The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1919-03-28
FOCLING THE WOMEN.

The members of the lower house of the legislature who by their
votes on Wednesday killed the woman's suffrage bill have betrayed a
trust. When they went before the people for election last fall every
man of them promised to support his partys platform pledges. And
they have not done so.
They have deliberately, and for narrow and selfish reasons, broken
their promises to their parties and to the voters who elected them.
There is every earmark that the men who voted against the suffrage
bill did so largely for the reason that they were AFRAID. Afraid
that their records would not pass inspection by the women who, think
ing first of the welfare of their sons and daughters, would be sure to
demand an accounting. Their consciences told them why they should
be afraid and they were afraid.
But their fear was shortighted.
Does anyone believe that the betrayal of promises of this kind is
going to be forgotten? Or that the women of Hawaii are helpless to
settle the score simply because they have been denied the vote?
The time for these IS men to be AFRAID ahoSe o0ord has been pro-
zen o~cOrtieSS, has just begun.
This is no threat or i~-consdered guess. There are too many facts
backing the conclusion. In the first place the promise Of votes for
women was not made lightly. 1t has been promised for many years
by politicians when they thought it could serve their ends, and of re-
cent years it has had the backing of both political parties. The last
legislature asked the Congress to amend the Organic Acct so that
women Of Hawaii could be given the right OF voting. And the Con
gress did it.
1t is perhaps true that the legislature asked for the amendment
with a tongue in the cheek, believing that it would not be granted. But
it was granted.
This pressure did not come out of thin air. Instead it meant then,
as it means STILL that there is a tremendous, quiet, earnest force of pub
to those obstructng because it has been checked.
The IS men who are baking the will of the people must begin to
realize what they are up against when they begin to analyze the situa-
Which they are used to and according to Which rules they are trying
to play. They will not be able to get an old party alignment. How
both working tooth and nail with the women? Politics? Yes, per
haps, but OF a new kind OF politics, and before they are through with
IT some OF these obSWctoniss are likely to find it a dangerous kind as
we'll
Already the women are preparing for a real fight. The contest in
the House this week was but a preliminary Misunderstanding out of
the enemy. They have not been using their full strength. The show
ing made i'll the legislature does not represent the real power of the
movement throughout Hawaii.
Plans are now on foot to get the paakiki. IS. For the frs. time
perhaps in the history of Hawaii, the women will be in evidence at
the next elections. They will take an active part in opposing candidates
known to be opposed to woman suffrage. And when the next general
elections come around, it is likely to be demonstrated that women have
good memories.
The fooishness of opposing a movement which is now world wide,
which has carried in England, and in some form in most of the states
OF the union, and which only lacked one vote of the necessary twotnrd
majority in the senate of the United States to put it up to the state
legislatures as a constitutional amendment, would seem to be self evident
to anyone OF average intelligence and vision. Woman suffrage is
coming to America IS certainly and in much the a wav as did pro
hlbulon. And it is coming fast.