AMERICAN WOMEN IN ELECTION CAMPAIGNS.

White Ribbon, Volume 13, Issue 157, 15 July 1908, Page 5

AMERICAN WOMEN IN ELECTION CAMPAIGNS.

Ihe wuilu stand* amazed at the gigantic stride* the l*r«»liil»ition reform lias made in the United States during the pa*t year, and n<> small credit fur the victories won is freely accorded to the women. .\inerican women have not. heretofore, taken an active part in politics, except ill 1 ll« *e States w here tlie franchise is accorded tiien ; and even here they have not, a* a rule, undertaken any definite campaigning however, with the question of License oi N > l.icensc as ail issue in hundreds of cities and t >\vns, to say nothing of the Kills foi Constitutional or Statutory Prohibition pending in State* Legi-laturc*, the women, under the leadership of the \\ omen a Christian ’temperance l nion, which has a rneinl >e rah ip of 2tM),(XMf in the l n i t«-« 1 'states, have arisen in iircristi de power and declared that the saloon must go

Xtir York' World, cor imeiiting oil this Wattle Imt ween home and State, says. ‘* A good deal of the spirit of 7* ; apjn-ar* to have eropjied out ill the Women who have enlisted to eoiiqiier the demon nun Never Is* fore have there !»e»siieh campaigns 1 lie Illinois elections furnish some particularly striking instances of the faithful and effective work of the hallotles* citizens In many cities the saloon organisations hired all the livery conveyances in advance, hut in every case private carriages and automobiles in plenty were placed at tne disposal of the temperance workers, the good women responding generously to the call for help in tlii* particular. Women canvassed the voters, d’strihuted campaign literature, planned meeting- and parades, marched through the street*, -ang at the polling places, served luncheons to voters, kept watch for election frauds, prayed in the churches. Miles upon miles of children s profession carried mottoes and banners and sang and shouted their rally cries in hundreds of cities and villages. \N hen victory was announced, crowd* ii. the street sang the Doxology, clmreli hells rang and lam tires Maxed When saloon majorities were given, the temperance force* only strengthened their determination to continue the battle until they win, and meanwhile to enforce the laws they have. In Springfield, 111., the Mate capital, a thousand children marched in procession on Sunday, and on election day the women worked valiantly. 11l Hoekford, the W.l I l gave the use of its rooms a* headquarters for the campaign committee. The women helped canvass the city, distributed posle* - *, etc <hi election day thex served refre-hments t«» workers during the hours the polls were open, using one room of the tenqieraiice headquarters for this purpose. while in another room a continuous prayer service was held In < hampaign, NOOchihhen marched in parade the afternoon before the election, l lieiliiidren wore badges with the words, “Note for Me,’ and one banner proclaimed, “ I wish Mother could N ote.

In heeatur 2**oo to 94HHI University and Kc*in ■** t VI lege students and children, forming a procession fourteen block* long, inarciicd Iwtwetn crowds >f spectators on the .Saturday before election. Kaeh one carried a Hag iihl .*>oo “ I‘lease Protect Us" banners were used ffecatur went “dry ’ by over 1000 majority.

A Home Protective le ague of 20iM> /oters w*a* at mice organised, and the law will be enforced Women sang at the polling places in Klgin. Other women pleaded with the voters ;.t the poll*, and still others *|K-nt the day in prayer services Three thousand children, with hauliers and bauds and th at*, made up tlie Klgili procession A l*eautiful w hite float, drawn by white horses, and In-aring a boy ami a girl under the folds of the Hag, was one of tilfeatures «»t the procession. In Clinton, 111 , tin* great demonstration which undoubtedly’ helped win the victory, was planned by the \N < I. U. President More than 1100 children and young |*eop|* were in line <»n the afternoon preceding the election. I*esi«h*s the mendier* of the \N l .l and other women's organisations. \ mirg w omen rang tlie church I**ll* throu o hout eh < tiou ilay. ami a jubilee meeting w i* held in the Methodist Church a* soon a* the return* we-e announced

One of the most thrilling demonstrations reported was the great Prohibition parade in Lincoln, Neb. Kej»f es« ufcatives of the G.A.li.. tin* Civic League, war*, organisations, churches, Sunday schools, tv t\ I.U. s, L I I. s. women * clulw. V.NI U. A * ami Y.W U.A.s, the *alva tiou Armv, the Volunteers of America, Lincoln University and other College*, and the public schools, made up a procession more than a mile long. At least 1000 voters were in line, although it was a working day. Kami.*, floats, banners ami mottoes, and flags, added to tin enthusiasm Many automobiles and carrng were in line, and one carriage bore the significant word “Crusader*.” Si:*; men carried a long W.C.T.U Immer, with the motto, “For Go*l and Home and Native Land.