entirety and viewed broadly as
evidence of qualification for full and
equal participation in public affairs
the women who are for suffrage could
not have presented a more compelling