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New York State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage

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New York State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage
FormationApril 1895
FounderMrs. Francis M. Scott (first president), Mrs. George Phillips (first secretary), and others
TypeNon-governmental organization
PurposePolitical advocacy against women's suffrage
HeadquartersNew York City, New York
President
Lucy Parkman Scott (1895–1910)
Abby Hamlin Abbott (parts of 1902 and 1907)
Josephine Jewell Dodge (1910)
Carolyn Putnam (1911–1912)
Alice Hill Chittenden (1913–1917)
Mary Guthrie Kilbreth (beginning in 1919)
Secretary
Mrs. George Phillips (Mary E. Phillips) (first secretary)
AffiliationsNational Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage

The New York State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage (NYSAOWS) was an American anti-suffrage organization in New York. The group was made up of prominent women who fought against the cause of women's suffrage by giving speeches, handing out materials and pamphlets and also publishing a journal. There were several auxiliaries of the group throughout New York and it was considered one of the most active anti-suffrage groups in the state.

History

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Poster circulated by the association (1915)

The New York State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage (NYSAOWS) was one of the most active women's anti-suffrage groups in the state of New York.[1] The group was first known as the New York State Association Opposed to the Extension of the Suffrage to Women and was formed in April 1895.[2] The name was changed sometime between October 27, 1908 and November 4, 1908.[3] The group had many "prominent" women from New York as members.[4] There were several auxiliary organizations in different parts of the state, including in Albany, Brooklyn and Buffalo.[5][6][7] Dues were taken from each member, starting at $3 per person.[5] The president of the organization would bring together the executive committee every year, either in December or April.[8] Officers would be elected and reports on their previous years' activities would be shared.[8] The report would also include information about women's suffrage efforts across the country.[9] The group met at the home of Mrs. George Phillips (Mary E. Phillips)[10] for many years, but in October 1908 opened an office in the Engineering Societies' Building.[11][12] In July 1908, NYSAOWS started a quarterly journal called The Anti-Suffragist which was published through April 1912.[13] Bertha Lane Scott drafted pamphlets, placed high-profile anti-suffrage letters in outlets such as The New York Times, and—on lecture tours—explained the platform, outlined step-by-step plans for new auxiliaries, and recruited prominent society women to run them.[14][15][16]

Petition to the Senate (1917)

NYSAOWS members believed that women participating in politics would be "disruptive of everything pertaining to home life."[17] They also felt that women's roles as mothers and caregivers meant they did not have to do "further service" as citizens.[13] Overall, the members believed that more people were on their side and all they had to do was help "women to recognize the vital need for 'a division of the world's work between men and women.'"[8] In 1896, NYSAOWS believed that only 10% of women actually wanted the vote.[5] NYSAOWS also used tactics such as associating women's suffrage with "support for socialist causes."[18]

The group would receive requests for information, advice or assistance from women in other states.[19] They also sent petitions to the New York State Assembly, asking them not to grant suffrage to women.[20] The association drew large crowds, like the one at Glens Falls City Hall in February 1915, when NYSAOWS president, Alice Hill Chittenden, spoke.[21]

After women in New York won the right to vote in 1917, NYSAOWS reorganized to work towards the repeal of women's suffrage.[22][23] They also decided to fight against a country-wide granting of women's suffrage.[24] After the 19th Amendment passed, the Brooklyn Auxiliary of the NYSAOWS met in the home of Carolyn Putnam (Mrs. W.A Putnam) to discuss working against the federal amendment.[25] NYSAOWS eventually decided to transition into a new organization, the Women Voters' Anti-Suffrage Party.[26]

Notable members

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Presidents

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Name Term Description
Lucy Parkman Scott 1895 – 1910 Founder and first long-serving president[27][28]
Abby Hamlin Abbott Parts of 1902 & 1907 Acting president during Scott’s absences[29]
Josephine Jewell Dodge 1910 Prominent philanthropist; elevated from vice-president[30][page needed]
Carolyn Putnam 1911 – 1912 Presided over re-organisation after Dodge resigned[28]
Alice Hill Chittenden 1913 – 1917 Led the statewide campaign against the 1915 suffrage referendum[31]
Mary Guthrie Kilbreth† 1919 – ? Editor of The Woman Patriot and national anti-suffrage strategist[32][33]

† After New York adopted woman suffrage in November 1917, the Association re-tooled rather than disband; Kilbreth therefore headed a post-referendum phase.

Officers & organisers

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Name Position Years Description
Mary E. Phillips First secretary 1895 Recorded minutes and correspondence at the Hewitt house meeting
Mrs. Abram Hewitt Hostess of founding meeting 1895 Convened the inaugural gathering in her Manhattan home[34]
Mariana Griswold Van Rensselaer Organising committee 1895 Helped draft the Association’s first constitution
Mrs. Elihu Root Organising committee 1895 Assisted in outreach to influential society women
Mrs. Fritz Achelis Vice-president c. 1914 Speaker at regional anti-suffrage rallies[35]
Mrs. Gilbert E. Jones Vice-president c. 1914 Managed publicity for up-state auxiliaries[30][page needed]
Elizabeth V. Cockcroft Vice-president c. 1914 Legislative liaison at Albany hearings[36]
Bertha Lane Scott Chair, Publications Committee by 1908 Edited pamphlets and placed letters in major newspapers

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Schaffer, Ronald (1962). "The New York City Woman Suffrage Party, 1909-1919". New York History. 43 (3): 269–287. JSTOR 23153512.
  2. ^ "Active Campaign to Oppose the Granting of Suffrage to Women". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1 March 1896. Retrieved 2018-05-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "NYSA Opposed to Woman Suffrage Collection: Manuscripts and Special Collections: New York State Library". New York State Library. 25 September 2017. Archived from the original on 3 May 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
  4. ^ Goodier 2013, p. 59.
  5. ^ a b c "Against Woman Suffrage". New-York Tribune. 22 May 1896. Retrieved 2018-05-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Opposed to Woman Suffrage". New-York Tribune. 28 April 1896. Retrieved 2018-05-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Anti-Woman Suffragists". Buffalo Morning Express. 8 May 1900. Retrieved 2018-05-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b c Goodier 2013, p. 44.
  9. ^ "State Anti-Suffragists Report Work for Year". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 6 January 1908. Retrieved 2018-05-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Mrs. Mary E. Phillips". The Sun. New York. 14 February 1919. Retrieved 2018-05-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ New York State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage 1908, p. 4-5.
  12. ^ "N.Y. 'Antis' Open Headquarters". New-York Tribune. 1 November 1908. Retrieved 2018-05-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b Wayne, Tiffany K. (2015). Women's Rights in the United States: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Issues, Events, and People. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 17. ISBN 9781610692151.
  14. ^ Scott, Mrs. William Forse, & Adams, M. D. (1909). In opposition to woman suffrage [Pamphlet]. The New York Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage.  https://www.biblio.com/book/opposition-woman-suffrage-scott-mrs-william/d/1412245477?srsltid=AfmBOoryibWwqQoGQJNqsmWQQX7kV3ohCYuAlG2hIzN2GK93mRdIkVlr
  15. ^ Scott, B. L. (1912, June 2). Business of being woman. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/1912/06/02/archives/business-of-being-woman-mrs-william-forse-scott-finds-the-phrase.html
  16. ^ Dyson, H. (2020). The “Antis”. Minnesota History, 67(3), 163-168.
  17. ^ New York State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage 1908, p. 11.
  18. ^ "Anti-suffrage Poster: The Red Behind the Yellow, 1915 - Women's Suffrage and the Media". Women's Suffrage and the Media. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  19. ^ Goodier 2013, p. 45.
  20. ^ "Evidently woman suffrage is not very". The Salt Lake Herald. 26 January 1898. Retrieved 2018-05-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ Daley, Fred (20 August 1995). "Glens Falls Suffragists Claimed Victory 75 Years Ago". The Post-Star. Retrieved 2018-05-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ Levine, Alexandra S. (2017-11-06). "New York Today: A Century of Women Voting". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  23. ^ "Anti-Suffrage Party Plans to Reorganize". The Pittsburgh Post. 3 April 1918. Retrieved 2018-05-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Anti-Suffrage Meeting". The Evening Record. Greenville, PA. 3 April 1918. Retrieved 2018-05-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Anti-Suffragilsts Meet". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 17 January 1919. Retrieved 2018-05-08 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ Goodier 2013, p. 13.
  27. ^ Political Rhetoric in Theory and Practice: A Reader. (2023). United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. p. 182.
  28. ^ a b Lemak, J. A., Hopkins-Benton, A. (2017). Votes for Women: Celebrating New York's Suffrage Centennial. United States: State University of New York Press. p. 136.
  29. ^ Marshall, S. E. (1997). Splintered Sisterhood: Gender and Class in the Campaign Against Woman Suffrage. United States: University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 46-47.
  30. ^ a b Goodier 2013.
  31. ^ "Anti-Suffragists Outline Campaign". The New York Times. 10 Jan 1915. p. 8.
  32. ^ LaFollette Culpepper, Madeleine (7 April 2021). "After the Nineteenth: Mary Kilbreth, The Woman Patriot, and the Legacy of Female Anti-Suffrage" (PDF).
  33. ^ Kodumthara, S. (2020). “The Right of Suffrage Has Been Thrust on Me”: The Reluctant Suffragists of the American West. The Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, 19(4), 607-622.
  34. ^ "Circular: Statement in Regard to the Suffrage". Ann Lewis Women's Suffrage Collection. 1894.
  35. ^ "Anti-Suffragists Give Reasons for Their Stand". Binghamton Press. 22 Feb 1910. p. 2.
  36. ^ "New York State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage Attacks Female Lobbyists". Library of Congress. 1909.

Sources

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