News Articles

EQUAL SUFFRAGE WORKERS SPEAK

Enthusiastic Street Meeting Held—Candidates Laud Cause.

The cause of equal suffrage scored Saturday night when a coterie of local politicians eliminated party affiliations and party lines, appeared in a common ground automobile at the corner of Sixth and Washington streets, and advocated “votes for women.”
B. Lee Paget, prohibition candidate for United States senator, was given permission at the close of the meeting to say a few words in behalf of his candidacy. His speech was appropriately punctuated at intervals by the rumbling of passing “water wagons.”
William “Pike” Davis, one of Portland’s most ardent advocates of equal suffrage, opened the meeting. Mr. Davis called attention to the success that has followed the granting of the right of franchise to women in the equal suffrage states, and said that the men in those states have never regretted giving women the ballot.
Mr. Davis, who is a “Bull Mooser,” introduced George S. Shephard, a Taft Republican, as the next speaker. Mr. Shephard advocated votes for women on the general ground that women are as fully qualified as men, to take part in the political activities of the nation. Mr. Shephard answered several objections that are advanced by the opponents of equal suffrage, stating that such objections are usually inconsequential and are made because of lack of understanding of the subject.
John Stevenson, Wilson Democrat, was next. Mr. Stevenson called attention to the fact that he is not a candidate for office, and that he advocates equal suffrage on the strength of his convictions that it is right. There is no good reason, Mr. Stevenson said, “why women should not vote.”
Julius Knispel, candidate on the Socialist ticket for circuit judge, explained that the Socialists favor equal suffrage on the general principle of woman’s competency to vote and of her right to do so under the constitution of the United States.
B. Lee Paget said he felt proud of the fact that an equal suffrage plank holds second place in the platform of the national Prohibition party organization.
Last night’s meeting was the first of several street meetings to be held from now on until the election on November 5.

SUFFRAGE PLAY READY

‘HOW THE VOTE WAS WON’ WILL BE STAGED FRIDAY.

Oregon City to See First Production of English Drama as Diversion in Campaign Routine.

For some weeks past rehearsals have been going on steadily for the production of the suffrage play entitled “How the Vote was Won.” The final rehearsal is set for tonight, under the direction of Mrs. Emma Watson Gillespie, who has charge of the dramatic side of the College Equal Suffrage League.
There are in all ten performers required for the production of this play, which was written and performed in England prior to its introduction over here. It has been presented in Ohio and other states.
The first performance will be given in the theater at Oregon City next Friday, following which it will be produced in Arleta and other outlying districts prior to its introduction into Portland.

Word was received at headquarters yesterday of the donation of $100 by “A Suffragist” to be used in covering, by means of noticed in the papers, the more inaccessible of the counties.
“This donation has come in very handily,” said Miss Emma Wold, the president of the College Equal Suffrage League, “Because the furtherance of the cause in the outlying and inaccessible districts is what has been worrying us considerably in the past few days. We have not the funds to send an organizer out into those parts, that being the best way of doing things, and in fact all the money have and more is being swallowed up, in a thorough organization of the counties nearer home.”
During the Gresham Fair suffrage workers have been most active. A space was allotted to them of which they made the best use. Mrs. C. Hepburn, Miss Frances Wilson, the Misses Florence and Frances Dayton, Miss E. E. Griffith and Miss Emma Wold have worked indefatigably all through the week, and have reached, either by means of literature or personal canvass, some 5000 people, the majority of them voters.
Meetings are planned for Hillsboro and McMinnville, at which Portland business and professional men will speak.
It is in connection with these meetings that the Portland Men’s Equal Suffrage League is arranging a number of out-of-door talks. They have thought it is better to hold back their efforts until the last month of the campaign, when they are going to come out into the open. Speeches are promised by political men, by attorneys and by members of the Senate. The Men’s Club has done good work quietly all along in providing speakers, when wanted, by any of the various suffrage societies. Only the other night they got up a suffrage debate, but for lack of an opponent a suffragist had to take the side of the “antis.”

DUNIWAY RALLY IS AIM
SUFFRAGISTS TO HONOR VETERAN WORKER OCTOBER 22.
Oregon’s Greatest Contributor to Fight for Women’s Rights Will Be 78 Years Old Then.

Mrs. Abigail Scott Duniway will be 78 years of age on October 22. As a gentle compliment to Oregon’s greatest worker for suffrage Mrs. Henry Waldo Coe, acting president of the Oregon State Equal Suffrage league, the organization brought into being by Mrs. Duniway, has planned a great rally for that day, when some prominent speaker will give an address.

At least one delegate from every county in the state will be present on that day, out of homage to the aged leader.

Two telegrams have already passed between Mrs. Coe and Rabbi Wise, now of New York, but formerly one of Portland’s prominent men, with the view of getting him to deliver the address on that occasion. Whether he will be able to come has not yet been made known, but an answer is expected within the next day or two.

An option has been secured on the Gipsy Smith auditorium for that day, and in all probability, the mass meeting will be held there.

Another method of advancing the cause in the short time that remains before election day is to have Sunday, October 27, set aside by every minister in the state a “Suffrage Day.” To this end letters have been sent, or are now being sent to every minister of every denomination in the state, asking them to set aside that day for suffrage and asking them also to preach on the value and benefits of equal suffrage at least in one sermon.

“We do not expect to get absolutely every minister, but from the number of local pastors who are in favor both of the movement and the idea, we expect to get over 80 per cent, which in itself would cause great argument for the cause,” said Mrs. Coe yesterday.

With the idea of canvassing every county and every part as yet not visited by an organizer from any of the various societies, Mrs. Lillie Conger, Mrs. Edith Toxier Weatherred and Mrs. Donald Robertson will start within the next few days for different parts of the state. Special attention at first will be paid to Weston, Athens, Hermiston and Echo.

For a week from next Tuesday, October 15, a large meeting has been planned for Montavilla, the first of a series in outlying districts, at which some prominent business or professional man in the city will deliver the address.