The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-08-29
SUFFRAGE HAS
TAKEN F0RW Ard
STEP In YEAR
War Recognition Has Help
ed the Cause, Leaders
Assert.

Saratoga, NJ Y. Aug. 29-A1-
though the entry of the United States
| into the war compelled the woman
suffrage workers of New York state
| to abandon elaborate campaign plans
| to induce the men voters to adopt the
proposed Constitutional equal suf-
frage amendment at the elections in
November next, more than 100000
women over 81 years Of age have
been enrolled as suffragists, it was
| announced today by Mrs. Norman De
| r. Whitehouse, chairman of the New
| York State Woman Suffrage party.
which is in conference here. "This is
| a larger enrolled membership than
either the Republican or Democratic
| parties Of New York state can
| boast" she said. addressing the con-
| ference.
AS high as IS per cent. Of the
women reached by campaigners in
| every part of the state want TO vote,
Mrs. Whitehouse declared. declaring
| this was an indication "of the recent
| general change in public sentiment"
| This change of sentiment. the
chairman asserted. "has been greatly
accelerated during the current year
! by the recognition of the war SER
vices of women in the allied coun-
/ tries,s and by the granting of woman
| suffrage in Russia, and Canada and
| by the steps Great Britain has taken
to enfranoi1ise British women
| Mrs. Whttehouse, telling how the
war had 1ntefered with the campaign
plans, declared that I'VE. have put
government work first and suffrage
+, work second" She alluded to what
women accomplished during the
low Of =, AyCn fSr,,
and the Liberty Loan-labors which
made necessary the abandonment of
| voters canves, street meetings, motor
tours, parades and pageants, and
raising of money. throughout the
state.
| Because of all this war work,
which continues, many persons have
thought the suffragists should not
make a campaign, Mrs. Whitehouse
issafd, adding: They do not realize
that once the legislature DEGREES that
a question is to be voted upon, it be-
comes the property of the voters and
must be decided upon by them; that
there Is no Constitutional means OF
postponing or aband oning such a de,
i cision.''
Mrs. Whitehouse believed the sui.
fragists enter on their state cam
paign with unprecedented support
Every political party has endorsed
the principle of suffrage" she said
1.-The Republican and Democratic
parties have declared for It by way Of
state action. We count on the supper
of the Federation of Labor and or
the support of the Oranges. Many
church conferences, each represent
ing numerous allied churches, have
endorsed suffrage. The President
the Governor. 4s mayors Of tn,
state out Of ST, and four-fifths of the
editors Of the state, are supporter
of our campaign The chairman
concluded:
I'VE have a wonderful and unpre
cedented opportunity to win the mos
difficult and most decisive suffrag,
victory ever planned. To take ad
vantage Of that opportunity will meal
|, courage on our part, courage fol
each woman to do the work not onl,
Of today, but the work abandoned 81
willingly for our country's need. 1
means having strength to sacrifice al
other work to this supreme effort.
y means having the intelligence and tn,
II irmness to show to others the i'm
portance now of putting our owl
. country abreast with those European
countries which have already out
stripped US in attaining fuller de
, mocracy.
THAT is the situation. We, tn,
officers, have faced it and Judged it
We believe that the women of New
/ York state want to vote; enough
but for their country's sake to- max
the necessary sacrifices to end nov
the long struggle for Woman suffrag
and we gladly and confidently predic
! a glorious victory on Nov. o.