davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
STAND. PAT NEW JERSEY
Md Fashioned Ideals and Vicious
Elements Form Strange Part
nership There.
LIZ. Il The Tribune

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Cir. think when the women OF New Jer-
SOW are showing such pluck and spirit TOO
much cannot be said concerning cer'a'"
points.
Certainly no right minded person, anti OF
otherwise. can contend that the best interests
Of the state defeated our cause The men anu
the political machines which retarded prog
ress and refused justice are not the ones Una.
aver could be trusted to safeguard women anu
children. The ants have gained nothihg'
they simply hold, for short tme' ,he'i
|stand-pst position, and even that has pee"
secured FOR them by powers that ought 10
bring a blush Of shame to their faces.
Had wisdom and intelligence downed the
movement, had men concerned IN the
fare Of working women and discounted chli-
dren been the ones to set their srength
against us we might have paused 10 eonS'ae''
As IL Is. righteous men and women mus aeIe
that extra effort must be made for the saie'y
Of helpless humanity. for while any OPPOSE
,io, Ia suffrage depends for its existence
upon the individuals and politics that DOM
mated New Jersey on October 10 grave danger
to the state threatens.
remember a story once told OF grum-
bling old lady who was told by her pastor that
she must be content IN any state in when
God had placed her.
Az" the aged creature returned, but COO
Almighty doesn't know anything about New
Jersey"
1t almost seems as if this were so to-day
But righteousness and justice will find New
Jersey before long. and in the mean time we
women of New York must work harder and
save our state from n similar fate on Novem-
Der 2, and our good men must help us and sec
that we have fair play. Should we be de-
feated, let us realize that prejudice and old
fashioned ideals are our worst enemies in the
Empire State, not fraud and injustice.
HARRIET T. COMSTOCK.
Brooklyn, Oct. 20, 1918.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
Morals, Marriages and Womens
Votes.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Your correspondent, L. A. Rushing,
wakes ironical in his questions regarding
the effects of woman suffrage in the Far
West; among them is this: as every one
divorced?" II is cause for congratulation
that so fer divorce has not become universal
in the suffrage states, but unfortunately
there appears to be drift in that direc-
ton.
In an address delivered in Tent Evangel
in this city few weeks ago the Rev. B.
Fay Mills, OF Los Angeles, stated that that
city was the most American OF all the large
cities of the United States, having larger
native American population than any other,
and yet he said family life had become so
demoralized that there is now one divorce
to every four marriages in Los Angeles. As
Dr. Mills has long been resident of that
city II is presumed that he knows whereof
he afirms. Far be it from me TO suggest
that there is any connection between woman
suffrage and this low state of morals. But
is it not a curious coincidence that in the
largest of the suffrage states there should
be this growing disregard OF the marriage
vow? G.. T. c.
New York, Oct. 81, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
The Pot and the Kettle.
he Editor oil M Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: If the State of New York ever adopts
woman suffrage amendment, let us hope
that such action will be taken because
majority of the electors are persuaded
rot by sentiment. but by reason; not by
blind prejudice, but by logic, that such an
innovation is desirable. Let them not he
misled b. arguments" like the following,
which appeared in your editorial Of Oc-
tober 81
but the women have in their New Jersey
battle successfully demonstrated that in the
ranks OF those who oppose them are all the
elements which have in recent years earned
and received the punishment which the com
munity has felt the proper portion of the
boss and the machinst, the ward heller and
the eorruptionist"
II yoI actually believed that editorial at
the time of writing it you should look abou;
you and appraise the mental calibre. the
moral courage, the civic virtue and the
moral integrity OF the leaders of the suf-
frage movement. Do you find no machine
candidates" no political mountebanks, no
demagogues, no convicted or unconvic:ed
corrup.ionists advocating woman suffrage?
STEPHEN +. THAYER.
Yonkcrs, y. Y, Oct. 22 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
The Spirit of the Sufragists.

ANY doubt about the vital earnestness
Of the womens demand for the ballot
should vanish before the evidence fur
nished by Yesterdays parade. 1t was no
gala occasion. made easy with sunshine
and flowers. 1t took physical and moral
courage TO stand waiting for an hour or
more while the line formed, Drawing a
piercing raw wind, then TO march from
Washington Square TO Central Park, as
thousands on thousands of women did.
That was a hard task even for the repre-
sentatives Of the sturdier sex, the vote
privileged sex, who were in line. Every
one Of the women who marched showed a
devotion to the principle of equal suffrage
which should bring admiration and sup
port from the fortunate males Of this gen
GRAFTON. who themselves have never had to
make such a sacrifice for their privilege
Of governing.
In the face of spirit like that It seems
idle TO assert. as the anti-suffragists do,
that the coming of equal suffrage can be
prevented. II may w NSlHNN"' ''NN' ~
any person who. having seen the impress
sive bard Of women who thronged Fifth
Avenue yesterday impressive alike in
numbers. in bearing, in determination
can believe that the equal suffrage fight
will ever be dropped until it is won is
blind, blind to the history Of the extern
sion of participation in government, blind
TO the workings of human nature.
Votes for women will come in this state,
whether this year or in some future year
is not so important to the women them
selves as it is TO the state. Men of the
discernment of President Wilson, Governor
Whitman, Mayor Mitchell, advocate equal
suffrage as beneficial to the community.
One of the banners yesterday declared:
mo state can grow half bond, half free"
1t is certain that no democracy can reach
its fullest estate which is democracy in
name only, holding half its people unen-
franchised. New York State. for its men
ard women alike, who are the state, should
cease to be half bond, half free.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24

will wear and wherewithal they Will he
clothed. booted or hated The supinenesa
with which you accept the dictum OF fash
ion and clothe yourselves in the ephemeral
sartorial idioces current Is indicative
And then he went on to particulars ana
wished the women of the congregation
could only see themselves from his pull
pit. why" he asked them. should a
woman wear feathers on her head? Does
any one think they are pretty? Imagine
the Venus Of Milo so adorned!
Break these shackles if you can he CON
cluded. before you ask to be trusted with
the vote"
Altogether it was hot. slashing sort OF
a sermon that Mr. Brady gave them, but
it was one that could have been given with
IMMUNITY only from a church pulpit a
heckler under less favorable conditions
would have thrown his words back in his
teeth. Why should a man wear stlft,
shiny stovepipe on his head? Does any
one think it handsome? Imagine the
Apollo Belvedere so adorned!
No: the less men say about womans
slavish conformity in dress the better.
Women often dress foolishly, but at least
they have some individual freedom and
latitude in their folly. A man has virtu-
ally none by comparison and dares not
adapt his clothing, except in the most in
significant details, to his personal convic-
tons. How many men would be so bold as
TO remove even the useless little buttons
they have worn for generations IN the
small of their backs?
As an illustration of what he conceives
TO be the basis of his sex Mr.. Brady s
sermon was unpersuasive.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
Mr.. Brady on Woman's Dress.

From two pulpits on Sunday last tho
Rev. Cyrus Townsend Brady denounced
woman suffrage as "an insult to Cod"
His principal objection to the current
agitation was on the high ground that II
was an effort of woman TO enter a sphere
for which the Creator did not intend her.
lie condescended, however, to reason upon
the matter also as a question of mere
policy and expediency, and in this light.
too. he found that women were utterly
unfit 10 have any hand in politics and
government.
Woman he explained, "is a creature
of impulse, man Of judgment" and by way
of proving what he conceived to be "the
mental bases of the sexes" he proceeded
TO show how utterly without judgment
women were in the matter of dress. SHOW
me-" he said, "any considerable group OF
wouen strong enough to say what they
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
Let More Women Work!

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: | am one of those women who have
believed suffrage inevitable; | still believe
so, but il is evident that il is not so mme-
diately inevitable that the cause can afford
such supporters as Il am one of those who
have left it 10 the women who had time and
money and surplus energy to make the fight.
1t is because | believe that there are thou
sands of others like me that | write this
letter.
| am convinced that even the corrupt and
the antique minded could not have produced
such result unless a very large number Of
men had been honestly convinced that a ma
jorty of women did not want suffrage. J
think very great numbers of men voted as it
seemed TO them that the women wanted them
to vote.
The time for fighting will not come TO US
again for many years, but in the meantime
ask all such disgraceful sutfragists as |
10 join ME in doing what they can 20 remove
wrong impression from the minds Of men
who are willing 20 give" women the vote
"if they want it," To join the party, to
wear some emblem at all times and seasons
that shall impress upon the brains of those
cause rot to be abandoned or forgotten. Let
the days following this defeat see an i'm
mense increase in membership in the suffrage
organizations of New Jersey, and let it be
the signal for thousands of yellow buttons
to appear-in homes, Offices, factories, on the
streets, in the theatres and in churches-at
all times and seasons, and not to disappear
for seven years. This generation knows what
persistent, continuous advertising will do
for a business it will do it for a cause.
believe that il is only necessary for
women to convince men that sufficient num-
Der of them earnestly want the vote. |, for
one, am ashamed, and think there must be
many thousands like me-busy and poor
who have not done their part because they
were too sure. There is long and fruitful
penanco ahead
GERTRUDE CARNWELL HOPKINS
Cranirrd, y. j., Oct. 10, 1916.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
Too Shocked to Argue.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: You have been advocating woman suf-
frage That Is your privilege and no one has
right TO object When, however, you at
tribute the overwhelming defeat Of woman
suffrage in New Jersey to the bosses and the
"liquor ring" am moved to question the
correctness of your statement
have never been conscious Of the influence
upon my individual action Of boss or a
liquor ring yet most Of my acqusintances, so
far as / have been able 20 learn, like myself,
voted against the suffrage amendment, ard !
have no doubt that there are thousands like
US IL the bosses and the liquor ring were
actively working against the cause they
no doubt made the majority of the ants
larger, but am convinced that the better ele-
ment carried the election. BY better ele-
ment" I mean the people who do not hang
around saloons and who are not under the
control of bosses.
When about to enter the polls last evening
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24

the rural districts the right to vote for school
trustees. We already possessed that OF vot-
ing for taxes, bonds and all other matters
connected with the schools except the trus'
tees We were also-and still are eligible
to serve as trustees, if elected by the votes OF
men, Many women have SO served IN the
State of New Jersey.
But even this little school suffrage amend
ment was turned down, and turned down hard
especially in the cities. The country districts
had tried school suffrage for women and they
knew that it worked we'll
In that year (ls97) few men in New Jersey
believed in giving full suffrage to women, and
now more than $4,000 have voted to do so!
What a splendid growth of the sense of jus
tice and fair play this shows! Soon the wave
will rise little higher and sweep them, the
machine politicians, out of sight. In the
mean time we give our heartfelt thanks 10
the $4,000 men in New Jersey who voted to
enfranchise US.
FLORENCE HOWE HALL,
Honorary President New Jersey Woman Suf-
frsge Association.
Oct. 20, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
No "Womanly Woman Wants
Vote.

To the Editor Of The Txibune.
Sir. Three cheers for Jersey! am proud
Of my native state, which has voted against
the monster Of woman suffrage.
II the women would attend to their homes
and families instead Of flying over the coun-
try. in automobiles decorated with their col
ors and making speeches in the streets. the
country would be far better governed by the
men and there would be fewer divorces
What they want any more rights for do not
know.
Surely no womanly woman would want TO
be represented in the government, and they
would muddle things most beautifully by in
terfering, as they usually do. Yellow, which
means Jealousy, is a most appropriate color.
AN OLD-FASHl0NED AMERICAN.
L New York, Oct. 20, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
Suspended Animation.

Dispatches from California say that a
student at the State University at berke-
lev held his breath the other day tot
20 minutes and 10 seconds. This. 1t Is
claimed. is "a record for voluntary sus-
pension of respiration" 1t may be rec
ord. but it is not the record.
The authorities at Washington respon-
sible for putting the United States into
condition Of military preparedness nave
held their breath for nearly fifteen months
ever since the breaking out of the Euro
pean war disclosed the vulnerability OF
orr situation and exposed the frailty OF
the two means of protection on when
we had relied: Our supposed geographical
isolation and our faith in efficacy Of peace
compacts and international arbitration.
Congress was in session when the war
began. i. adjourned, met again and adj
iourned again. But though the administra-
ton had at all times at its command the
support of majorities in the Senate and the
House of Representatives, the President
failed TO urge the passage of any!legisla-
ton TO meet the emergency. Nothing at
all was done TO increase the army, and the
increase voted for the navy was Only such
as would have been voted in ordinary
peaceful times
For forty days longer, so far as mill
tarv preparedness is concerned. the ad-
ministration Will continue TO hold its
breath. What is the 10 minutes 10 sec
onds performance just reported from Cali
fornia alongside this colossal record of
suspended animation, of yogi-like indiffer-
cnce TO the most pressing Of national needs!
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
Pedestrians and Street Accidents.


II will offend very many of our pedes-
trians to be told by the Police Commits
sioner that they are in large measure
responsible for the street accidents COM
monty attributed to vehicuar traffic. Yet
this verdict. as recorded in his quarterly
report. appears to be borne out by an
analytic inquiry carried on for two months
by the Police Department; nor is it obvi-
ously unjust or wanting in plausibility.
Setting aside the casualties among
children, upon which the report dwells at
length, it must be admitted that pedes-
trians generally have been slow to adapt
themselves to current conditions 1t rs
idle to deny this obvious fact when the
conditions of eight or ten years ago are
considered. At that time traffic of all
kinds in New York was shockingly chaotic.
The spectacle of children playing reck-
lessly about the streets Of so busy a town
was astonishing enough, but the careless,
haphazard way in which drivers ard foot
passengers alike went on their way was
the amazement of citizens from all great
cities abroad.
Now, consider the extraordinary reform
Of the last few years. In few cities any
where is traffic management more eff
Gent than in New York to-day-as far as
wheeled traffic is concerned. Only very
few years ago the police were helpless.
In the first place, they did not understand
how to control traffic, and when at last
they had learned the rudiments of the bust
lness the drivers of vehicles refused to
cooperate. They often defied the police.
and a not uncommon spectacle was a
sanging match between a policeman and
trucl, driver.
This state of affairs is fortunately OBJ
solete drivers have learned the impor-
lance of conforming to the traffic rules, and
now in this respect our streets compare
very favorably with those of any other
city in the world. London is not more
orderly, and Berlin by comparison is like
country town on fete day.
But while the drivers have been learn
ing to adapt themselves to modern require
ments the pedestrians have continued in
the old way and are as yet unwilling to
reform. They seem still to be dwelling in
a village. 1t may well be that they have
less incentive than the drivers to mend
their manners, for the drivers soon
learned that refusal to comply with the
regulations meant arrest. Sooner or later
il Will probably be necessary to enforce
the rules that are supposed to govern
pedestrian traffic. The play streets have
apparently worked wonders, but until
/ pedestrians generally learn how to make
use of the streets in reasonable manner
there will be no order and accidents will
continue 10 multiply.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
Suffrage Advance in New Jersey

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Woman suffrage defeated in New Jer-
sey? Not bit of it! We have not yet
grasped victory, but what wonderful ad'
vance we have made. Next time we shall
surely win, and as the constitution OF the
state can be amended once in five years, the
question need not wait very long To the
Younger women the delay may be trying 1t
is not pleasant to any OF US. But we older
workers, who have a longer perspective, re-
ioice TO see the wonderful change that has
taken place In the last score OF years.
II is eighteen wears ago since the state as
sociation made the last effort to amend the
constitution. There were other amendments
TO il. and we sought to have very modest
one Misunderstanding TO the women OF
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
They Don't Have to Vote.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: | read regularly and admire sr..u,
your paper that is, your editorial page an.
your special columns. Hence thi, ou,burt a,
wonder Is naturally directed TO you.
Here are a lot Of apparently in,ellisn.
people arguing for and against woman ,u,.
fiage. can understand a woman pleading
for suffrage, or jim Nugent, Of Newark. kzh.-
ing against il. There is a reason in each
case. But when ! see the pictures Of n.
women who are "leading the fight szsins,
suffrage" accompanied by columns Of matte,
exploiting their opposition. ! am moved 70
wonder why in the name Of sweet heaven n,
one has explained 70 them that they will no,
be affected in the slightest degree By N.
success Of woman suffrage. They msy sta,
away from the polls II they want 70, hlss.
their dear hearts
Do tell them about H.
FORREST A. HEATH.
Bridgeport, Conn. Oct. 10, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
1.-THE Crackle of Thorns.'

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Why do the "antis" acclaim the New
Jersey result as glorious triumph?
Ten per cent change in the sentiment Of
the electorate would have placed 1t in IN,
equal suffrage states forever. This victory
holds it only until the 10 per cent is over
come.
What ether cause has shown such strength
OF its first test? Imagine anti-slavery hav-
ing made such a record. And yet anti-slav-
cry legislation was not necessarily final II
could be revoked.
But who of the "antis" has not argued that
enfranchsing the women is an irrevocabls
act!
And they exult on a ten per cent margin'
"The crackle OF thorns.'
KiMBALL OHARA.
Brooklyn, Oct. %, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24
What Will They Fight?

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: | believe in equal suffrage. The
papers report that the women OF New Jer-
sey, after their defeat at the polls, are re-
organizing for another fight That is good
am glad of it. But what are they going to
fight?
The wcak-kneed supine, invertebrate atti-
tude of the United States, the hysterical
maudling sentimentality Of the pacifsts or
the "watchful waiting" classes?
VIII they fight with open mind and
broad vision for what England, France, Bel
GUM, Russia. Italy and Serbia are fighting
r. they do they will gain, as the women Of
those lands are gaining, equality.
But If they devote these days Of anxiety
stress and danger to fighting machine poll
ties they prove themselves selfish and
ignorant as the male voter, and those stupid
creatures will continue quite rightly TO re-
fuse them the ballot Two wrongs may make
a right, but two stupidities will never make
an intelligence
MARGARET ASHLEY FAIRFIELD.
Bristol, Conn, Oct. %, 1915.