The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-09-19
SENATOR BORAH AND THE SUI.
FRAGE AMENDMENT.

Ii Is often remarked that we here
In the far west do not fully realize
the magnitude of the great war in
which our country Is engaged and
the sacrifices that must be made to
bring it to successful conclusion.
This is explained in the fact that we
are far removed from the seat of gov
eminent and the scene of actual war
activities. Due to the same situation
we are at times forcibly reminded
that we are not In close touch with
other national movements in which
we are deeply interested, and there
fore fall easy victims OF misrepresen-
tations at the hands of those who
profess intimate knowledge and an
unselhsh desire to enlighten us. An
example of this kind is found in the
efforts of the women of Idaho to in
duce Senator Borah to vote for the
pending resolution in the senate sub
hitting an amendment to the consti-
tuition granting suffrage to women. A
few months ago Senator Borah in a
letter to S. ID. Taylor chairman of the
republican state committee, explained
at length why he could not vote for
the resolution, giving reasons which
fully justified his position in the es-
timatlon of thoughtful and patriotic
men and women of Idaho, the great
majority of whom are in favor of
universal suffrage when it can be ac-
complished without involving suffrage
abuses in many states that would out
weigh the benefits to be derived. Sen
ator Borah has been consistent and
ardent advocate of woman suffrage
from the time the franchise was given
the women OF Idaho, and he is today
But in spite of his we'll known atti-
tude on this question In his home
state, the women of Idaho, through
the sinister influence of a militant
suffrage agitator, have been induced
TO criticise his action and urge him
10 do something which he has stated
with admirable candor that he can
not conscientiously do.
During the past summer practically
every county In Idaho was visited by
Miss Margaret Whittemore for the
purpose of inducing all manner of
women's organizations to adopt reso-
buttons condemning Senator Borah's
attitude toward the suffrage resolu-
ton and urging him to vote for it in
response to the overwhelming senti-
ment" of the state. Miss Whittemore
introduced herself as the representa-
tive of the National Woman's party,
hut she did not explain, and few sur
missed, that this party is the militant
suffrage organization, the same that
has come into disrepute among all
loyal men and women through its per-
sistent picketing of the White House,
and we are informed that Miss Whit
temore herself is one of the mar
tyrs" who served Jail sentence in
Washington for harassing the presi-
dent at the entrance to the White
House grounds. In recounting her
achievements in the suffrage cause,
Miss Whittemore neglected to men
ton her heroic work in this line when
addressing the women of Idaho, She
knows that the work of the militant
suffragists is denounced and repudi-
ated by the hosts of Intelligent and
loyal women of America who are
seeking the right to vote in a be-
coming manner. but who are willing
to forego the success of their cause
rather than 10 adopt methods detest-
able in time of peace and little short
OF seditious in time of war. The par
ty she represents is very small min
GRITTY and in its relation TO the great
body of earnest and patriotic women
who are steadily winning states to
the suffrage cause, 1t is fittingly COM
parable to the l. w. W. in the field of
legitimate organized labor.
We do not believe the women OF
Idaho, when they understand the
real Significance of their action under