The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-11-21

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Evening Post observes, "is confident
that 1t was of marked aid to Hughes
III number of Middle and Far West
ern States; but there is no proof that
his attitude toward the Federal amend.
ment played pcrceptible part in tho
result The Evening Post adds that
IF in Oregon the women increased
the Republican lead, in central and
northern California they were report.
cd three to one for Wilson. II in
nothern Illinois they voted with the
men for Hughes in southern Illinois
they voted the Democratic ticket"
The fact that i'll Illinois the women
were "a little more Republican than
the Republicans and little more Dem
| ocrattc than the Democrats" ought, in
the Now York papers opinion. again
to reassure those timid souls who saw
in woman suffrage the sweeping away
OF the electorate from all its moor.
tngs." Yet anti-suffragist observers OF
the election seize upon the same fact
to prove that suffrage is quite useless,
bothersome, and costly experiment
signifying nothing either to voter or
the State. But. whatever sufrragists
| or "Hntis' think Of the Illinois result
1t proves TO the Republican New York
Sun that in one State at least the
women took the word OF Judge.Ad.
voCatc General CroWder that President
Wilson has not Kept us out of war"
But farther west the potency of the
peace argument among the women vot.
ers is acknowledged by editors and
press correspondents, and it was set
down by several observers as decisive
in Kansas, Utah, and Washington.
In Kansas says a New York World
correspondent, Suffrage women re-
scented the Presidents opposition to
tho Federal amendment for suffrage,
but, having the ballot themselves, they
conceived it to be their duty to vote
on issues OF great national moment,
and they frankly met pleas for votes
against Wilson with the retort, He
kept US out Of war" In Utah, snow
storms on Sunday and Monday and
extremely cold weather on Tuesday
did not keep the women, even in
country districts. from going to the
polls in as large a proportion as the
men. In California we read in anoth.
er World diErath, Hughes women had
continuity 70 meet the peace argu.
ment OF the Wilson women the Hughes
campaign trip made little impression
among women voters, and the trip of
the Hughes women's special campaign
train made no converts. and in many
places the women voters showed their
dtsapproval openly" A Los Angeles
correspondent OF the New York Even.
ing Post notes that like the men south.
ern Californian women favored Hughes
while those in the north went strong.
~ for Wilson, altho Throughout the
State many women voted for Wilson
and prohibition because, as they fire.
Quently remarked, they had sons and
wanted to save them from war and
from drink"
In view Of the important part play
ed by women in this election, It seems
to the New York Herald that
at is little short of national scan.
dal that women should be allowed to
vote In some states and not in others
that the selection of President and
national administration should be
committed into the hands Of women
voters in one state or group OF states !
when women Of other states are de. |
MED the voting privilege. i
"The United States can not long re.
main republic in fact If such Unequal. |
tiles In our political system are per.
mitted to continue. The only way to
cure these evils Is by the enactment
Of Federal election law"
But other dailies, hostile to the stuff
rage cause. find an anti.suffrage ar.
gument in the election returns. Their
view is vigorously exprest by Mrs.
Arthur NJ. Dodge, president Of the Ma.
ttonal Association Opposed to Woman
Suffrage, in a letter to the New York
Times She says in part:
Had women not voted, the result
Of the election apparently would have
been the same-at less expense to
the people and with less bother to the
women.
1.-THE so.called 'Woman's party
failed absolutely to carry out the
purpose for which 1t was organized-
to defeat the Democratic candidate
in the states where women vote.
THE woman in politics and the wo.
man trying to get into politics have
contributed nothing to politics but in.
creased bitter partizanship, and bigger
bluffs than the men have made.