News Articles

SUFFRAGE LEAGUE IS GAINING RAPIDLY

Youngest Organization Largest Numerically; Money Pouring in Each Day.

[Photo of Dr. Esther Pohl Lovejoy]

Dr. Esther Pohl Lovejoy, president of Everybody’s Equal Suffrage League

Everybody’s Equal Suffrage league enjoys the distinction of being the youngest and at the same time the largest numerically of any of the many organizations which the women of Portland have organized in their effort to carry the suffrage amendment November 5. As is indicated by the name the league is decidedly far reaching and its somewhat unusual methods have proven most telling. 

During the visit of Dr. Anna Shaw to Portland just three weeks ago Everybody’s league was organized with Dr. Esther Pohl Lovejoy as president; Jane Lewis Chapin, secretary, and Miss Helen Gillespie, treasurer, and the membership now numbers 600. These women soon gathered around them a goodly number of suffrage advocates, both women and men, and then the campaigns for members began in earnest. All of the pasteboard cards with openings for coins to be mailed were bought up and after the women had exhausted Portland’s supply Seattle was called upon to finish out. With these coin cards were placed the “visiting card” of Everybody’s Equal Suffrage league with a detachable card on which the recipient was asked to write his or her name and address. 

Money Pouring In.
With suprising promptness and in great numbers the return cards began to roll in, accompanied by sums of money varying from $5 to 25 cent pieces, although only the latter sum was all that was asked as the membership asked for covers only one month. Dollars and halves the women have received without number and in accordance the treasury has been materially enriched for the further carrying on of the suffrage work.

A notable thing about the league is its democracy, the membership includes both men and women, young and old, and from the humblest walks of life up to and including United States senators and supreme judges. Another striking feature is the fact that the majority of members are men and in many instances the men sent with their membership cards and cash little notes of congratulation and encouragement, assuring the ladies of their support of the amendment on election day.

One of the more recent achievements of the league of which it feels very proud is the placing of cartoon moving picture films in many of the moving picture show houses, both in Portland and other Oregon cities. Several local houses are nightly showing these films and similar films have also been placed in Baker City, Roseburg, Grants Pass, Eugene and Medford. Two workers from the league are now in Salem and it is expected that films will be placed there soon. 

At a recent meeting of the league a resolution was passed to the effect that if the amendment pertaining to suffrage did not carry the league, would become a permanent organization, and continue to work for suffrage until it was obtained. In the event of the amendment carrying it was resolved to continue the work of the league under the head of Everybody’s Civic league, the object being a study of civic and other public questions pertaining to government.

The Oregon State Association Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women yesterday issued the following statement:
The Oregon State Association Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women wishes to deny statements made last Monday at the Women’s Christian Temperance Union convention, when, according to press reports, “it was announced from the platform that the liquor interests were circulating thousands of copies of a pamphlet of which Rev. Clarence True Wilson is the author.” That pamphlet is issued by and bears the name of the Oregon State Association Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women, so that the statement that it was issued by any other persons or organization was a gratuitous fabrication, and known to be such by all persons making it.
It has become the fashion for suffragists to attribute all their defeats to the “liquor men.”  This has been the cry in Ohio and after the successive majorities rolled up against them in Oregon. As a matter of fact, not one of the six suffrage states had prohibition, and in a recent map published by the National Women’s Christian Temperance Union, Oregon stands out conspicuously dry among the surrounding wet and suffrage states.
Dr. Wilson’s pamphlet is a valued part of the organized protest against the imposition of woman suffrage upon the women of Oregon, a protest which is signed and sent out by the following women of the association:
Mr. J.F. Bailey, president; Miss Failing, first vice-president; Mrs. R.W. Wilbur, second vice-resident; Mrs. Wallace McCamant, treasurer; Miss Eleanor Gile, secretary; Mrs. E.H. Shepherd, Hood River; Mrs. A.J. Richardson, Joseph; Mrs. J.M. Connell, Hillsboro; Miss Rita Alderman, Falls City; Mrs. M.E. McFarland, Airlie; Mrs. F.E. Harlow, Troutdale; Mrs. George T. Travel, Astoria; Mrs. W.S. McFadden, Corvallis; Mrs. Dan O’Neill, Oregon City; Miss Emily Loveridge, superintendent Good Samaritan Hospital, Portland. And by the executive committee as follows: Mrs. H.W. Corbett, Mrs. A.E. Rockey, Mrs. C.H. Lewis, Mrs. David Loring, Mrs. J.B. Montgomery, Mrs. W.C. Alvord, Mrs. Gordon Voorhies, Mrs. R.W. Lewis, Mrs. James N. Davis, Mrs. Alma D. Katz, Mrs. S.T. Hamilton, Mrs. Herbert Holman, Mrs. C.A. Johns, Baker; Mrs. J.H. Templeton, Prineville; Miss Bush, Salem; Mrs. W.I. Vawter, Medford; Mrs. Elizabeth Yockey, Ashland.

The Oregon State Association Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women yesterday issued the following statement:
The Oregon State Association Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women wishes to deny statements made last Monday at the Women’s Christian Temperance Union convention, when, according to press reports, “it was announced from the platform that the liquor interests were circulating thousands of copies of a pamphlet of which Rev. Clarence True Wilson is the author.” That pamphlet is issued by and bears the name of the Oregon State Association Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women, so that the statement that it was issued by any other persons or organization was a gratuitous fabrication, and known to be such by all persons making it.
It has become the fashion for suffragists to attribute all their defeats to the “liquor men.”  This has been the cry in Ohio and after the successive majorities rolled up against them in Oregon. As a matter of fact, not one of the six suffrage states had prohibition, and in a recent map published by the National Women’s Christian Temperance Union, Oregon stands out conspicuously dry among the surrounding wet and suffrage states.
Dr. Wilson’s pamphlet is a valued part of the organized protest against the imposition of woman suffrage upon the women of Oregon, a protest which is signed and sent out by the following women of the association:
Mr. J.F. Bailey, president; Miss Failing, first vice-president; Mrs. R.W. Wilbur, second vice-resident; Mrs. Wallace McCamant, treasurer; Miss Eleanor Gile, secretary; Mrs. E.H. Shepherd, Hood River; Mrs. A.J. Richardson, Joseph; Mrs. J.M. Connell, Hillsboro; Miss Rita Alderman, Falls City; Mrs. M.E. McFarland, Airlie; Mrs. F.E. Harlow, Troutdale; Mrs. George T. Travel, Astoria; Mrs. W.S. McFadden, Corvallis; Mrs. Dan O’Neill, Oregon City; Miss Emily Loveridge, superintendent Good Samaritan Hospital, Portland. And by the executive committee as follows: Mrs. H.W. Corbett, Mrs. A.E. Rockey, Mrs. C.H. Lewis, Mrs. David Loring, Mrs. J.B. Montgomery, Mrs. W.C. Alvord, Mrs. Gordon Voorhies, Mrs. R.W. Lewis, Mrs. James N. Davis, Mrs. Alma D. Katz, Mrs. S.T. Hamilton, Mrs. Herbert Holman, Mrs. C.A. Johns, Baker; Mrs. J.H. Templeton, Prineville; Miss Bush, Salem; Mrs. W.I. Vawter, Medford; Mrs. Elizabeth Yockey, Ashland.

NOVEL LEAGUE FORMS

EVERYBODY’S ORGANIZATION IS POPULAR IN OREGON

Although It Has Been in Existence Less Than Three Weeks Membership Now is 530

Free from all cliques and class distinctions and open to all within less than three weeks, the Everybody’s Equal Suffrage League has grown in membership until now there are more than 530 members, with new ones coming in at the rate of 25 to 50 a day. Such was the report of the three organizers of the league who met in company with other vice-presidents yesterday in the Rothchild building.

The popularity this league seems to be showing by some of the answers that keep coming in to the president and actual originator of the idea, Dr. Esther Pohl Lovejoy.

Dr. Lovejoy in the course of her work for suffrage had found many persons who she felt sure wished to join some league or other, but were frightened from doing so by the thought that it cost a large amount of money, comparatively speaking, to subscribe to this league or that.

“Not that such is the case at all,” she said, “because none of the suffrage societies are endowed or have any large subscriptions, but still there are working women to whom a dime is as much as they can afford. There are girls who wanted to join some organization, but a girl, as one of them said, ‘can’t be expected to give a subscription of so many dollars a month.’”

And so Dr. Lovejoy “got busy,” and when Dr. Anna Shaw was here, she sprang the league upon the public at a luncheon and afterward at a public meeting, with the object of getting it known.

From that day it has been entirely self supporting, it has paid the cost of sending an organizer to Salem and to Beaverton, it has sent persons out in the city, and for everything it has bought, cash has been paid. That is what the organizers are so proud of, with the little at their disposal.

The organizers are Dr. Lovejoy, Mrs. Chapin and Miss Helen Gillespie. 

The league’s members scorn any rules and regulations. There is no precedent to follow as this league is the first of its kind in the United States, they aver, and no one has been found to contradict this statement. Wherever any vice-presidents meet, they hold a meeting. They even met the other day in a wine shop. No one takes the chair, no one stops anyone else from speaking and no one is anxious to have all the say in the matter. Their one aim is to work to obtain the passage of the suffrage amendment. 

One of the first things done was to obtain all the coin cards in Portland, and to send them broadcast over the state. Having exhausted the local supply they were obliged to go to Seattle where they obtained every coin card in the city that could be bought. With these Portland was still further enlightened as to the league, with the result that within almost two weeks of the time from which they started sending out the coins more than 500 members have been obtained.

Two resolutions were passed at the league’s meeting yesterday, one to the effect that if suffrage carried the league would change to an Everybody’s Civic League with the object of studying politics and civil government, so as to make its members efficient and able to vote intelligently. The other resolution provides for the case of defeat. Then the league will be organized permanently and will continue until the fight is won, after which it will then be formed into the civic league. 

The idea of sending slides on suffrage to theatres and picture shows originated with this league, whose members got the slides and alreay [sic] have made arrangements whereby some theaters will show their films. 

NOVEL LEAGUE FORMS

EVERYBODY’S ORGANIZATION IS POPULAR IN OREGON

Although It Has Been in Existence Less Than Three Weeks Membership Now is 530

Free from all cliques and class distinctions and open to all within less than three weeks, the Everybody’s Equal Suffrage League has grown in membership until now there are more than 530 members, with new ones coming in at the rate of 25 to 50 a day. Such was the report of the three organizers of the league who met in company with other vice-presidents yesterday in the Rothchild building.

The popularity this league seems to be showing by some of the answers that keep coming in to the president and actual originator of the idea, Dr. Esther Pohl Lovejoy.

Dr. Lovejoy in the course of her work for suffrage had found many persons who she felt sure wished to join some league or other, but were frightened from doing so by the thought that it cost a large amount of money, comparatively speaking, to subscribe to this league or that.

“Not that such is the case at all,” she said, “because none of the suffrage societies are endowed or have any large subscriptions, but still there are working women to whom a dime is as much as they can afford. There are girls who wanted to join some organization, but a girl, as one of them said, ‘can’t be expected to give a subscription of so many dollars a month.’”

And so Dr. Lovejoy “got busy,” and when Dr. Anna Shaw was here, she sprang the league upon the public at a luncheon and afterward at a public meeting, with the object of getting it known.

From that day it has been entirely self supporting, it has paid the cost of sending an organizer to Salem and to Beaverton, it has sent persons out in the city, and for everything it has bought, cash has been paid. That is what the organizers are so proud of, with the little at their disposal.

The organizers are Dr. Lovejoy, Mrs. Chapin and Miss Helen Gillespie. 

The league’s members scorn any rules and regulations. There is no precedent to follow as this league is the first of its kind in the United States, they aver, and no one has been found to contradict this statement. Wherever any vice-presidents meet, they hold a meeting. They even met the other day in a wine shop. No one takes the chair, no one stops anyone else from speaking and no one is anxious to have all the say in the matter. Their one aim is to work to obtain the passage of the suffrage amendment. 

One of the first things done was to obtain all the coin cards in Portland, and to send them broadcast over the state. Having exhausted the local supply they were obliged to go to Seattle where they obtained every coin card in the city that could be bought. With these Portland was still further enlightened as to the league, with the result that within almost two weeks of the time from which they started sending out the coins more than 500 members have been obtained.

Two resolutions were passed at the league’s meeting yesterday, one to the effect that if suffrage carried the league would change to an Everybody’s Civic League with the object of studying politics and civil government, so as to make its members efficient and able to vote intelligently. The other resolution provides for the case of defeat. Then the league will be organized permanently and will continue until the fight is won, after which it will then be formed into the civic league. 

The idea of sending slides on suffrage to theatres and picture shows originated with this league, whose members got the slides and [sic] alreay have made arrangements whereby some theaters will show their films.