The Men's Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage was an American organization active in the

1910s File:1910s montage.png, From left, clockwise: The Ford Model T is introduced and becomes widespread; The Sinking of the RMS Titanic, sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic, ''RMS Titanic'' causes the deaths of nearly 1,500 people and attracts global and h ...

that was opposed to legal voting by women and open exclusively to men. It was made up of loosely affiliated state and local chapters which typically existed for less than a year, the duration of a campaign against a state

referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

proposing

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...

The Association argued that voting should be restricted to white men of high

social class A social class is a grouping of people into a set of Dominance hierarchy, hierarchical social categories, the most common being the Upper class, upper, Middle class, middle and Working class, lower classes. Membership in a social class can for ...

. These arguments relied upon traditional

gender role A gender role, also known as a sex role, is a social role encompassing a range of behaviors and attitudes that are generally considered acceptable, appropriate, or desirable for a person based on that person's sex. Gender roles are usually cent ...

s presenting women as naturally unsuited to leadership. State chapters were well financed and run by prominent men, including wealthy bankers and members of

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...

. For example, the

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

chapter was headed by Representative

Charles L. Underhill Charles Lee Underhill (July 20, 1867 – January 28, 1946) was a United States representative and Anti-suffragism, anti-suffrage activist from Massachusetts. He was born in Richmond, Virginia on July 20, 1867. He moved to Massachusetts in 1872 wi ...

, the

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

chapter by lawyer

Everett P. Wheeler Everett Pepperrell Wheeler (1840, New York City – 1925) was an American lawyer, author, politician, and Anti-suffragism, anti-suffrage activist. He graduated from the City College of New York, College of the City of New York in 1856 and from ...

, and the

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...

chapter by Senator

Joseph Millard Joseph Hopkins Millard (April 20, 1836January 13, 1922) was a Canadian-American businessman and politician from Nebraska. He served in the United States Senate and as mayor of Omaha, and was an anti-suffrage activist. Life Millard was born in ...

, namesake of

Millard, Nebraska Millard is a former town and current neighborhood in southwest Omaha, Nebraska; the original downtown area (often referred to as 'Old Millard') is near Millard Avenue and L Street. History Millard was laid out in 1870 by Ezra Millard, and named f ...

. Chapters often functioned as men's auxiliaries to women's anti-suffrage organizations, though the relationship with women's organizations was marked by conflict. The Nebraska chapter produced an anti-suffrage ''Manifesto'', hoping to change the mind of US Secretary of State

William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, orator and politician. Beginning in 1896, he emerged as a dominant force in the History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, running ...

, a Nebraskan man who supported suffrage. The ''Manifesto'' became "famous" according to

Ida Husted Harper Ida Husted Harper (February 18, 1851 – March 14, 1931) was an American author, journalist, columnist, and suffragist, as well as the author of a three-volume biography of suffrage leader Susan B. Anthony at Anthony's request. Harper also co ...

, and was collected and reproduced by suffrage supporters to highlight the weakness of their opponents' arguments.

References

Further reading