Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-12

Colorado in a statement declaring
that men who don't dare try do away
with the suffrage for women there
would be glad of a chance of voting
on the question again in order to take
it away. She gave instances in which
interested women had Investigated and
found cases Of vote selling and one
case she cited whore . woman had ac-
copied a check for $40 from one party.
a check for SIS from another and en-
dorsed both checkA Mrs. Oliphant
challenged any suffragete present to
prove that the woman's suffrage ques-
ton IL . moral question or a reform
Question--it in only q political question
she argued. No one but the suffra-
gettes in the hall. she said, had said
that Maine women are the political
equals OF idiots and paupers.
She declared that suffrage is going,
not coming" and cited New Jersey first
as proof. In the midst of her statement
Of what was done in New Jersey some
laughter was heard on the other side OF
the room and Mrs- OIiphant said more or
less defiantly: 'Oh, yes, We did. I'm
from New Jersey and l know what I'm
talking about
Many 'isms," she said, have come out
of the West Mormonism, Greenbackism,
Socialism, and others, and now Surrag-
ism Is trying to get out,
To argue that suffrage for women does
not alright the saloon interests she said
that in recent suffrage parade in Hele-
ma, Mont, In which DR.. Anna Shaw
marched, the w. c. T. L. was refused q
float because il would offend the saloon
interests and it was thought best not To
have it. She declared that in states
where women have the vote they have
NOT hurt or threatened the saloon inter
ests.
At the close of her brilliant address
Mrs. Oiiphant was greeted with the loud
est and longest applause of the afternoon.
well deserved by d woman who in D.
strange State can address an audience
largely unfriendly to her subject in such
an able manner and SO effectively as she
did
Rebuttal by Proponents
Mrs. Livingstone took the floor for toe
rebuttal at once and explained the rea-
sons for conditions in suffrage states
explaining the small proportion of the
men. She said 75 per cent of the temper
ance vote in Colorado was thrown by wo-
men and at last enough men joined with
them TO win Warm applause swept the
room when she cried: THE LIQUOR traffic
is agreed that its death knell is sounded
when the women of this country get the
vote"
Mrs Florence Brooks Whitehouse
spoke next for the rebuttal and in in
Producing her Robert Treat Whitehouse
said that though it had been argued
that the franchise would cause rupture
In the home between man and wife, ne
could state upon good authority that
she and aler husband are still upon
speaking terms. With this pleasant
pleasant introduction by her husband
still arousing smiles here and there.
Mrs Whitehouse began to read the rea-
sons why women should not have pock-
cts, which, she said, are very similar
to the reasons given by the "antis"
why women should not have the vote
She said reasons and not arguments Of
logical nature had been advanced In
reply to a statement that had been
made, charging that suffragists were
backed by the Socialists she said that
out of 100000 suffragists 200 were also
enrolled as Socialists
She quoted a statement of Judge
Lindseys which took some of the
strength out OF the former statement of
his quoted by Mrs Olphant. the sub
stance Of the statement being that
women will be the first to help Gust
political evils when they comprehend
their presence. She deserted the charge
that suffragists are tra-ferninists, say
ing they are no more ultra-feminists
than are women advocates of higher ed
ucation. Rather, she said. suffragists
stand for Apne standard OF morality for
men and women. Amid enthusiastic APP
plause she finished and left few min
utes to Attorney General Pattangan.
Attorney General PattansaIl
Mr. Pattangall said he spoke not for
his party nor for any Democrat except
himself, but that he did voice a great
Democratic principle and spoke from
Democratic standpoint in urging the
wisdom of giving the vote to women. He
said he did not know, and for the pur-
poses OF Inc nearing ulu MOI
er women of other states are capable OF
voting intelligently or not; he only
knew that women of this state are, He
had never seen many New Jersey wom-
en-, he said, but if they are like the one
who spoke for the ANTS they also
must be able to vote intelligentiy.
The committee nor the Legislature,
said Mr.. Pattangall, have the power to
give the franchise to women only the
people can do that, and standing by one
of the principles which they support
the greatest strength the democrats in
the Legislature cannot refuse consistent
ly to allow the people an opportunity to
express themselves on this measure.
And franchising the women of Maine
will not take the vigor out of the cam
paigns, Mr.. Pattangall thinks. He said
as much as he looked from right to left
upon the faces of the determined women
of both sides who showed by their pres
ence and their Jealous espousal of their
respective causes that they are not re-
luctant to fight for that which they be-
lieve to be the right. When women vote
the campaigns will be no pink tea cam
paigns,'' he prophesied.
Mr.. Pattangall said that the class of
women who need the vote most were not
there but in factories and stores and