New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10

Springfield, Mass. Oct. 81 may
be the lull preceding the storm whien
bancs over Massachusetts,. II may De
that the last week before election Will
scc the stolid commonwealth torn by
angry gusts of suffrage argument ne
wall Of the anti-suffragist may theh
I'll the land with uneasiness.
At the present moment however
Massachusetts, views the future with
marvellous indifference. For move
ment which is supposed 10 shatter 'ne
home and rae the very foundations Oh
civilization, or elevate the race to some
thing immeasurably grander than II
couId otherwise attain TO, it is causing
very little conversation. ASIDE from
the ordinary activities Of the suhrag-
lists themselves, which are apparent
only in the large cities. there is almost
no indication of the coming crisis. In
travelling from one end OF the state
TO the other | saw only two towns
where there were posters on the fences
In one tiny farming village there were
suffrage bluebirds tackled TO the apple
trees, and in some Office buildings
boxes Of anti-suffrage literature were
offered free to the passerby.
Evidently the politician who told me
that Massachusetts, didn't much care
whether it had woman suffrage or not
spoke for the vast majority Of its citi-
zens.
Don't think that the politicians are
irving to knife the Cause" said he.
ITO tell the truth, most Of US haven't
any interest in it one way or the
other. That isn't because we are so
sure it isn't coming, either. We are
simply Indifferent, because we don't
think il would make any difference to
the state whether the women voted or
not"
Women Indifferent.
The action of the two political par
ties in refusing to put q suffrage plank
in their party platforms is interpreted
in the same light. If either party had
seen in the Cause a greet calamity to
itself or to the state it would have
made some reference TO 1t at its con-
ventions. The practical result Of this
is that the women, anti-suffragists and
suffIagists, will have to fight it out
alone. They will not have the adver-
Using that mention of their amend
ment al political rallies would give.
president Wilson was wise enough
TO keep it from being party measure
said another who knows the ways Of
the politician. "We'only follow his ex-
ample. 1t is the opinion OF most fair
minded men that this is a question
which should be decided squarely on
is merits by the average voter. IN
hampered by political ties. 1t isn't
question Of Democrat or Republican,
but of whether man wants to see his
wife voter"
To this the weary. possibly cynical,
suifTagist retorts:
ITS a question the political parties
don't dare touch. They don't know
whore they might get hurt. There
never has been anything 70 give the
leaders hint as 20 how the great ma
jority of their voters feel. The only
people who really know anything about
women who have been doing the house
toulouse canvass, and they aren't per-
mitted to tell what they hear"
The mass Of public sentiment is
largely indifferent. There is no deny
ing that, but il is an indifference from
which there may be born at the last
minute as many suffrage votes as anti
suffrage.
In hasty trip across the state the
kind of indifference encountered most
often was that of the old man in Law
renee. lie was bent over his ledger in
tiny office, not person of great in
fuence in the community the
average" business man.
woman SUFFRAGE" he repeated in
answer to the question. 81 never
thought about IT, Now you remind me,
though, ! guess I'll have TO vote for it.
Yes, surely III vote for il. The women
have as much right as we. when you
come to think of it,"
| found them everywhere, in grocery
stores and in Harvard College; in troll
ley cars and mayors Offices.
There is undoubtedly much more
feeling in favor of the cause in Massa-
chusetts than one would expect, judg-
ing purely from the public works of
the suffragists. II Massachusetts gives
women the vote (Which is not incon-
ceivable) il will be because her citizens
are naturally inclined that way rather
than because of the efforts of the
women themselves. They have neither
the money nor the numbers TO make
the spectacular campaign that New
York has made. A few women in the
large cities are working hard, but in
81 70
move the conservative. conventional
New Highlander 10 make herself con-
spcuous. The campaign in the small
towns is being carried on largely by
hired workers from the cities.
Springfield was the last fortified city
Of the suifragists ! visited. Here were
hourishing headquarters on the ground
floor on a business street. The familiar
bluebirds in the window were perched
over mass Of blue gentians brought
down from Mount Hclyoke by college
girl enthusiast.
Miss Margaret Foley had just blown
in after a "wonderful' meeting in the
rain in Holyoke. Miss Foley never
stops for little thing like weather.
She is making a tour Of the manufact-
uring cities of the Connecticut Valley
this week, with a whole day before the
factories OF Springfield. Other cam
paigners have covered all the county
fairs in the western part OF the state.
The Berkshires are organized under
Mrs. Walter Prichard Eaton, of Stock
bridge, and scarcely "a day passes now
but some tiny grange indorses the
suffrage amendment and sends the
good news to Springfield headquarters.
So confident OF support are the work
crs here that they are planning a
parade all their own for October %.
Smith and Mount Holyoke College will
send delegations and so will all the
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