New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-01

a chance once, and see what they do
with it."
There were fourteen such answers
and four more like the first, strongly
opposed to IL. The amazing thing was
that in two cars there was only one
man who said he hadn't made up his
mind.
I'm the regions reached by the New
York newspapers there are few who
laugh at votes for women. II has gone
beyond the laughing stage, and is rec
ognized as q serious political issue. a
promise OF a menace. Very few, in
deed. think OF Suifragists as creatures
who want TO wear trousers and be po-
'icemen. II is reform movement.
like the referendum and recall, or pro-
hibition. IL may be too radical for the
conservative East; many here are OPP
posed 20 it. but they at least treat it
seriously.
Schenectady Won.
81 doubt il the women carry Column
bia County" one editor said 10 me.
eve aren't quite ready for it here in
the Fast It's like getting up IN the
morning. We know we ought 10 do II,
and we know We are going 10 do It
very soon. but We Just don't want TO
now"
found the farmers in the extreme
western part Of the state still IN the
dark ages as regards suffrage found
the largest cities Bufalo. Rochester
and Syracuse strongly opposed TO
votes for women because of the attl-
tude Of political bosses and large cor
poration owners.
In Buffalo the women are fighting
10 the last minute with every means
that ingenuity and a large campaign
fund can devise. In siXtv-fve motion
picture houses. for example, every day
for the last week, moving hands have
written on the wall showing the man
how 10 mark his cross for the woman
suffrage amendment The owner of one
O. the large papers said he thought the
change in public opinion during the
last few days might even cary through
a favorable vote for the women.
As came East / found an ever
growing majority for the cause, espe-
cially IN smaller cities, such as Elmira
and Binghamton. In Schenectady,
owing 10 the exigencies of local po-
litical fight, the women are almost GER
tain TO win. George II. Lunn, the for
mer Socialist Mayor, is running again
for Office and Will poll the entire labor
vote Of the city. The Republicans and
Democrats, who beat him last year by
means OF a fusion ticket, have not
united this time. Dr.. Lunn is helping
the suffragists in every campaign
speech he makes. With the total vote
Of the labor men, who idolize DR.. Lunn,
and the progressive Democrats and Re
publicans voting for suffrage. il is hard
TO see how the women can fall down in
the Electric City.
Best Citizens in Favor.
Two hundred and thirty-eight against
one hundred and thirteen! Nobody
else seems TO have so rosy a tale to
tell of suffrage hopes. The bets are
against il, and. as one editor said: ITS
in the air that the women will lose"
How. then, did ! pluck these astonish-
ing figures out Of my little old bag?
There is only one explanation, if you
assume that these figures are not n
true prophecy. Ny only confession is
that they were taken from the most In
telligent and responsible section Of the
community. The men | interviewed
were almost wholly merchants and pro-
fessional men. Their opinions were
representative of the great mass Of
solid, comfortable. thinking men of the
state. | did not interview saloonkeep-
ers or their customers. Neither did
interview the workers in great facto-
ries or the Italians 'fho make the wine
in the Genesee Valley. Politicians say
that these are the men whose votes
swell the election victories. Your small
town grocer may be a fine man and a
model TO his neighbors. but there aren't
enough of him, the politicians say.
My only answer is my original state
ment. The intelligent, responsible men
Of the state are two to one in favor Of
woman suffrage. If it doesn't win. we
shall know who is responsible. II it
does. we shall know that | was right
and the politician was wrong; that the
virtuous upstate grocer does represent
public opinion and the ward heeler does
not.