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Folder of documents about both William T. Hickey and J. B. Mailing, anti-suffragists, and the response of Colorado suffragists to their claims. Correspondents in the folder include Carrie Chapman Catt, H. A. Herrick; F. N. Briggs, W. M. Marshall, Allan F. Ayers, M. C. Harrington, H. J. Alexander, Walter A. Peterson, A. E. Upton, J. C. Mitchell, John A. Settle, Jr., Samuel Willner
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Ellis Meredith; gift, 1925.
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"Rocky Mountain News H.A. Herrick, Managing Editor John C. Shaffer, Editor and Publisher David E. Town, General Manager\The Shaffer Group\Rocky Mountain News Denver Times Chicago Evening Post Louisville Herald Indianapolis Star Terre Haute Star Muncie Star Denver, Colo., March 28th 1916Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt New York City. My Dear Madam:-Your letter of recent date to the editor of this paper was received and I have waited in replying to try and learn of facts which might in a way assist you. I am going to assume that in requesting that I am to treat your letter as confidential I will be treated in the same way with my reply. At the present time the owner and editor of this paper is Mr. John G. Shaffer. By referring to the top lines of this page you will be informed of Mr. Shaffer. As to Mr. Hickey you were fully informed by Mr. Keating. As to Mr. Naling, He was for several years in this state and city. I feel confident in stating that he does not represent the \big business interests of this state in a fight against suffrage\. I found this on the statement of several men who might be classed in that category. Mr. Naling while in Colorado had abundant opportunity to study all of the situations that existed and must be credited with a great deal of"
"JOHN C. SHAFFER, EDITOR AND PUBLISHERDAVID E. TOWN, GENERAL MANAGER\THE SHAFFER GROUP\ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWSDENVER TIMESCHICAGO EVENING POSTLOUISVILLE HERALDINDIANAPOLIS STARTERRE HAUTE STARMUNCIE STARROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWSH.A. HERRICK, MANAGING EDITOR ability and shrewdness. From time to time we have received letters and telegrams from suffrage advocates in Massachusetts. New Jersey and Iowa asking for information regarding many of the claims that have been made by Mr. Maling. Among the latest was concerning a letter he had shown from Senator Patterson and one shown from Mr. Briggs. The latter is official of the Interstate Bank. I was recently shown a letter which was received from Senator Patterson, it may have been a statement, in which he denied ever having given Mr. Maling any document which could be construed as argument against suffrage. On the contrary the letter general introduction that he gave made statements to the effect of a prophecy of things which came to pass in Colorado as to suffrage. I have been told that Mr. Briggs made a statement that the letter he gave to Mr. Maling was in the nature of a general introduction and had nothing of the remotest form concerning the subject of suffrage. I was also told that such information had been sent or was to be sent to you.�"
"JOHN C SHAFFER, EDITOR AND PUBLISHERDAVID E TOWN, GENERAL MANAGER\THE SHAFFER GROUP\ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS DENVER TIMESCHICAGO EVENING POSTLOUISVILLE HERALDINDIANAPOLIS STARTERRE HAUTE STARMUNCIE STARROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWSH.A. HERRICK, MANAGING EDITOR3It is the general belief of those in Colorado who are in any way interested that Mr. Maling has accepted a commission from some other section of the country if he has such a thing for his activity against your cause. There is no one who believes that he is breaking a lance with your cause on his own responsibility. I feel very sure, Mrs. Catt, that it would not be difficult to get many expressions from the representative men of this state that suffrage is not entering into their troubles at the present time. I mean by that they are not fighting it nor are they as a general rule treating it with concern for the reason that it is established in this state. Personally I do not believe that any of the harmful things said against it by Mr. Maling exist. I believe I have seen many things he has said, meaning clippings etc., and we have never taken them seriously from any other standpoint than that they were disagreeable and had a tendency to militate against the good name of the state"
"ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWSH. A. HERRICK, MANAGING EDITORJOHN C. SHAFFER, EDITOR AND PUBLISHERDAVID E. TOWN, GENERAL MANAGER\THE SHAFFER GROUP\ ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS DENVER TIMES CHICAGO EVENING POST LOUISVILLE HERALD INDIANAPOLIS STAR TERRE HAUTE STAR MUNCIE STAR I have been told by some of the good people of this city that the matter of many of the statements attributed to Mr. [?]aling are under investigation. The general impression is that Mr. Maling visits states and in cities selected gathers some of the business men together to discuss with them financial matters concerning the state. In the course of the talks suffrage receives its share of the discussion. In several cases Mr. Maling has insisted that he did not say many of the things attributed to him. Some of the meetings as you state are for men only and in the nature of confidential chats making it hard to verify. I feel very sure that were you to write frankly to either Senator Patterson, Mr. Briggs or any other men that he quotes from time to time that you would find their statements to you would act as an antidote for any of the poison that he injects in your affairs."
"JOHN C. SHAFFER, EDITOR AND PUBLISHERDAVID E. TOWN, GENERAL MANAGER\THE SHAFFER GROUP\ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWSDENVER TIMESCHICAGO EVENING POSTLOUISVILLE HERALDINDIANAPOLIS STARTERRE HAUTE STARMUNCIE STARROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWSH. A. HERRICK, MANAGING EDITOR There are plenty o men in this stare who are glad to have the counsel of their wives on public questions at all times and to know that they ^are using their votes in the building up of our state. I might make in this connection a direct reference to Mrs. Carlson, wife of our esteemed governor who himself makes his proudest boast of the political sagacity and advice of his wife. With best wishes and trusting that I may in some way be of more service to you in this matter. Very truly yours, H. A. Herrick Managing Editor"
"THE INTERSTATE TRUST COMPANYDENVER, COLORADO April 8, 1916Mr. James L. Laidlaw,26 Broadway New York City, N.Y. Dear Sir, Replying to yours of the 5th inst. in regard to Mr. John B. Maling who is now travelling throughout the State of Iowa in the interest of the Anti-Woman Suffrage movement, will say: It would require a very long letter to explain to you the trying conditions Colorado has passed through during the last ten or twelve years, politically, industrially and otherwise. We have had the most unjust campaign of untruthful, sensational, uncomplimentary advertising from such men as Judge Ben Lindsey, George Greel and certain women from this state, that any state has had to endure in my recollection. I have lived in Colorado the most of my life, vis., since 1879. For a number of years I was the Editor of a Daily Associated press newspaper at Victor, Colorado. I advocated Woman Suffrage and still believe n equity and justice, women, especially those who pay taxes, are certainly entitled to the ballot. I do not believe Woman Suffrage helps any state onto a higher level of political life. This, however, does not force the conclusion that women are not entitled to vote. They are no worse than the men when it comes to voting, but they are no better. Conditions are practically the same with Woman Suffrage as they are without it. I am not opposed, therefore, to Woman Suffrage, and have never assisted Mr. Maling nor any one else in an Anti-Woman Suffrage campaign. I did give him a personal letter some two years ago, before he entered the Anti-Woman Suffrage fight, addressed \To Whom It May Concern,\ in which I stated that Mr. Maling was well acquainted with public affairs in this state and qualified to give the actual facts concerning business and industrial conditions here. He also had letters of this nature from several other prominent business men. He still has these letters so far as I know. He has not been backed by the bankers of Denver in a financial way. No one that I know of has advanced him a dollar for expenses, wages or salary since he left this city. As I understand it the line of argument used by Mr. Maling is something like this. If the statements made by Be Lindsey, George Creel and others are true to the effect that Colorado is politically debauched; that its judges, from the Supreme Court down, are willing tools of political and corporation managers; that official life in this state is the most corrupt of that in any city on this continent; that laboring people are misused and abused and imposed upon in every possible way by capital; that owing to those conditions, Colorado is in a deplorable situation, without freedom, without justice, without decency, and Woman Suffrage having been in operation in this State for twenty-three years.�"
"must, therefore, certainly be to blame, at least in part, for this condition. This is brief is his argument. As a matter of fact these sensational statements by self-advertising revenue producing, agitators and magazine writers, are greatly exaggerated and mostly untrue, circulated for political effect as well as for the purpose of making money by supplying the public of the East with stories of this kind through the magazines and from the lecture platform. It was for the purpose of counteracting these falsehoods in the minds of the people of the eastern parts of the country, that Colorado's business men were willing to introduce Mr. Haling or any one else who would give this State a fair, square show to off-set the falsehoods that had been circulated. We had no thought of the Woman Suffrage question when Mr. Haling left Denver, taking our letters with him. He does not claim, as I understand it, that conditions in Colorado are as they have been painted by its enemies, but he has used their statements as argument against Woman Suffrage. I wish to deny the sensational stories in regard to the corruption and demoralization of this State. We are as clean and pure politically, personally and commercially as the people of any State in the Union. Our laws are well enforced: our business men are men of high class and intelligence, and of the highest degree of honesty: our Courts are as honest and incorruptible as any: our State is prosperous and growing more so day by day. Woman Suffrage has nothing to do with these conditions, excepting this, that inequity and justice woman is entitled to cast her ballot for the protection of her home, her property and her family, the same as the men are in Colorado. Her intelligence is equal to that of the men, but her use of the ballot is of no different class or character than the use of the ballot by the men. I have written thus at length in order that I may make myself perfectly clear and you are at liberty to use such parts of this letter as you desire to use, only seeing to it that the intent and meaning is not distorted. Yours very truly, (Signed) F. M. Briggs�"
"March 28, 1916.Honorable Charles S. Thomas United States Senate Washington, D.C. My dear Mr. Thomas: Your recent letter addressed to Mrs. Catt in relation to Mr. Maling duly came to hand. We are holding it pending Mrs. Catt's return from a western trip, which will not be before April 4th or 5th.Very truly yours, CS/AD Secretary to Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt."
"COPYTHE CENTRAL SAVINGS BANK AND TRUST COMPANY DENVER, COLORADO. Mar. 31, 1916. James L. Laidlaw, Esq., c/o Laidlaw & Co.,26 Broadway, New York City. Dear Sir; Replying to your favor of the 23rd inst., in regard to one John B. Maling, who is said to be traveling through the country and now especially in Iowa, and said to be backed by the bankers of Denver, Colorado will say that I know of this gentleman, but feel sure that he is in no way connected or backed by the bankers of any bank in Denver. To my mind, it is absolute nonsense for any man to suggest that women's suffrage has had anything but a beneficial influence in Colorado. After this statement, you will see that I do not take Mr. Maling seriously, and I do not think that he is really taken seriously by many people in this state. Colorado has had troubles of her own, like some other localities, and I should say that Mr. Maling is one of them. As a matter of fact, Colorado is in splendid financial condition, has come through the past few years of dull times with remarkably few failures, and I feel sure that woman's suffrage will play an important part in putting her to the front, financially and otherwise, among her sister states Would prefer that my ideas in regard to Mr. Maling should not be published. Yours very truly, W. M. Marshall, President.�"
"Says nothing about publishing COPY. THE HAMILTON NATIONAL BANK. Denver, Colorado3-31-1916.Mr. James L. Laidlow,26 Broadway, New York City, N.Y. Dear Sir: In reply to your inquiry of the 25th instant: The party you mention is a local attorney with much ability in some lines. He is frequently retained in matters affecting taxes and tax titles and is supposed to frequently report certain political factions under retainer. I have no personal knowledge of his present engagements except as mentioned in the press. As for his representing any Denver bankers in his Iowa speeches, I am inclined to doubt there being any basis of fact in such representations. Among local bankers you would perhaps find some who are opposed to woman's suff[e]rage but I do not think any of these opposed thereto are sufficiently interested to spend money on such a campaign, nor do I believe that any of them have such disposition. It is barely possible that I will be in New York in the next few weeks, in which case, if you so desire, I could answer your further questions. Very truly yours, Allan F. Ayers."
"May Publish COPY. THE HIBERNIA BANK AND TRUST COMPANYOF DENVER, COLORADO. April 1, 1916.Mr. James L. Laidlaw,26 Broadway New York, Sir: Your letter of March 27th addressed to W. R. Leonard, President, has been handed to me for answer, as he is now sojourning in Cuba. I wish to say that I do not know anything about John B. Maling, who is travelling through the country, in Iowa. I do not believe that he is back by any bankers of Denver, Colo. It is not true that the bankers and other business men of Colorado have found that Women Suffrage is not a success, and has been a detrimental to business in Colorado, and that it has brought about a distressing financial condition. On the contrary Women Suffrage in Colorado, and that has been a wonderful success, and it has been very beneficial to business in this state, and there is no such thing as a distressing financial condition in Colorado. The mining industry never was better in the history of the state. The sugar beet industry, live stock, and iron and manufacturing is at the zenith of strength and prosperity. The banks of the State of Colorado have larger deposits than ever before; the labor is better employed than for many years past. The state has recently gone dry, and we can find no material difference in business, excepting that the grocer, the butcher, clothier and baker all report that their collections are better than ever before. I have no objection to the publication of this letter if you see fit to use it. Very respectfully, M. C. Harrington MCH/EM"
"COPY.THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF DENVER, COLORADO.CAPITAL and SURPLUS $1,500,000April 1, 1916.Mr. James L. Laidlaw,26 Broadway, New York City. Dear Sir: Your letter of the 25th addressed to Mr. M. D. Thatcher is upon my desk this morning. You are perhaps not aware that Mr. Thatcher passed away some-thing like a month ago. Referring to your inquiry as to Mr. John B. Maling would say that I have met the gentleman once or twice here in the past few years but have no acquaintance with him and have no knowledge whatever of the bankers of Denver being, as he says, behind him in this position he is taking with reference to Women's Suffrage. There is quite a division of opinion here in our state as to whether this movement has been for the best interests of that state or not. My personal impressions are that it has been a benefit, but I know of some pretty level headed people who take the opposite view of it. I would very much prefer that you did not publish my views in this matter. Yours very truly, H. J. Alexander."
"THE WEST SIDE STATE BANKDENVER, COLORADO, APRIL 4, 1916.Mr. James L. Laidlaw,26 Broadway, New York City. Dear Sir, Replying to your letter of March 31st, addressed to our President. I beg to advise that we do not know a man by the name of John D. Maling, and we doubt very much is any of the bankers of this city or state are backing a campaign against Woman Suffrage. In my judgment it is a base slander for anyone to say that Woman Suffrage has been detrimental to the business interests of Color-ado or that is has anything to do with bringing about distressing financial conditions, as such a condition does not and has not at any time existed during recent years. The writer advocated and supported Woman Suffrage in this state when the matter or-iginally came before our voters, and while I am not prepared to say that the women have taken the consistent interest in the right of franchise which they have enjoyed. I am positive in my mind that if it has had any effect upon general conditions that it has been helpful rather than otherwise. The above are my personal expressions only and you are at liberty to use same as you may see fit. Yours very truly,(Sd) A. E. Upton, Cashier"
"My dear Mr. Laidlaw: Acknowledging receipt of your favor of the 25th ult., I do- wire to say that so far as this bank is concerned Mr. Mailing has no authority to use our name in any way, shape or manner. On inquiry of the other bankers here they all disclaim any knowledge of Mr. Mailing's lecture tour, and certainly are in no way behind him in his [utterness] regarding woman suffrage. Woman suffrage has been on the status books here for many years, and I feel quite sure that it has not caused the state any harm, though I have doubts about its direct benefits, unless we could possibly trace the women's vote to the prohibition amendment which want into force in this state on January 1st. From my personal observation, women exercise their right to vote at infrequent intervals, and them only when a large wave of public san- difficult to get the average woman to register. Very truly yours, J.C. Mitchell President"
"Do not publish COPY THE CITIZENS EXCHANGE BANKDENVER, COLORADO April 7, 1916.Mr. James L. Laidlaw,26 Broadway, New York City. My dear Mr. Laidlaw, Replying to your letter of March 23rd, desiring information as to Woman Suffrage in our State and its effect, will say: In many instances, such as School Elections, the Prohibition question and many questions of importance submitted to the voters here, I consider it an advantage and feel as though they should be given equal rights along this line. I have no desire for publication of this information and trust that it will be kept confidential. Very truly,(signed) JNO. S. Settle, Jr. President"
"Strictly Confidential COPY THE GUARDIAN TRUST COMPANYDENVER, COLORADO April 10, 1916.Mr. James L. Laidlaw C/o Laidlaw & Co.,26 Broadway, New York. My dear Mr. Laidlaw: I am in receipt of your favor of the 5th inst. and note what you say in reference Mr. John B. Maling. As far as I am concerned, I have no knowledge of Mr. Maling's position in this matter in so far as being backed by the Bankers of Denver, Colorado. I have no information that would show that Mr. Maling has the authority to make any statements on behalf of the bankers of this City. As far as Woman Suffrage is concerned, I have found no dis-advantage in its existence in this state. Business conditions in Denver and in Colorado I believe to be better than they have been for a good many years and people that I have occasion to meet express themselves as being pleased with conditions at the present time and are very optimistic as to the future. I prefer that my communication to you be treated as strictly confidential. Very truly yours,(Signed) Samuel M. Willner"
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Ellis Meredith Collection, MSS.427, History Colorado, Denver, Colorado.
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