Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1915-02-28
women WINNING
Fight FOR Vote
Great Progress Being Made
Everywhere in Campaign
for Woman Suffrage.
SOUTH IS IN Ii N E
Great Change in Southern States Dur.
ing Past Year, with Prospects FAy.
Orable for Five Granting Ballet
to Members Of Fair Sex.

New York, Feb. 27.-There are sew
eral big things happening right now
favorable TO the woman suffra 3e
movement. These are: The change Of
! the prohibition question from force
hindering suffrage to force helping
the women; a sweep of suffrage senti-
ment through the men of the South
which has astonished the suffrage
campaigners themselves; a good mat
ured, tolerant attitude on the part of
male Legislators displaying active hos
tility or brick-wall Indifference; and
a movement in the North to demand
wOmans right to vote for presidential
electors as precursor to full ballot
privileges.
The change which has come over
sentiment in the South is one of those
political phenomena which are not en-
are now half white" as the suffrag-
lists say. Locking at the suffrage map,
onehalf the territory of the country is
now white, having given full suffrage
Z, t" women. Another portion is gray,
meaning partial suffrage, while a
comparatively small part is black.
The white territory is solid block
in the western half; the gray extends
through the middle and the northern
states, while the big black block is
the South, corresponding nearly to the
so-called "solid South" of the Demo-
cratic party.
The South up to now has been SUI
frage wilderness, where the seed
seemed to fall on barren soil. But To-
day the belief in suffrage is growing
there faster than in the northern half
of the states east of the Mississippi
river.
This change has come about prin-
cipally in the last twelve months and
is intimately connected with the new
attitude OF the members of state leg
islatures. Politicians usually have
looked on the votes for women
speakers or lobbyists either with
amused contempt, cold Indifference, 81
acute fear and hostility. These three
sta hds. all dangerous, to woman suf-
flage, are giving way to smiling,
good-natured complacency.
1t is American chivalry coming to
the fore. Chivalry toward women is
especially, characteristic of the better
blood OF the South. The South loves
and respects womanhood; and this
noble feeling is just swinging around
to desire on the part of the men that
their women have as great political
privileges as the wives and mothers
of the Far West
The principal fights for suffrage
this year are being made in the East
Now InrcnV
Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.
Every state in the union now has an
active woman suffrage organization,
but in this quartet aggressive often
sive campaigns are being carried on.
I Unless entirely unexpected trouble
arises. constitutional amendments IN
these fou" will go before the voters
that is, the men-this fall.
Campaign Well Organized.
Each of the four states has a cam
paign committee. The principal lead
ers are Mrs. CARR, Chapman Gait. CT
New York City, New York state; Mrs.
Frank NJ. Roessing of Pittsburgh,
| Pennsylvania; Mrs. E. F. Feickert o.
Hunellen. New Jersey; and Miss Alice
Stone Blackwell and Miss Mabel Gill
lespie. Massachusetts.
Mrs. Gait has invented novel form
of cooperation between these four
campaign committees something like
the grand general staff of the German
army.
The four committees meet, the
places of assemblage being in success
sion New York City, Philadelphia.
Newark and Boston. to compare notes
and exchange ideas. They fix on a
comprehensive campaign plan.
Delaware is distinctively hope
full" state. The state constitution
may be amended by the legislature
| An amendment is now before the leg
islature and if it passes it goes into
effect.
Suffrage has split the women of the
powerful Du Pont family in Delaware
inc two groups. Mrs. Victor Du
Pont, Mrs. Victor Du Pont, Jr.. and
MIR. and Mrs. Francis J. Du Point are
supporting the amendment strongly,
while their efforts are offset by the
hostility of Mrs. Eugene Du Point. Jr.,
Miss Felix Du Pont, Miss Amy Dl
Pont and Mrs Lammot Du POM.
Leading the suffrage fight is veter-
an general, MFS. MdTtild -. AIdHStoH ~
Newport Del, while Mrs. Florence
Rayard FIilles is a prominent lieuten-
ant.
West Virginia is one of the states
which have taken suffrage workers by
surprise. There was very little or
ganized suffrage effort among the
women of the state. But Governor
Henry D. Hatfield put plea for suf-
frage in his message, entirely uneN-
pectedly A suffrage amendment has
now passed the two houses of the leg
islature. 1t will go before the peo-
pie in 1916. so the gubernatorial can
didates OF that year will have to make
woman suffrage an issue.
Without important effort by the VIC.
men of Tennessee, suffrage amend
ment passed both houses of the legiS-
lature II has to pass another legis-
lature in 1917 and will 60 before the
electorate in 1918.
In Alabama a suffrage amendment
( is before the legislature with very
good chances Of passing. The mem
bers Of the two houses are taking the