From the Conine Scrapbooks
Undated Newspaper Article

NB: Denied by ex. Gov. Buchtel


BUCHTEL AGAIN VILIFIES WOMEN OF HIS STATE

Only Dregs of Sex Vote in Colorado, Asserts Former Governor in New York Interview

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NO PLACE IN POLITICS; ALL DESIRE ABSURD LAWS

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Mrs. D.C. Bailey and Mrs. M.A.B. Conine, Club Leaders, Deny Statements Made

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Former Governor Buchtel, in an interview given last night in New York, declared that only the dregs of womankind vote in Colorado, and that the mothers have to be practically driven to the polls. He also declared that there were few women of the women legislators who had not demanded absurd and unreasonable laws.

Mrs. D.C. Bailey, president of the Denver Women's club, and Mrs. Martha A.B. Conine denounced the ex-governor's statements as untrue, and quoted Governor Shafroth's speech of yesterday to the delegates from the International Council of women to show that women cast more votes in proportion to their numbers than do the men of Colorado in proportion to their voting strength.

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[special to the news]

NEW YORK, July 19 - "Only the dregs of womankind vote in Colorado - the mothers have to be practically clubbed to the polls.

"Power was not intended for woman; influence is more subtle, and it is a woman's greatest force. When woman seeks power it is a great calamity, not only for her but for the men as well.

"My wife and daughter shun politics, as do the majority of the women in Colorado. I believe that women want the vote without the responsibility which the privilege entails, and I agree that the franchise should granted them but I do not think that the vote is good for them, nor they for politics."

Such was the opinion expressed today by the Rev. Dr. Henry A.. Buchtel, former governor of Colorado, and chancellor of Denver university, in which there are 1,000 students of both sexes.

"It is a hateful subject to me," he said, "for once I make any statement regarding it all the long-haired men and short-haired women will be up in arms to argue about it. New York is taking woman suffrage far more seriously now than Colorado, where the women have full rights.

"Chivalry was the motive that prompted equal suffrage in Colorado, and the women legislators have been suffered to put forth their claims out of deference to their sex. There have been few who did not demand the most absurd and unreasonable laws. They will not listen to argument - no woman will. Logic does not appeal to them.

"I will admit there is an inferior type of woman who rush to the polls as a means of grafting, just as a certain class of inferior men use politics for their own ends, but it is this class of women that keeps the conservative home women away from the polls: the latter shrink from coming in contact with them."

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Mrs. D.C. Bailey, president of the Woman's club, when acquainted with the views expressed by former Governor Buchtel in New York, said:

"That is a corker, and I believe there is no law to prevent his talking like that if he is so inclined. It seems hardly necessary here in Colorado to point out that Buchtel's statements are not true.

"Mr. Buchtel has gone a long way from home to talk like that. Before he was elected governor he carefully concealed his views, if he had them, and doubtless many misguided women voted for him. While he was governor and when he knew there was no chance that the people would be so foolish to re-elect him, he gave out a similar interview, but in much milder terms.

"At the luncheon, to the foreign delegates to the International Woman's council, Governor Shafroth gave statistics which show that Buchtel is grossly deceiving himself as to the true situation in Colorado. These statistics show, as Governor Shafroth's pointed out, that women take more interest in the ballot than men.

Much of the legislation enacted in Colorado as the result of woman's vote has been beneficial, especially the legislation relating to children, the protection of the home, and of women."

Mrs. Martha A.B. Conine was amused by the Buchtel interview, and asked her questioner if he knew of Governor Shafroth's speech at the banquet to the women of the International Woman's council. Receiving an affirmative reply, she said.

"Well, that is the answer." Governor Shafroth's showed that women are 42 percent of the voting population of the state. Nevertheless, at the recent election 48% of the total vote was cast by women. It is evident that the 'dregs of womankind' formed a small proportion of the vote of the women. It is terrible to contemplate the thousands of mothers who must have been clubbed to the polls to make up that vote."

Froken Gina King, one of the notable women who were in Denver yesterday with the delegates to the International Council of Women, was a bit puzzled by the Buchtel Interview.

"It seems as if it were something of a question of veracity between the present and former governor. Governor Shafroth quoted statistics to show that Colorado women are more interested in the ballot than the men. In my country, where we have equal suffrage with the men, I am sure that the best of women vote.

"From what I have heard today, I think it likely that women in Colorado have placed upon your statue books laws for the protection of women and children that would not be there today if only men had done the voting; not that the men oppose such legislation, but rather that women are more interested in it, and force it to the front in public discussions."

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(Following the scrapbook entry is Ex. Gov. Buchtel's denial that he said the things attributed to him in the "interview")


Last modified 11 April 2009