New Britain herald., 1917-09-11
PINE TREE STATE
REJECTS SUFFRAGE
Women Denied Voice in Elections,
@,1N to 1882


by which the constitutional amend
ment for woman suffrage was de-
feated in the special election in this
state yesterday, with only a few small
towns missing was 32,121 to 17.132.
The number of ballots cast was small
er than in some previous referendum
elections The fate of the amendment
to empower the governor and coun-
Gil to remove sheriffs failing to en-
force the laws was still in doubt early
today. Partial returns showed dlf-
ference of only a few hundred votes
in the ballots cast for and against
the amendment
Among the influences which con-
tributed to the defeat of suffrage in
Maine, the most important was the
natural conservatism of the state.
which hesitates to adopt an expert
ment In legislation. This conservative
element might have remained at
home If it had not been aroused by
other influences. Perhaps the strong
est of these was the picketing of the
White House by the militant suf-
fragettes. This was repudiated by
the state suffragists, but it seemed to
have no effect on the voters, who ap-
parently made up their minds that
tactics after they got into politics. 1t
would be better to keep them out.
Both sides tonight profess satis-
faction. Suffrage leaders in the clos
ing days of the contest privately adj
mitter that they could not win, and
the "antis'' relied on the belief that
the men as we'll as the women of the
state were opposed to the extension
of suffrage to women. An aggressive
fight was carried on by the suffragists
while the "antis' were slower to get
into action and less demonstrative in
their methods, once they began their
canvass.
See Hope in Future.
Those opposed to suffrage are con-
fdent that future fights will be easier
to handle successfully. and say that
more thorough and effective organi-
cation can be effected should the fight
be renewed within few years. Suf-
fragists CLEAN their satisfaction from
the fact that they broke new ground
with their propaganda in almost every
town and in many Of the cities. They
believe that the country as a whole
Is moving toward suffrage, and that
persistent and unrelenting effort will
win for them in the long run.
President Wilson, Colonel Roose-
welt. Mrs. Kate Douglas Wiggin, ex-
Senators Johnson and Gardiner, and
ex-Attorney- General Pattangall in
dorsed suffrage. as did Governor Mil
liken, who made a personal effort to
swing his supporters to the yes"
side. Undoubtedly the influence Of
these prominent persons, both within
and outside the state. had some ef-
feet. A majority of the Maine dele
CATION in congress wrote home to
urge their constituents to support
suffrage. Liberal funds were at the
disposal Of the workers, and nearly
every daily and large majority Of
the weekly papers either actively as
passively supported the proposed
amendment.
Notable as an example of fearless
opposition was The Bangor CONNER
cial, owned by ]. P. Bass who is cred
tied with doing more for the "antis'
with his newspaper and his financial
support than any other man in the
state. The richest woman in Maine,
widow of Ex-Governor John F. Hill
of Augusta, was tireless in her efforts
to defeat the amendment. While the
Grange was listed as favoring the
measure, there was substantially no
unity of support in that quarter.
Prominent democrats favored suf-
frage, just as prominent republicans
opposed 1t.
Republicans have had a plank in
their platform for several campaigns
in which they declared for suffrage.
and the party whip was swung over
the heads of recalcitrant members in
the legislative session last Winter to
force a suffrage measure through the
house and senate by the necessary
two-thirds vote. Several democrats
in each body favored submission of
the question to the people, and sew
eral republicans voted against the
proposed amendment. Governor
Milliken was openly an advocate of
the issue in his winning campaign a
year ago.