Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-01
1914 BANNER YEAR
FOR SUFFRAGE, SAW
NOTABLE VICTORIES
Political Parties and Club
women Throughout Nation
Indorsed Cause" and
Two States Were Won.
Bv CAROLINE KATzENsrEIN

By CAROLINE KATzENSTEAN
Executive Secretary. Equal Franchise Society
| Of Philadelphia.
A glance over the woman suffrage held
Of 1914 will reveal many interesting and
surprising features, and, from this sur
vey, a prophetic eye may not unreason-
ably be cast over the New Year
The most significant victory of the year
was the winning of Nevada and Montana
making an entire solid West of equal
suffrage territory. The addition Of these
two States gives us seven more electoral
votes, enfranchises 99.Ssl women. increas-
es the amount of suffrage territory by
s56gO1 square miles and increases the
suffrage population by 457,92S.
Full equal suffrage now prevails over
i,T3S,O4O square miles of the United States,
or nearly one-half OF the total area.
Women now have an equal voice with
men In casting 9i electoral votes, or near
ly one-flfth of the total number in the
electoral college, and in sending to Wash
ington one-fourth of our Senators and
nearly one-sixth of our Representatives.
The total number of women over 81
years of age In the States where women
can vote for President OF the United
States Is 9,676,532 Oslo census). The total
population OF the II States in which equal
suffrage prevails. Wyoming, Colorado,
Idaho, Utah. Washington, California,
Arizona, Kansas, Oregon, Nevada and
Montana, is now S,25324o. II to these
States we add Illinois. where women, in
1913, were given almost full suffrage, tho
total population of the Stakes where
women can vote for President of the
United States is 1S,S91,sSt, or 10 per cent
OF the total population of the United
States.
INDoRsED BY CLUBWoMEN.
the year was the Endorsement of woman
suffrage by the clubwomen of the country.
In June, the biennial convention of the
General Federation of Women's Clubs
met In Chicago and unqualihedly indorsed
political equality for women. The in
dorsement came after four days of wait
ing, four days of lively discussion be-
tween the meetings and four days of
guessing by the entire press of the coun-
try. The question had been smoldering
in women's clubs for nearly a quarter
of 4 century.
This year 1t overshadowed all other
topics and attracted attention of the en-
tire nation. There were 2094 delegates
piSSoitJ iSpiSbSHliilS l5Vi pOuleS anu nav
ing a membership of 100000 women.
Since June. State federation after State
federation has followed the lead of the
mother body and has registered the pro-
gressive club women on the right side
of this reform Notable among these
State bodies have been New York and
Pennsylvania, The former indorsed equal
suffrage by vote of 227 to 72, and Penn
sylvania, out of Its i07 delegates, repre-
senttng $1,000 women, had only 2S ad-
verse votes. Although some of the dele
gates did not vote at all, there were more
than $50 ayes.
Just before the General Federation
meeting, the Illinois woman suffrage law,
the validity of which had been questioned,
was declared constitutional by the State
Supreme Court, clinching the biggest vic
tory of 1918.
In addition to the club women already
mentioned, suffrage was indorsed during
1914 by the American Federation OF Labor
the National Grange, the National Asso-
citation of Colored Women's Clubs, in
session at Wilberfcrce, Ohio, in August;
the National Association of Postal Clerks,
in session at Omaha, Neb. the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union, in session
at Atlanta, Ga. and the National Educa-
tional Association, in session at st. Paul.
Mimi, in July. Too many State organi-
cations to be mentioned went on record
in favor of equal suffrage.
FAVORED IN PLATFORMS.
Equal suffrage planks have been adopted
in more platforms this year than ever
before. The Republicans have recon-
mended the submission of n constitutional
amendment to the voters In New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Iowa and
vermont; while In Illinois, Maryland,
nalr -.
gone further and declared for the prin-
ciple. The Democrats have recommended
the submission of a constitutional amend
ment In New York, New Jersey. Massa-
chusetts, Illinois, Rhode Island and Con-
necticnt, and have come out In favor OF
the principle in North Dakota, Pennsyl
vania and Vermont. The Progressives
and Socialists have adopted suffrage
planks practically everywhere.
Pennsylvania's political situation is
unique. The fact that every political
party in the State has a woman suffrage
plank In Its platform makes a safe pas
sage OF the bill through the next session
OF the Legislature seem assured. II party
pledges mean anything, unfavorable ac-
tion would seem impossible
Although there were only two success
ful campaigns out OF the seven that were
waged this fall the results In the other
nve were not diseouraging to suffragists.
The political and economic unrest had
no doubt. decided influence on many of
the voters and made them hesltate 10
alter the constitution In any way!W In
Missouri. for instance, all OF the ls amend
ments submitted In November were de-
feated.
The official count in the seven States.
which has only been completed In the
last few days, shows, however, that a
good fight had been waged.