New-York tribune., 1918-09-07
Upstate Women
Voters Backed
Dry Candidates
Took Active Part in Sulli-
van and Orange County
Primaries
Especial Dispatch to The Tribume)


MIDDLETOWN, N. Y, Sept. 6.-Miss
Myrtle ]. Gibbs, Of Middletown, who
led the fight last year which resulted
in victory for woman suffrage in
Orange County, and again last spring,
when votes Of women put Mddletown
in the dry column, says that as 4 result
of the primary battle this year hun
dreds of women who were unenroiled
and had an intense desire to express
their choices in the primary contest
will be enrolled by another year.
Women are entering into the re-
sponsibilities of citizenship with Wis
ion of an ideal and an enthusiasm to
accomplish it," said Miss Gibbs to-day
at her home here. "This was the most
hotiy contested primary election ever
held in Orange and Sullivan counties.
The bestowal Of the vote upon women
has stirred the male voters to unusual
activity. Orange and Sullivan are both
largely Republican.
"The ratification of the Federal pro-
hibition amendment was the dominant
issue, and most of the candidates stood
squarely either for or against Two of
the successful candidates were 'strad-
dlers' on the question, and a small
majority voted for them because they
were nice men, probably in the fond
hope that in legislative halls personal
habits are counted and not votes.
Liquors Usual Tactics
"In the senatorial contest the liquor
interests resorted to their usual tactics
"a three-cornered fight. One candidate,
a very respectable man, was used as a
tool to divide the dry forces and throw
the nomination to the candidate favored
by the vets. The city of Newburgh
defeated the choice Of the people of the
rest of the district. 1t will have to be
conscripted into prohibition, as it was
on the question of woman suffrage.
"1n Sullivan County there were three
Republican candidates for the member
of Assembly nomination, and the
women obtained signed statement
from all three that they would vote in
favor of ratification. The time has
gone by forever when candidates are
chosen to catch the saloon vote Usu-
ally when a candidate is picked to catch
the saloon vote about all he does on
Election Day is to go out and buy tie
vote at 81 per-
Mothers Oppose Saloons
~ think the fostering spirit of the
mother accounts largely for the atti-
luUc VI tHe WOlltu IOWdIu the Saloon.
Instinctively she is opposed to anything
which might be a menace to her chill
dren, and just now those who have
sons, brothers or husbands in France
want all menaces to their welfare re-
moved. They feel that the men engaged
in the liquor traffic should be in the
war industries. that the coal consumed
by the breweries should carry our ships
to France. that the grain used in the
distilleries is needed 'ver there and
the money spent over the bar should be
spent for Liberty bonds and thrift
stamps.
"a striking example of the economic
phase of the question was brought to
my attention while l was canvassing
Sullivan County. The Jewish people,
who are known to be among the shrewd
est business men and are the ablest
economists, had voted their three
strongholds in Sullivan County dry. |
/ inquired the reason for this and re-
ceived this logical answer: The dollar
spent over the bar is never spent in
our business for clothing, food, etc,
and our women will have more money
to spend in the stores if the money
does not go to the saloon men,"