The Struggle for the Ballot
A political critique on the influence of Charles M. Bradshaw in securing women's suffrage.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The women of Washington should not forget the fact that to Charles M. Bradshaw they are largely indebted for the ballot. The female suffrage bill was in a precarious state in the house of representatives. For a time its fate was in doubt. The friends of the measure lacked one vote. With it, the bill would pass; without it, the measure would fail. The doubtful vote in this case happened to be that of a member over whom Mr. Bradshaw had great influence. The member himself was inclined to vote against the measure, but Mr. Bradshaw used all his influence to favor it. The member finally yielded and the bill was thus secured and the ballot was placed in the hands of the women of Washington Territory.
“The women of Washington should not forget the fact that to Charles M. Bradshaw they are largely indebted for the ballot.”
This editorial captures the pivotal and often transactional nature of the 1883 suffrage victory in Washington Territory, which occurred decades before the 19th Amendment. It highlights how women's rights were often leveraged by political party bosses—a recurring dynamic in the history of local civic advancement.
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