Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-17
SUFFRAGE FIGHT
COMING TO CLIMAX
Four States Are About to Decide
Votes-for- Women
Problem.
LEADERS ARE CONFIDENT
Not a Spot in Battle Ground That
Has Not Been Covered
Thoroughly.
LEADERS ARE CONFIDENT
Especial to The Times-Dispatchl

tory is now drawing to a close. New
Jersey votes the question OF wom-
ans rights on Tuesday and New York,
! PENNSYLVANIA and Massachusetts gem
cral election day Tuesday. November .
Whatever the results. their efforts
are great credit to the women
workers. For more than n year every
legitimate device of the political
propagandist has been utilized with
consummate skill. From month to
month the bombardment Of tho voters
with suffrage arguments has increased
in intensity, until it has wound up in
n very hurricane Of fire.
Not n spot in the four great cam
paiEn States but has been reached by
| speakers, while to the newspapers
the women have been alive" every
time that an opportunity popped up
to insert a few lines of publicity or to
assist some professional writer in a
descriptive article on some of the many
varied interested phases of the work.
DIR. SHAW AND MRS GAIT
| TWO GREATEST LEADERS
The headquarters for the four States
have been In this city. The two great
brains of suffrage are DR.. Anna How
ard Shaw and Mrs. Carrie Chapman
Gait. They arc tho chiefs of staff. The
four campaign committees tho army
staffs OF the four States have been
under the guidance and inspiration OF
these two astute and experienced vet
, Grams.
Leading the fight in each Common
wealth are the four State presidents
of the respective woman suffrage assoc
Citations - Mrs. Raymond Brown, OF
New York: Mrs Frank NJ. Roessing, of
PENNSYLVANIA; Mrs. Alice Stone Black
we'll. OF Massachusetts. and Mrs. e. F.
Faickert, OF New Jersey.
The marked feature OF the campaign
as a whole is the Indifference OF the
political machines. In Pennsylvania,
New York and Massa chusetts both
Democratic and Republican organiza-
lions have refused to commit them
selves. The bosses" have maintained
a discreet silence. either from l=ck of
interest or fear OF putting their money
on the wrong horse"
Nugent machine come out against the
suffrage amendment to the State Con-
stitution. In this State, the Presidents
own. the fight has ragged most hercely.
United States Senator Martin is a
strong antisuffragist. He has sent
through the mails large amounts of
reading matter urging the defeat of the
suffrage amendment.
The fragists countered with
blast which will become famous in
suffrage history. Nineteen OF the most
eminent men in the State drew up a
long address to the voters, in which
they took UP all the arguments against
giving the ballot to women and
answered them fully.
Then came re-enforcements for the
women from an uncounted- upon source.
Member after member of President
Wilson's Cabinet and other high Of
hcials of the Federal government pub
licly deci Jared their belief In State suf-
frage for women. The browning
triumph was Mr.. Wilson's own declara-
ton on October of his intention to
vote for the New Jersey amendment.
DEFEAT Is PREDICTED
BI AXTISUFFRtGISTS
Despite the jubilation of the New
Jersey suffra gists over the progress of
their campaign, the antisuffra gists de-
clare the amendment will go down to
defeat by $4,000 votes. basing this pre-
diction on n belief that the political
leaders OF both sides will secretly or
openly instruct the tractable element
To vote no" According to the ants
the only uncertainty is the independent
element This has often been large in
New Jersey elections.
The Presidents open espousaI of
suffrage has undoubtedly had a great
effect outside of New Jersey. New
York state political leaders OF all
shades of conviction admit it has
brought many votes over the line
Tammany Hall is mot saving a
word" Many influential men in the
Democratic party in New York
state are openly for suffrage The
saloon interests are assisting the fight
against giving the vote to women The
opponents of woman suffrage predict
the defeat OF the amendment by loo. 600
In Pennsylvania and Massachusetts
the women have made consistent aims
for the last two months but still nave
n hard fight if they are to win The
! Governor and other men prominent In
the Republican party OF PENNSYLVANIA
have openly favored suffrage; indeed
the leaders OF the Democrats and
rrogrcSsives are also friendly to the
women's cause. The question is W:il
the rank and file follow their leaders
on November a"
In Massachusetts the women have
had the hardest struggle. OF all. al
though here. too. the Governor. David
|. Walsh, has made many speeches in
supper; OF suffrage. But in the recent
Republican convention all the disc,Is.
sion OF suffrage was discouraged and
the party Is not on record cithe. for
or against Mayor James NJ. Curley, OF
Boston. has been considered a strong
supporter by the women. yet sn tho
convention he failed to mention tho
question OF votes for women.