“Green Paper Storm Work of Suffragists,”Portland Evening Telegram, March 16, 1912, 11.
-Transcription
GREEN PAPER STORM WORK OF SUFFRAGISTS
Passersby, Deluged, Look Aloft and See Big “Votes for Women” Sign.
A shower of green-hued paper mottoes [sic] bearing quotations from Parnell and other Irish patriots attracted the eyes of hundreds of passers-by on Washington street this noon. Pedestrians reaching for the green slips raised their eyes to skyward to see if a miracle were being performed in honor of St. Patrick and were greeted by a 12-foot green sign fluttering from the campaign headquarters of the Portland Woman’s Club in the Rothchild building. The sign bore the words, “Votes for Women” in conspicuous white lettering.
The green motto cards were embellished with an Irish harp and bore such quotations as the following
“Taxation without representation is tyranny,” and this from Parnell “We cannot consent to look upon a single Irishman as not belonging to us.”
The novel method of carrying on propaganda work made a hit with the crowd, and particularly that portion of it which came from the “ould sod.”
“Ah, ladies, have no fear about us belonging to yez, “cried one galiant as he doffed his hat to the fluttering sign.
Within, the women were kept busy distributing “Votes for Women” buttons, 10,000 of which arrived today, and will be distributed free from the headquarters to all supporters of the cause.
One of the first to go to headquarters and make a request for a button was an aged Scotchman, who, after 20 years of residence in this country had not lost his north country burr. “I came to get one of the bonnie wee buttons,” he explained, removing his cap from a crown of silvery white hair. “While you are about it ye might gie me a handful, for I know many a man as will be willin’ to wear ane.”