Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-06-27
ANTI-suFFRaGE MEETING.
Ellsworth Women Who DO Not Want
TO Vote, Organize.

TO Vote, Organize.
Last Friday evening, at Hancock hall,
Mrs. Henry Preston White OF Boston ad-
dressed most attentive audience on "Why
Women DO Not Want to vote.n
The program opened by audience sing
ing "America.n Mrs. Edward K. Hop
sins, before presenting the speaker,
briefly referred to present conditions
when all the great nations OF the world
are involved in this appalling war, when
our own government is confronted by
graytst problems, when the Red Cross is
persissentiy calling for more and more
money to relieve the unspeakable suffer-
ing in Europe, when so many new avenues
OF work are opening before women, it
seemed we needed the united, earnest
effort, service, sacrifice OF all women,
rather than be DETECTED, divided by any
political agitation.
Mrs. White said in part: ave are all
working for the best interests OF the
State and nation, there is no question Of
superiority or inferiority involved in
this discussion. Women can better
serve the state by remaining outside the
realm OF political strife. The vote would
| deprive woman OF her non partisan power,
which enables her to do for the state
what man Is unable to do because he is
| bound by political party obligations.
This has been shown by the loss OF
prestige Jane Adams has experienced
Jane Adams, the woman, was infinitely
more influential and effective than
Jane Addsms the politician.
..The demand for the vote is the demand
OF minority. The woman suffrage move
ment violates the fundamental principle
OF democracy in its bold attempt to force
the will Of small minority upon the
great majority OF women. In the United
States there are "a, 555, 75i females OF voting
age. The suffrage associations claim a
maximum Of about 100000 members. In
the State of Maine, where there are 2i0,0
women, the sufiragists claim 1000 mem
bers, and they have been well organized
over forty years. Let US be just by re-
specting the rights OF the majority OF
women, who consent to our government.
s'Social welfare laws were first enacted in
male suffrage states by the votes Of men
alone-the hours OF women in industry
were limited to fifty-four a week and
prohibited, limiting child labor, estab-
fishing juvenile courts, laws against white
slave traffic, securing property rights for
married women, compromising widows
and children OF workmen killed in in
dustry, and more similar laws, have been
enacted by male suffrage, while some of
the foregoing laws have not yet been
passed in woman suffrage states.
"In Colorado, where women have voted
for nearly a quarter OF century, they do
not yet receive the same pay as men,"
A pitiful letter was read, begging for
better sanitary laws in Colorado, signed
"A Denver Mother" and yet, said Mrs.
White, "Denver mothers have been voting
for twenty three years."
Mrs. White quoted extensively from
woman suffrage newspapers and we'll
known authors, showing once ardent
believers had been sadly disappointed IN
The practical workings in suffrage states.
Following the meeting, an anti-suffrage
organization for Ellsworth was formed,
with the following officers and committee:
Mrs. Andrew p. Wiswell, chairman;
Miss Alice III. Scott, secretary; Miss
Annie L Emery, treasurer; Mrs. John f.
whitcomb, Mrs. A. q. Hagerthy, Mrs. j.
w. Ellis, Mrs. Charles l.. Morang, Mrs.
thomas j. Holmes, Mrs. Charles A. Han
scom, Mrs. Austin II. Joy, Mrs. J. A. Cum
ningham, Mrs. Assunta Luchini, Miss
Hannah L. Holmes, Miss M. A. Clark,
Mrs. Horace F. Wescott, Miss Mary A
stock bridge, Mrs. William Goggins, Miss
Anna F. Hight, Mrs. X. E. Mason, Mrs.
George A. Parcher, Miss Cora Anderson,
Mrs. Curtis r. Foster, Mrs. Fannie Lar
kin Craw ford, Miss Elizabeth True, Miss
Helen l.. Shute, Mrs. J. +. Knowlton,
Mrs. James Smith, Mrs. Austin NJ. Foster,
Mrs. Eibridge Milliken, Mrs. Edgar A..
Jordan, Mrs. O. W. Tapiey, Mrs. F. NJ.
Gaynor, Mrs. George 9. Foster, Mrs. J. p.
Eldridge, Mrs. E. K. Hopkins, Mrs. Henry
H. Higgins, Mrs. Charles Il. Leland, Mrs.
Martin H. Haynes, Miss Frances Doyle,
Miss Ruth Treworgy, Miss Frances =.
Milliken.
The anti-suffragists call attention to the
fact, as worthy Of notice, that OF this
committee, thirty-two Of the women are
tag payers and owners OF real estate.
This, they say, is sufficient answer to the
argument OF the sufrsgists that the
women who own property demand the
right to vote.