New-York tribune., 1921-01-28
Tells Voters Organization
1t Is Menace to Amer.
lean Institutions and It
Cannot Be Non-Partisan
Assails Coercion
OF Public Officials
Night Work Law, Old Age
and Health Insurance
Are Also Attacked
From q stag Correspondent

ALBANY, Jan. Ex-Governor Miller
tonight told the members of the New
York State League Of Women Voters
that an organization such as theirs was
Il menace to American institutions.
81 do think" said the Governor,
"that there is no proper place for a
league of women voters, precisely as I
should say that there was no place for
a league Of men voters. And I have a
very firm conviction that any such or
ganization which seeks to exert politi-
cal power is menace to our institu-
tions, unless it is organized as polti-
cal party"
The Governor left the Executive
Mansion despite the advice of mis- ply
scian to address the women. That
they were anything but pleased with
his remarks was shown by the frowns
OF Mary Garrett Hay, Mrs. Carrie
Chapman Gait and Mrs. Ella A. Boole,
who are prime movers in the league.
Says They Are Partisan
The Governor was introduced by
Mrs. Frank A. Vanderlip, president of
the league.
He said that any organization which
seeks to exert political power by CO.
ercion of officials in legislative or ad-
ministrative positions by promise of
support or threats of opposition was
menace to our free and representa-
tive government.
1T may be that the things you stand
for" the Governor told the women,
''are in the public interest. but you are
not the judges of chat. have heard it
said that you are not partisan. But
you cannot be non-p partisan and seek to
exert political power"
He referred to the efforts of the
league at the last election to defeat
United States Senator James w. Wads-
worth and said that they were not nom
partisan then.
when I was invited to speak to
you." he said, II said very frankly that
| entertained some views which were
different from yours and that l could
not appear by coming here to support
some thing which l did not believe in
and that if I were to come at all it
would have to be under the under
standing that should talk to you very
frankly and precisely what l think
Mrs. Davis, with equal frankness,
asked me to come.
ADnreriateS Sunnort
81 want to say in the first instance
that | appreciate the support of an
organization like this which has been
rendered by your president. We need
the spirit of all of the right thinking
which has been outlined to some extent
in this state for economy and for en-
forcement of law.
ECONOMY is a fine thing in the q
stract. l notice it is not liked much
when it interferes with some project
or other in which people are particu-
larly interested, and so to carry out a
program of economy, which l am sure
appeals to women, it is necessary to
have public support and the support of
bodies like this, and in saying that I
appreciate your support should add
also that l only ask your support to
the extent that the measures that may
be advocated by the state administra-
tion appeal to you as being sound and
right.
1--WE have had third parties. The
Prohibition party has endured for
many years, and l undertake to saw
although I know there may be differ
cnce of view upon this subject, that
the Prohibition party did not contrib
ute to an appreciable extent to ma
tional prohibition. 1t came about in
spite. of and regardless of the efforts
of the Prohibition party, and as party
the Prohibition party never could have
accomplished it, because it was hope
lessly and always in a minority.
NOW, the on.y way yuu can have
responsible government is through a
party. A party has a state, it has
something to work for: and the some
CONTINUED or page thres)