The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-10-21
SUtFRAGISTS REFUTE
Mrs. ELEPHANTS Statement That Minority
Of Woman Favor Suffrage,
the Editor Of the Intelligenccr.


To the Editor Of the Intelligencer.
Sir:-Mrs. O.. d. Oliphant has stated
that only ten per cent OF the women
want the ballot and adds that 1T is un-
democratic for the minority to rule the
majority" There are In fact a great
many more than ten per cent Of the
women who want the vote. The ten per
cent quoted is from the su1ragiSts list
Of enrolled and actually working MEM
beers and there are, large number Of
women III FAVOR whose names are not
recorded IN this list But let us con-
slider this ten per cent Of rs quoted and
how II compares with the percent OF
the anti SufragistS.
In every state where petitions for suf-
iragc and rtmoaStrance against il have
been sent 10 the Legislature the" petition
erS have always out numbered the re-
monstrants and have generally outnum-
hercd them so or 100 to ono.
On the occasion when the government
took an official referendum among wo-
men on the subject lin Massachusetts N
1880 the womcn's vote stood yes 49,
204: no SCI. Less than one sixth Of
one per cent Of the women Of the state
voted against II. y large majority OF
these who voted being in favor
The following women's organizations
have endorsed votes for women, The In
ternatlonal Council of Women repre-
scn:ing 100000 women; the National
Iot'ltIdllOll I'll " OHlriDS CluDS,
ing 100000 women; the National Wo-
mems Trade Union League. the National
pr'i"r of Maccabecs, the international
council of Nurses. the Worlds Womcns
yhristian Temperance Union. the AmerI-
can Nurses Association. the House
Wives League md many other. We
know not Of 4 single womans organfIn-
ton that has endorsed anti suffrage. eN-
r"pting the anti suffrage association it
S")f Til" MASSACHUSETTS, ANTI Suffrage
haa ALL srer = n s-iD
natures Of women opposed to suffrage
ever since 1895 and in thesel-e1 years
II hns succeeded III accommodating the
names OF only q little over three per
country ut large despite urgent and
widely published appeals from the ants
only nhont one per cent OF the women
have eyer expressed any objection 20
suffrage. is II democratic for one per
cent who protest 20 carry more weight
thau % per cent who either want tho
ballot or Go not object to 1t: Why when
Mrs. Olipbant quoted tho ten per cent N
favor did she refrain from giving out
that only ono per cent opposed tho
movement"
Any student NJ history must realize
that civilization has progressed by
changes initiated by individuals Dr.
groups of individuals the mass ~
p""pl" arr always Indifferent. And
there are always group opposed.
'
abundant discussion no idea could ever
max" Roadway unless It were OK per-
ninnrnt value. Once tho anu-sunraSistS
owned tho earth. Compare the map or
the United States today and the map
Or 81 years ago. Tho anti is being
wiped our as inadequate FOR the needs
or modern times.
II ~ Il most significant fact that sS
soon ms tho ballot Is granted In any
state anti organ lzattons cease To exist.
bur delegations from suffrage states al
ways attend our National suffrage con-
v"ntlnnS. however IL Is significant thae
all anti-sufrra gn SpAa&Srs come from
n"n-SUfIrASt states.
Surely thu public endorsement OF sur
frag- by the sovNrnnrs OF the Western
srntrS and nrhNr prominent man In both
the east And west must carry greater
weight with m;alllErnt minds than an?
vaGu" rcrrhndtngS announced by the lazy
from New Jersey.
Anna i.uuchl!n. chairman,
Flora Williams.
Kate Hnnlntt Hubbard.
J"Ssi" List HaElett.
Anna NJ Cummins,
Insair Woodward fran1hefTn.
jennie Hatl"y Birch,
Cnmpnign COMMITTEES. Ohio Comfy
ETun! SWt'rag" League.