The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03
Winning Votes Of 100000
Men in East Considered
Great Achievement
CONFIDENT OVER FUTURE

Old 1915 turned for q backward look
upon the world that he was about to
quit forever.
These s~uftraeists may have their
faults. such as acknowledgment of the
bump of ioquacite'." no unused, but they
certainly are ~ am a lot. as grateful
and optimistic q lot as I've dealt with
In the course Of my earthly experience.
Here I've given them o u hard body
blows--handed them a defeat in New
York. In New Jersey. in Massachusetts,
and In Pennsylvania-and they get up
smiling and happy n say: Thank
you. dear 1915. for giving us the great
est advance and most gratifying victory
In our history. And now bring little
1916 In the ring. and Wen see that he
completes the triumph OF the cause"
Certainly citation and hope were tho
major notes In tho farewell uttered by
leading suffragists to the passing year
and their welcome 20 the one Just born.
Comparing what 1915 did for them to
Tho concessions of some Of his prede-
cessors. who ruled a few decades ago.
chey made him out a full handed bene-
factor. and crowned his white head with
flowers of verbal praise.
DR.. Anna Howard Shaw. who at the
recent convention Of the National Amer
lean Woman Suffrage Association in
Washington stepped down from the ac-
tive leadership TO become honorary
president, said that 1915 was the SUI
fra gists' banner year. DR.. Shaw's own
gift to suffrage in the last twelve months
Vas a tour Of the campaign states last
ing all summer. making. in spite of
her age. two and three. sometimes six
speeches a day.
Million Votes In East.
'Oughtn't we to rejoice over a year
which brought moro than = million votes
for suffrage in the four Eastern States
where the measure WAS submitted" she
asked. with a million of their men Cor
w we shall win these four States.
Never before did the Eastern Common
wealths have so strong a backing.
IL 1915 the Legislatures OF Iowa.
South Dakota, West Virginia Tennessee.
Arkansas and Maine gave large majority
votes In both houses for constitutional
amendments granting full suffrage to
women. In Tennessee, Arkansas and
Maine the vote was not large enough ow-
Ing 10 certain requirements TO submit
TIE amendment TO Il popular vote at the
reXt election, but the question will be
voted on in Iowa at a primary election
next June and In South Dakota and West
Virginia at their elections next fall.
The question OF the Acknowledgement OF
women came up for consideration in
twenty-five States In 1915 and the
growth Of suffrage sentiment was every
rhero observable, and especially In the
South, so long considered unfavorable 10
IL.
"The year 1915 gave municipal suf-
frage 10 women In many cities. ranging
from st. john, y. r.. to Fellsmere, Fla
Best OF all. 1915 has made suffrage
a great national issue. L. the first
month OF the year the House OF Repre-
sentat.yes for the first time In It's his
tory voted OF the question of enfran-
ohislug women by amendment To the
Constitution Of the United States. There
were ia ayes TO o0i noes. and az In
1914 the amendment failed in the Senate
by only eleven OF the necessary two
thirds vote We have . solid basis for
Congressional work.
I'VE face 1916 with a great organized
body OF suffragists, who. working for en-
ffanchlsement through state and ma
t.onal legislation. are sure TO triumph
very soon
speaks for New York tat
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait starts 1916
~ NV ~
Shaw, but she spent 1915 directing the
work OF the Empire state campaign
committee. and for the State she spoke
in her eulogy of 1915.
New York gave us 544.457 votes for
suffrage on November -" che said.
That was about 1900 more votes than
IL took TO free the women OF nine West
ern States. The women uf those nine
States we're enfranchised by the ballots
OF $4,000 men. In the Empire state.
with more than $4,000 men with IN.
We shall inevitably win this. the key
stone state Of the arch, We only have
TO convert a small percentage OF those
who voted NO
Our greatest hope for 1916 is in the
thousands of women who are strong 20
work for the cause. j am glad that the
New year finds US not too rich. The
greatest reforms are not those that
have huge wealth. Look at the wealth
that backs the peace m~ovenent-and
Yet there IL no peace, the world In torn
by war. The need OF constant struggle
and sacrifice to get the funds we need
keeps the suffragists strong. gives us
solidarity
'"rhe biggest suffrage achievement OF
1915" said Miss Mary Garrett HAY.
chairman OF the New York City Suf-
frage party. was the mobilization OF the
army of women who went into the polls
to watch IN election day. An army of
4. 200 II was, and these women did more
to show men that women are At for
political service than II Ia possible TO
estimate. When tho 1917 referendum
oils around We shall treble the number
of election day workers-ard We shall
win the vote"
Mrs whitchOuse's Views.
Mrs. Norman der. W'hitehouse, the