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Today in 1915: Women Overwhelmingly Support Suffrage in New Jersey, But Can’t Vote for It
Today in 1915: Women Overwhelmingly Support Suffrage in New Jersey, But Can’t Vote for It
October 17, 1915: Just two more days remain until the men of New Jersey vote on woman suffrage, and if women could vote, it would win in a landslide, judging by the numbers enrolled in pro-suffrage and anti-suffrage organizations in the State. According to figures made public today, there are 75,000 members of the Women’s
Political Union of New Jersey, and 25,000 in the New Jersey Woman Suffrage Association. The New Jersey Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage has a membership of only 25,000.
When asked if this four-to-one ratio was an indication that suffrage enjoyed great support from the women of New Jersey, an official of the anti-suffrage group said: “It might be an indication if the suffragists followed our rule and enrolled only women of voting age. But they will accept infants in cradles as members in order to swell their numbers.”
Since there are probably a little under 750,000 women of voting age in New Jersey, it means that if we presume that the vast majority of suffrage group members actually are adults, then one in eight is not only pro-suffrage, but concerned enough about it to become an active member of a suffrage organization, versus one in thirty who is actively opposed.
Since today was a Sunday, most suffrage speeches in all four States with upcoming suffrage referenda were spoken from the pulpit, rather than on street corners. Three-time Democratic Presidential nominee William Jennings Bryan spoke at Grace Methodist Church in New York City, but though campaigning for the New York State suffrage referendum on November 2nd, he mentioned the New Jersey vote coming up on Tuesday, and why it’s important that women should be able to vote on all major issues. He told the church members:
. . .
http://feminist.org/blog/index.php/2014/10/17/today-in-1915-women-overwhelmingly-support-suffrage-in-new-jersey-but-cant-vote-for-it/