DEFEATED BY WOMEN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 273, 8 April 1911, Page 9

DEFEATED BY WOMEN.

POLITICAL DOWNFALL OF AN AMERICAN MAYOR. A message from New York on February 8 stated that woman's suffrage had caused the defeat of Mr. H. C. Gill, who stood for re-election as the Mayor or Seattle, Washington. The issue was an accusation that M.\ Gill ordered the police to run Seattle on "wide open" lines, and that the morals of the city were very lax. Mr. Gill was elected Mayor of Seattle .; year ago. Eight months later the women in the State of Washington were enfranchised. They then began a campaign against Mr. Gill's policy. Washington has a law known as the "recall," whereby 10 per cent, of the voters in any community by petition can force a new election for any office at any time. The requisite petifon wa< drawn up "recalling" Mr. Gill Ho stood for reelection against Mr. G. W. Rilling, candidate of the Public Welfare League. Mr. Gill attacked the women during the campaign, alleging that they could not take an intelligent interer. in municipal affairs, and that they adopted whatever attitude the clergymen told them. Mr. Gill's majority a year ago was 3390. This time'he was defeated by 6000 votes. There is little doubt if' there had been only male suffrage that he would have been re-elected. The women's campaign caused his defeat.