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MRS. PEATTIE'S CANDIDACY

Progress of Her Campaign for Member of the Board of Education.

Letters From Women Indorsing Her--What the Committee is Doing to Elect Her.

Qualification for Voting---Something About the Candidate---Indorsed by Two Conventions and One League.

The current issue of the Women's Weekly, the official organ of the Women's club of this city, prints several letters from club members in support of Mrs. Peattle's candidacy, among which were the following:

This year the women of Omaha have an opportunity to be represented upon the school board by one of their own number, whose ability and public spirit neither republican, populist nor democratic, so the question of political affiliations need not enter for a moment into consideration. Our schools are the great national nurseries of the republic, and fitness for the position of school director is the only question that should concern us. With all due respect to the present board whose members perhaps devote a short time every week to the general necessities of the schools, put off until the last moment for action, it certainly seems as if a woman would know better how to arrange details, which are, after all, the most far reaching in their consequences.

If the management of the schools had been in the hands of the women, is it to be supposed that at this present stage of civilization, with all the talk about germs, bacilli, ect., ad infinitum that the women would have allowed children of all sorts of conditions of men, in all stages of cleanliness (I really want to rush into medical terms here, I know so much about it that it is a pity I do not know a little more), with eczema and what not--to drink from a common cup. It is inconceivable that this matter should have been neglected so long. A woman would see that her children were surrounded by the best possible conditions of health and morals. Men have apparently more important business in life than looking after children, but a true mother will hold that to be her most important work, to which all other aims must sub-serve.

I once knew a lady who devoted herself entirely to her children. She said servants could not the work of the house, but her children were too precious to be left to the care of hirelings. Teachers, who take the mother's place a few hours every day, should be selected with the greatest care. Only women can judge women in many ways. There seems to be a mental obliquity of vision in a man's judgment of a woman's fitness for many positions.

I hope the time will come when women physicians will have the general oversight of the health of school children, that those who are coming down with contagious disease shall be detected at once before other children are infected. A medical supervision should be exercised over all the schools, and very great attention should be paid to sanitary regulations. The city employs a man to run around and look after the cows, but children are herded with very little attention to the places from which they come, bringing with them germs of disease and death.

Perhaps a woman on the school board will inaugurate new conditions. At any rate, the honored member of the Woman's club who is a candidate for that position will not be a nonentity. Let the women of Omaha see to it that she is elected.

AUGUSTA B. HENDERSON.

Primarily, because women should have a direct voice in school matters. The larger part of the teachers are women, but the authority under which they work is vested in men, now entirely. One woman will be but one of the school governing power, and that is little enough. Observation of the world's affair goes to show that what men and women do together is better done than what either do alone. Men need women's capacity for minute and painstaking detail--for keeping corners clean and beautifying the affairs of life; women need men's capacity for broad dealing the carrying out of plans in the mass.

Secondarily, because Mrs. Peattie, having had a large experience in public life, is by that fitted for such a position. Her philanthropic work in the city and her writings prove her a humanitarian and a follower of the two great commandments on which hang all the law and the prophets.

There need be no thirdly. Vote for a woman as a member of the school board, because I believe women should have a direct voice and vote in that matter which is beyond everything else their work, the education of their children. Vote for Mrs. Peatitte because her nomination gives just the first opportunity to sustain and carry into effect that belief, and because she is a woman calculated to occupy the position with credit.
HARRIET S. MACMURPHY.

In the nineteenth century it seems quite superfluous to suggest that women who are candidates for office do not need to subscribe to articles of faith. It is highly desirable that they be good, moral citizens, but it is hardly fair to require more, since no similar requisition is placed upon men hoping for election. We allow and believe that the more conscientious and faithful the individual, the better will all be performed. This is written for those who question the propriety of any woman being on the school board until her church affiliation has been investigated. We are happy to note that Mrs. Peattie is indorsed by the municipal league. We are glad that she is to speak before the Congregational club next week. In the past we have noted from time to time that when the various church and parlor gatherings have wanted a drawing card, they have gladly availed themselves of the talent of Mrs. Peattie. Will they show their appreciation of her now? We feel sure that the gallantry of the members of the board of education is such that they will welcome a lady to their number. Vote for Mrs. Peattie.
H. S. TOWNE.

The Weekly itself says editorially: "Mrs. Peattie's election is conceded. The question now is, who is opposed to her? She will be elected by a large majority. The opposition all agree on that point. The women have rallied in a manner which does credit to the sex, and after election among those who congratulate the ' woman on the school board,' will be hundreds of women who will say, "I cast my first ballot for you."

"While her friends are rejoiced to know this is true, they will be none the less industrious for the remaining few days. In fact, taking courage from good reports, they will work harder than they would otherwise be able to do.

"They will vote for her, because she is fitted for the position, because she cannot be overawed, because she has the courage of her convictions, because, more than all else, we need a woman on the school board!"

During the last fortnight the most ridiculous stories, the most slanderous insinuations have been scattered broadcast in order to turn the vote of the women, from their candidate. To these, the committee having her campaign in charge have very [?] upon the impressionable feminine nature with stories too base to deserve refutation.

The committee has made a thorough canvass of the entire city and is assured of a very large woman's vote for its candidate. Registration is not necessary, and any woman having children of school age or owning property assessed in her own name is entitled to vote for school director. There is no salary attached to the office, as has been asserted by some republicans; neither is there very much glory. A conscientious member of the present board says that his duties take up at least one-third of his time. While a man might use his election to the school board as a stepping alone to other political preferment, a woman's candidacy for the place can mean nothing but a willingness to serve the public disinterestedly.

Mrs. Peattie has nothing to explain, excuse or extenuate. Her career since she came to the city six years ago has been public enough to allow everyone to judge for himself. Her writings in the interest of charitable and other institutions have always been of an up-lifting kind, and no worthy person or establishment ever appealed in vain, either to her purse or her pen. Her work in the World-herald and other papers speaks for itself, and there is no world of it which she would willingly retract. If the voters of the city, male as well as female, care to have upon the board a thoroughly non-partisan, independent and fearless member they could not better than to vote for Mrs. Peattie. She has received the nomination from both the democratic and populist conventions and has been indorsed by the Municipal league and several organizations of women.

The arraignment is that the ladies will vote between the hours of 9 a.m and noon and between 8 and 5 p. m. At those times there will not be so many men present and voting can be accomplished with less delay.

To the Editor of the World-Herald---When the forefathers there of our county declared that "all men were created free and equal" and when afterwards they adopted universal (male) suffrage they were very considerably in advance of their age. Since then we have had a feeling that we accomplished almost everything that was worth contending for, and so we have rested on our honors, but while we have been resting the other branches of our Anglo-Vasen race have been jogging along in their usual slow but steady way and today by comparison with England, Australia or New Zealand we find ourselves behind three countries as regards the political position of women. It is true that we have agitated the question of " Female Suffrage" a good deal, but the women have always asked much that no one seemed willing to confer on them, and so very little has been attained. I do not forget Wyoming, but that is in itself but a small beginning for our great country. In England while they have steadily refused the ballot to women in national affairs, yet for years they have allowed women to vote in all local matters connected with property and education, and for nearly a generation women have been valuable members of the school boards. In that matter they have been decidedly ahead of us, because it is today the rule over the United Kingdom, whereas in our country it has been impossible for a woman to be on the school board or to vote where her own property was involved except in a very few of the eastern states. If women are ever to vote in national elections they should be admitted to the privilege in this gradual way and I have no doubt but the local experience and responsibility would fit them for higher things. For these reasons I am thoroughly glad that Mrs. E. W. Peattie has been nominated for the board of education and I sincerely hope she may have the hearty support for her fellow citizens. It is an innovation in our western world and for that very reason I wish it success. I need not mention Mrs. Peattie's fitness for the position, for that is well known to all of your readers. She is by no means the only woman in our midst who would honor the position, but she is one of them and in every way worthy.
THOMAS KILPATRICK.

The Municipal League.

The one object of the League is "The Best impossible City Government for Omaha," and to secure this it knows no party or sect, and aims to unite those in sympathy with its object, in the support of capable and honest men for the city offices.

To carry on this purpose the League has indorsed the following candidates, after careful investigation of their fitness, for the

CITY COUNCIL
First Ward---S I. Gordon. republican.
Third Ward--- J. II. Getty. Rep (by petition).
Fourth Ward--- Dr. James H. Peabody, dem and pop.
F. B. Kennard, rep.
Fifth Ward--- Allen T. Hector, rep (by petition).
Sixth Ward--- G. P. Dietz, rep(by petition).
Seventh Ward---G. N. Hicks, dem.
Eighth Ward--- J. H. Schmidt, dem.

SCHOOL BOARD.
B. E. B. Kenndy, Hev. T. J. Mackay.
C. B. Wilson. J. G. Gilmore
Rev. T. R. Crambeltt. Jonathan Edwards.
Mrs. Elia W. Peattie.

G. W. DOANE President.
GREGORY J. POWELL, Secretary.

John I. McCague 1506 Dodge, under McCauge Savings bank, bonds, warrants, real estate.
"5:45 p. m. at Omaha 8:45 a. m at Chicago. "

The new vestibuled train running on the "Northwestern" east daily.

Board at the Cafe, 2016 Farnam at Batchelors quarters; good board; pleasant surroundings; reduced rates.

Secure rooms for the winter at Bachelors' Quarters. Reduced prices.