Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-10-21
OPINIONS OF MAINE LEADERS
FOR AND AGAINST SUFFRAGE
ON THE new JERSEY ELECTION

Portland, Me-, Oct 20.-In interviews
today with the four, leading suffrage
and anti suffrage workers Of Portland,
concerning the results OF yesterdays
vote for suffrage in New Jersey, re-
porter received the following ideas on
the subject as held by women who are
in position to know truly the feel
ings Of their parties; and their ex-
pectations in regard to the passing Of
the amendments in the other three 1915
campaign states.
Miss Helen n. Bates, president Of
the Maine Association for Woman
Suirage says:
Miss Helen NJ. Bates
The defeat Of woman suffrage in
New Jersey was net unexpected. 1t
amendment had carried. Miracles do
het happen in the suffrage world. only
through sacrifice. work and untiring
patience have suffragists ever won in
their battles for political justice. 3''
have seen several New Jersey
women this summer ana have been
in constant correspondence with others
and in no case has one expressed con-
fidence that the amendment would be
adopted. ~" =
The brewers voted to spend 100000
corrupt politicians have worked night
and day to defeat it. A letter from
a New Jersey suffragist received yes
terday said. ~ sEEtT< e y J.
NO hope for New Jersey. A cor
rupt politician. and brewers are buy
ing up Essex county Newark includ-
ed.'
,~ 1t is sfgnifica Mt that Newark had so
large a majority against the meas
ure. A city with saloon on every cor
ner would be likely to turn down the
woman's vote.
Roosevelt in an appeal to the New
Jersey men to vote for the amendment
said: Vice and crime are conducted
by portion Of the population in which
there are 10 men to one woman And
when you see men who make a bust
ness of that which is base and foul,
rallying against cause, you may be
convinced that it is pretty good COM
mon sense 10 stick to that cause"
The women of New Jersey will not
despair they will begin today to work
for presidential suffrage. The eventual
triumph Of the suffrage cause is in
evitable when women show such I'M
daunted courage and devotion.
because they are working for just
cause which IN the end must win. We
must not forget that New Jersey is the
first state IN the East TO try to break
into the suffrage ranks and one could
hardly expect a state in this part of
the country to come into line on the
first t~;al when. in the Vest, where
conditions are mere favorable, suffrage
amendments were submitted before
sas three times. in Colorado twice. in
Washington three times. California
twice. ---~e~
One of the dep,orable things about
these suffrage campaigns is the amount
of time and energy that the ablest wo-
men Of the states give to the work
when their abilities might be used in
helping solve the great social problems
that are before society today.
All homo. TO the women Of New Jer-
sew for the magnificent fight they have
made. Their sacrifices have not been
in vain. Their loyalty and devotion
will inspire suffra g5sts all over the
country to renewed conservation to the
work in their own states.
Mrs. Whitehouse
Mrs. Robert T. Whitehouse, president
Junior League. says: While l am deep
ly disappointed at the result of the
election in New Jersey, I am. not sur
prised The forces of evil were blocked
against as they have always been when
the question has come before the peo-
pie, but this time the liquor interests
instead of working under cover as they
usually do announced their intention of
defeating the proposition. The defeat
can no more block progress than a
small boy can restrain an aeroplane in
its fight. Woman suffrage is coming
for the world and it may be that the
New Jersey men have lost their one
chance to do justice to their women,
for woman suffrage will come through
the Federal Amendment which ratified
by the Legislatures of three-fourths Of
the states becomes q Law. It is in di-
rect line with our Democratic principle
of the majority rule and is steadily
winning favor. Woman suffrage il an
educational principle-and cannot win
in a day. or a year. because most people
do not care to think for themselves,
but prefer to follow the lines of least
resistance, but 1t will be only few
years when the United States will look
back upon the effort of the Anti-Suf-
fragists to block progress. as we now
look upon the fight made not SO long
ago, against education, woren's clubs
and professions for women.
Suffragists cannot be defeated. We
know the best interests supplemented
by splendid men and splendid women
are for us. t-s-' ...-.
With Gladstone we say. You can
not fight against the Future, Time is
on our side. The great social forces
which move onward in their, might
and majesty are against YOU
Mrs. j. =. A. Merrill
Mrs John F. A. Merrill. first vice
president Of the Maine Association