New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-10
Leaders Joyous Over Lett.,
From Wilson Wisbin,
Success at Polls
Issue Will Be Clos.
Governor Milliken Speak, "a.
Cause-Farmers Said
To Be Favorable
is'sr Ccrrsspor i,ncsl

PORTLAND. Ne, Sept. "a, "a,
Maine, so goes the nation IRA. u,.,
to be the first lesson in primary Ella,
politics. A shadow was cas-, UPON .,
yeracity by last years election return,
The suffragists are working to rest,
il TO its ancient position Of au,hori,,
"As goes Maine, so New York will ,,
and then in year or two, hurrsh "a,
the Federal amendment" This /, u,
spirit of the 1917 suffrage camu,is,
The vote cones tomorrow. Il will \
important, not only because Main. la
the chance TO become the first sta.
east Of the Mississippi 70 gran, fuJ
equal suffrage TO her women, but b,
cause Of It's moral effect upon the ear.
paign which will end at the poll, il
New York State in November
The issue will be close. Upon TN
both sides are agreed.
"A woman AZ anti-hcadqusrter. ,,g
last night she thought we would win
cried a jubilant woman in the Por,.
land headquarters to-day. ~ must uv
she was a lady 70 admit H."
The campaign, which has been gsr,
but not imposing, during the sunrs,
received fresh impetus to-day ,hrouzI
the letter Of President Wilson 10 W.,
Deborah Knox Livingston, chairm.r .,
the campaign committee He wrote:
May | not express ny great in,er.,
in the equal suffrage campaign in N.
State Of Maine? The pledges Of nv
party are very distinct in regard |.
state action on the woman susram
question. | urge all Democrats 70 sur.
port the cause in which We all believe
Joyous Over Wilson Letter
Mrs. Livingston was "somewher, il
Maine" somewhere 70 be exact on ii,
route between Rockland and Bangc,,
when the porter handed her a message
from headquarters announcing the a..
rival Of the Presidents letter. she bad
been up since 8 o'clock every day last
week, making a final tour Of the grsu
state, and she was just saying, in /,
tired, discouraged voice, II don't know
what TO expect "The President-
she cried, so that half the car hear!
her and turned and laughed. There, |
guess that will fix them"
She read it again and chUcklei cor.
tentedly. what about those picket,
now?" she cried. 81 guess thi. will
silence those men up here who have
been so alarmed about the Presid.n,
We don't approve Of the pickets. ",
have tried to tell the Maine voter, ~
but they didn't listen. When Il.
President himself makes a statens-.
like this, showing that the pict.s
haven't shaken his belief in wo=s,
suffrage, | don't see why the m.r u
Maine need worry about them az
more.
This letter will tie up the De-o.
cratic party TO the issue, and il vii
give US great help with the voters ..
ell parties, who hold the Presidents
word in vast respect Just now"
She returned to her unfinished pre-
diction.
"of course" she said briskly, 81 csri
predict the outcome. Il will be close
Our campaign has been brief and pee
pie have been occupied with mani
other problems this summer. But W
have faith in Maine. Maine never oc
a reform measure, you know.
War Helps and flinders
"As for the war, it has been as nue.
a help as hindrance 20 our campsig,
/, has cost US workers, Of course, and
great deal Of money. Women hsn
felt their first duty was 20 the Re.
cross, and their time has been spent &
knitting rather than campaigning. The
could not see that they could be cor
Slstent Red Cross workers and surr,
gists too.
THE time has been too short Is
change their feelings on this point. BIZ
II should work out 10 our sdvantsc
even so. Women who are willing Is
make the sacrifice that Maine wom.'
have made in the name Of patriotism
are surely capable OF participating u
the public life Of the country.
This campaign has been difsri.
from every other campaign ever viss:
by sufragists in America becau. o.
the war issue. Our great argument
has been the war argument. When
people tell US this is no tine io'
women 20 be talking about their desire
20 vote, We point out that this is ts
time England has taken in the mldS
OF her awful struggle 70 enfrsnchise nd
women and that five provinces Of Car;
ada have had time. too. We remiat,
them the women of Russia have vot"
in every election since the reyolu;iot
II the men of Maine are conslsra'
they will not stand for sending on
boys to die for democracy abroad 90
refusing to grant democracy TO ou
women here"
II the sufFragists had had time ~.
money 10 get this argument across VIZ
the voters. there would probably,
little doubt about the outcome Of MOE
days vote. but Maine has never hsa
suffrage campaign before, and the iaa
penetrates slowly. Governor Milliso
and many prominent men are m ia'~
of IL and have spoken at the hnal esn
paign rallies. The Governor even S-'
out to-day a special plea 70 the f0en
urging them 10 vote especially fo' w
of the amendments which are 70 CON,
before them, first. the proposal 70 ~
the Governor power 70 remove unIsI.-
full sheriffs from Office and, second u"
proposal TO give women the vote
Doubtful About Fishermen
From $4,000 TO 10000 names OF V ,'In..
have been signed 20 a public peu...I
which went through the mails ast We
TO every voter. This is the. nrst t'.,
that such wholesale use Of petluo%
has been made in suffrage eampat
They represent about one-quar,e'
the women of Maine, and are % p
cent of the women seen.
I'VE pray for pleasant dsy,
one leader. Then all the hshetn.sS
will go fishing and all the farmers
90 voting. We are sure OF the tartn...
and we haven't anything against
fishermen. but we haven't been sO'.
get around through the ISLANDS -,
since we don't know We think JUS '''
10 let them go fishing c.,s
Governor Milliken and MIS- x.
Chapman Gait. president OF the ~