New-York tribune., 1915-10-30
Advocates and Antis Focus
Efforts on Uncertain
Rural Voters.
IA "FOR": 7 mo-: 7
UNDECIDED" IN TALLY
Canvass at Republican Rally
Strongly PRO" Stopped
by Rain.
BY EMMA RUGREE

BY EMMA BUGBEE.
Utica, y. Y, Oct 2e.-When Harry
Thurston Peck made a pilgrimage to
Utica some years ago, tho only local
institution he found worthy OF hi.
pen was the railroad station dough-
nut This still reigns, the .olace of
those who come down from the north
country in accommodation trains. but
its supremacy in the affairs OF Utica
"a now threatened by vote, for
Women"
over the main street hangs big
banner: Vote Yes on Woman Suffrage
November g." 4 few blocks up IN q
street is building that glow, with
yellow posters, while shrieking It's pro-
test from directly opposite Is a rose
and black anti-sufrage stronghold.
This Is the most energetic anti society
outside OF New York City. they say.
1t not only ha. placards In the street
cars: safety first. Vote No on Woman
Suffrage" but in It's own shop window
1t runs motion pictures all the evening,
pictures and cartoons of anti-sufrage
propaganda
One Of the posters is that same
Hickey statement which was circulated
IN Newark the week before election.
The ufragists have replied 70 these
attacks by importing Mrs. Hiram Smell
who worked in the New Jersey cam
palen end knows the anti Hickey let
ter from Gompers by heart
Feeling Intense.
Feeling runs so high here that il is
impossible TO predict the outcome. The
anti-sufrage publicity agent and cam
paign manager says Oneida County will
lose by from 5000 10 10000. The city
editor OF the most important paper,
"Ihc Press, thinks the sufragists will
get a small majority. tom" Wheeler.
cX-Mayor and Republican leader, re-
fused 10 make any predictions State
senator Thomas also asked not 70 be
quoted. VI. J. Drayton, Republican
state Committeeman, and Watson +.
Dunmore. a member of the Constitu-
tional Convention. are officers in the
Mems Anti-Sufrage Association.
THE pros and cons are just about
even" said one political expert at is
the Indifferent vote that will determine G
the result. In the towns where the
women are well organized they will
get a very heavy vote. 1t may be
enough 10 swing the anti vote in the
big cities, but the Indifferent and igno-
rant on the backwoods farms have to
be reckoned with, too"
The backwoods farmer is Worrying
the ants almost as much as he is ;he
sufTragists. Neither side Is sure Of
him. The antis' chief speaker, F. G.. K.
Gordon. of Massachusetts. is spending
all his time IN the rural districts this
week.
Rural Vote Feared by Both.
That's where the suffragists have
been strong for years" he said :ais
afternoon. I'VE can take care of tie
cities, but we are weak in the country"
To test the actual feeling in the vii
lagos The Utica Press made a house
toulouse canvass last week of the
women OF nine town hips IN three couh-
ties Oneida. Herkimer and Madison.
The result was 1s7 for suffrage, 172
against and 152 neutral.
One anti-suifrag!st was so interested
that she left her home By the back
door and ran up the street, two houses
ahead Of the canyasser, warning her
nelghbors 10 tell him No"
As for the politics Of the situation.
everything is very quiet. Both partie
are keeping their hands off to avoid
trouble. The only exceptions are the
activities Of the two Republicans
named in the Mems Anti-Sufrage Sc.
ciety. The rank and file of the Repub-
licans is supposed 10 be for suffrage,
according to the editor.
This was borne out by a tiny poll
taken at a Republican rally at the Utica
liippodrome last evening. The poll was
interrupted by a sudden rain which
sent every one running home. Conse-
quently the numbers are very small.
Suffrage, however, had a two 10 one
vote. There were II for il, Z against
and who evaded the issue.
Mems Anti Club Here
Sure. I'm with the ladies every time
Put me down for two votes" was one
generous offer
Another, an earnest young man, said:
you can count my brother. TOO. lie
and | are both working hard for it,"
His feelings we're quite hurt when
he was told that no proxy votes could
be counted.
The Mems Anti Society one Of the
few that exist anywhere includes a
large number of the important business
men of the town. The secretary of the
society disclaimed welding any infu-
ence over the votes Of the workingmen.
Factory owners aren't taking any
interest in the matter" he said VERY
few Of them are represented in our
list"
There are 10000 voters in Utica.
about half OF whom are employed in
the railroad shops and factories. The
suifragists expect large support from
them, but the antis, too, have their
hopes.
"Nobody is saying much about IL, but
there IL 81 lot Of quiet work being done"
said M Gordon. I'VE have our friends
going about and talking to their fell
low workers. giving them a quiet Moth
ing doing on woman suffrage, Tom Ten
wears ago the sufragists had righ, TO
claim large support among the labor
folks. They have thought more since
then. and lots OF men have come TO be
lieve that suffrage will bring more
women into industry, which will mean
more competition and lower wages
for the men. Only 40 per cent OF the
labor vote will be for suffrage"
Both Fear Discrimination.
On the other hand, il is through the
activity Of group Of men labor lead
ers that Miss Josephine Casey was in
vited to join the campaign forces here.
Miss Casey held meeting tonight IN
which she was joined by Brother
Brown" treasurer Of one OF the local
unions, who contradicted statements
- L. l-.Lnr.I Inhn y