Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-05-01
WHAT A WOMAN'S PARTY MEANS


Oregon has placed equal suffrage in her constitution
and practically all of her citizens satisfied Herewith
The visit of the distinguished suragettes to the coast
and to Salem Saturday night to enlist the women
already given the suffrage in the fight to make the suf
frage national.
There was goody number Of Salem folks at the State
house to see and hear these visitors and learn just what
they were attempting Whatever conclusion they arrived
at as to the merits of the proposition they at least had
the pleasure of hearing the matter ably presented VI
the several talented women who spoke Mrs Black
daughter of the famous pioneer OF suffrage Elizabeth
Cady Stanton now herself she said grandmother got
closer her hearers than any, perhaps due in measure
to sentimental reasons though she made strong presen
tation of the suffrage case.
She pointed out that while the women of Oregon could
vote so long they citizens Of the state that should
they to antsffrage state they would be dis
franchised She also pionted out that woman born IN
this country in she married citizen OF any other
country by that act became an alien and "a foreigner
She pointed out good many other things and asked If
they were just. The answer would have to be IN the
negative.
But there was one thing Mrs. Black brought out that
was not down the bills, or if not understood so to
be- and that the creation OF "a WomenS party She
advocated the creation of such party, and urged the
of all the equal suffrage states to lay aside pOtcS
and unite for the purpose of controlling legislation
She advocated the using of this party to force such
legislation should desire Ii the leaders OF thus
movement have given proper consideration and studied
out the ultimate results OF such movement they must
surely believe that the of the voters will not do
There is only good feature to the proposition, and
that is that it is impossible Of attainment, Suppose
though it was and all the women voters should get to-
gehe to control legislation and elections it would neces
saly follow that the men would have to get together
solidy against them for self protection Repubcanism
and democracy and all other brands Of politics would
have to be abandoned by the men and the two parties
would be Male" and Female"
The proposition is to have this party say to the
democrats Just now because they are in power that they
must submit national suffrage to the states for ratfica
ton If they do not every woman in the suffrage states
will vote the republican ticket and retire the democracy
They would say the same thing to the republicans they
We're in power any other party Suppose their first
threat should be put in operation and the women OF the
suffrage states should thus attempt to force Congress and
should win Then when all the states had national suf-
fraee what would the result be- if this 'WOmens party
maintained?
The men being divided the women would have the
balance of power and the result would be not equal SUI
frage but practically disfranchsement Of the men; for
the women could throw the vote either way The result
would be gynocracy, and the United States would be
ruled entirely by the The threat so made is liable
instead of helping their cause, to retard its final ac-
cOmpShment
AS was stated however the best feature of the sug-
gested movement is its mposSibity of accomplishment
Itmay have great effect the coming presidential elec
tOn and with the sudden Endorsement Of Colonel Roose-
vet lust while this tour of the suffrage states is being
made looks very much though twas effort to throw
the election to him to at least njue the democrats as
New York Pennsylvania and Massachusetts where the
foreign uneducated element is large will hesitate ong
about making suffrage the law, and will the southern
states where the passage of the law would create some
millions more of colored voters.