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


with the current or against it, we are
being swept onward in the same direc-
ton
The only question for US is whether
Maine shall be q leader or a laggard in
the movement. In view Of our State
motto which carries with it an as
sumption Of leadership, is it not now
the part of a proper state pride for US
to take our stand in the vanguard Of
this important movement and afford
the people Of Maine an opportunity to
decide whether our State shall now
take this last logical step in the de-
velopment of democratic government
When Mr.. Whitehouse said that il
Maine refused woman the franchise
she would have TO be classed alone
with Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria. and
Turkey, Rep. Comedian of Portland
asked if he would not also put Ohio
with Maine and was told that Ohio
had granted women partial suffrage.
DO YOU consider 20,0o0 sufficient
demand for a referendum? ?" asked Mr..
Comedian.
Certainly" replied Mr.. Whitehouso.
| but we have more than 10000"
IF 10000 men should ask to have
prohibition referred to the people
again would be in favor of it?" queried
Mr.. Comedian.
Certainly" said Mr.. Nhitehouse de-
cidedly. The referendum is sooc
democratic doctrine and ! personally
would favor such a reference to the
people
Helen M. Bates
Miss Helen NJ. Bates of Portland
ske1ched the rapid growth Of suf
/ frage strength and the spread of the
| franchise for women, stating that il
( is almost impossible TO keep abreast
of the times in data, SO fast the cause
strides ahead. She said that ants
had charged that women asking the
| vote are only the discontented women
and declared that such is the case
and that they will be disconnected I'M
| til they get the vote they ask, ana
are considered not as they are now
while judged the political equals of
idiots and paupers. She said that In
Montana the first two women to reg
lister We're two who had been active
in the ant" ranks.
Mrs. Althea G. Quimby
Mrs A1thea G. Quimby of Portland
the successor Of Mrs. L. NJ. \. Stevens
as president of the Maine ". G.. T. L.
delivered a most impressive address
filled with noble appeal and touched
/ with Womanly tenderness. In thu
course Of her address she submitted
to the committee bOX containing 5000
cards neatly tied in bundles, explain
| ing that each card was signed by a
Maine woman of voting age who wants
/ the franchise. The vocations the sign
ers represented, she said, covered
wide range: ministers, physicians, col
I lese students. artists, authoresses, in
Nentresses, clerks. cashiers. nurses
| musicians, teachers, hotel keepers
| stenographers factory workers, women
of leisure, and above all housekeepers,
mothers and wives. She said that if
mothers could keep their children al
ways at home with them and under
their care they might be content with
out the vote but since they had to see
them go forth into the world they
wanted to have something to say
about the conditions which can be con
trolled by the vote.
Hon. c. S. Stetson
/ Hon. c. S. Stetson master Of the
state Grange. when called upon BY Mr.
| Whftehouse 10 speak for the propon-
ents rose in his position on the ex-
IRENE left, right in the midst of tn
ants and SO hemmed in on ali sides,
that it would have been difficult to
make his way to the front of H..
house. He accepted his predicament
with a remark which sent good ma
tured laugh through the hall Il am
f, dellshted to speak from my present
environment"
! lie Sald that majority Of the mem
bers OF The grange in the State favor
votes dor women, Like all organiza
tons said he I'VE have some benirht
ed members who are slow to see the
right. He answered the argument that
only part Of the women Of the State
want to vote by declaring that 20 Der
/ cent OF the men do not vote at all and
O. those who do it is estimated that 30
! per cent are hauled TO the polls Al the
the last session OF the Maine State
Grange the delegates of 60.O0o grangers
voted unanimously for resolve in ia
vor Of equal suffrage for women and
he represented the grange, ne said. with
i full authority.
Mrs. Deborah Knox Livingstone
a brilliant and powerful speech was
delivered by Mrs. Deborah Knox 1.jv-
ingstone o. Bangor. chairman Of the ma
/ t1onal W. c. T. L. franchise committee.
! With keen logic and keen phrases she
gave her appeal or four grounds: That
III these days politics circumscribe the
home because of their bearing upou all
/ the environments Of the nome and ali
! the things which the home consumes
that from an educational standpo;nt
women We're not only fully en-
titled To the vote. but, should test
| Of educational efficiency OF all men and
all women in Maine be made. women
would measure by far higher than nah
and since men have had the vote she
! would like them tested first; that from
/ an economic standpoint the women de-
served the ballet and needed it; that
! from moral standpoint especially since
| five OF every seven members in Maine
/ evangelical churches are women, women
| should have the vote for the good they
will inject into political life The adj
! dress was a masterpiece on the sub