Although this
work is subtitled an autobiographical
history of the
Equal Sufferage movement in the Pacific Coast States, it is not an autobiography of the author. It does touch on the facts of her being born in Illinois, traveling the Oregon Trail, maintaining a journal of that trek, at her father's behest, as well as her later marriage and motherhood experiences. It is mainly a collection of her memoirs associated with the right to vote for women in the Pacific Northwest that makes this work and eye-opener for the way things were a mere century ago for women of the United States.
It is arranged by theme, and gives accounts of Duniway's unceasing efforts, once she launched her campaign to achieve equal sufferage for women in Oregon. While she was instrumental in gaining that right for women of Idaho and Washington and played a small role in the California campaign, she endured loss after loss in Oregon at the ballot box. After each defeat, she came back swinging and finally was victorious in 1912. As she said Equal Sufferage was not an issue of men vs. women regarding women's right to vote. It was a continued effort of broad-minded women and men to
overcome the narrow minds of other women and men. In fact it was generally the women populace who worked hardest to defeat Duniway's campaigns, although many Protestant ministers and certain business men including some influential newspaper editors were the ones providing the greatest impetus for maintaining the status quo.
Duniway learned many hard lessons in the political arena and had to overcome major obstacles all along the way. One of the most formidable contests was convincing voters that women were not universally prohibitionists and would not vote away man's right to imbibe. As the Women's Christian Temperance Union organized, marched, and openly campaigned to shut down the liquor trade in all aspects, Duniway quietly organized, lectured, and educated on the fact that giving women the right to vote was securing a right, while the temperance union was working to deny a right.
Another unusual twist to Duniway's work was that the Suffragettes of the East Coast tended to do more harm than good when they came to the West to "help." While Susan B. Anthony remained in the good graces of suffragettes everywhere including with Duniway's women's club members, some of the other workers came on too strong and increased antagonism among the anti-sufferage groups.
Another fascinating factor about the content of this book is Duniway's unwavering loyalty and praise for the State of Oregon, its potential and its beauty. This is an account that while it has no direct bearing on today's issues, it is certainly educational in how to persevere in the public domain in order to overcome injustices in society.
*Abigail Scott Duniway is named in the Women's Hall of Fame as Oregon's representative.