The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-11-16
WOMEN'S VOTES HAD
MUCH TO Do WITH
WILSON'S VICTORY.
Local Suffragists Think Re-
suit in West Speaks
for Itself
| HUGHES RUINED HIS
CALIFORNIA CHANCE
Birmingham Leaders Say Election
Has Only Added to Already
Brightly Burning Suf-
frage Flame

The vote of the women in the recent
presidential election has played it's part
in the standing which equal suffrage shall
attain in the future, according to local
suffragists
They agree, however, for the most part
that the attitude the women have as
sumed, and their subsequent ballots. have
but added fuel to an already brightly
blazing suffrage fame, in that they have
shown themselves to have the courage
of their convictiaTs in casting their votes
for the presiS1,tlal candidate
Much discussion has been afioat in local
suffrage circles during the few days fol-
lowing the election, as to whether or
not the vote of the women in the enfran-
chised states elected Wilson, or did much
to swell the vote for Hughes. Local suf-
fragists, it seems, believe that the women
voted for Wilson,'and that they did much
to cause his reelection.
HURT HIS OWN CAUSE
Mr. Hughes frustrated his own cause
in California" said Mrs. A. j. Bowron,
president of the Birmingham Equal Suf-
frage association, in discussing the ques-
ton.
II can say this with all the necessary
emphasis, inasmuoh as I was in Cali
fornia during the primary in that state,
and know the conditions under which
Hughes appeared in that state.
II happen to know that when Hughes
was in Los Angeles that he and Hiram
Johnson, governor of California, and one
of the most beloved men in the state,
were in the same hotel. Hughes showed
no inclination to be friendly even with
the governor, and the people resented his
attitude
II know further the fact that Mr..
Crocker, a big stakeholder in the South
ern Pacific from whose hands the gov
eminent has only recently been wrested,
and who was republican chairman there,
had much to do with the defeat of
Hughes.
'"I believe that the fact that New York
has lost the control she had in national
politics will do much to get women the
vote in the states in which she is now
deprived of the vote
DIFFER FROM HUSBANDS
Mrs. Nixon Norris prominent member
of the Birmingham Equal Suffrage asso-
citation, agrees with Mrs. Bowron that
the fact that the women voted for Wilson
proves that they have the courage OF
their convictions, and will mot vote as
their husbands voted"
II made d trip through Oregon, Wash
ington, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana
during the campaign she said land
1 was interested to learn that the women
of these states, which are known to be
progressive and republican, were for
Wilson.
81 was entertained in the homes of
many of the prominent suffragists in
each of these states, and they assured
me that the women there would vote
as they thought best, and that in many,
many cases it would not be as their
husbands would vote
II believe that the vote of the women
in the recent election, far from prov
ing that they are not fit for politics,
shows that they know a good man when
they see one, and that the vote of the
women will help to swell the vote In
favor of the right man.
Mrs. j. T. Slater says it is absurd
t. say that the women double-crossed
Hughes, when the convention at Atlantic
City was known to be nonpartisan.
with the exception of the Congress
sional union, which we do not really
consider a part of our organization she
said, 1.-THE women suffragists did not go
on record as indorsing any candidate"