was hotly contested. The _Evening Telegraph_ of February 6,
1874, gives the following:

There is progressing in the Thirteenth ward a contest which
involves so peculiar and important an issue as to merit the
widest publicity. It illustrates how the rights guaranteed to
women under the new constitution are to be denied them, if
cunning and bold chicanery are to be tolerated, by a few ward
politicians. At the Republican primary election, held January 20,
Mrs. Harriet W. Paist and Mrs. George W. Woelpper were duly
nominated as candidates for members of the board of school
directors of the ward. Both of these ladies received their
certificates, that given to Mrs. Paist reading as follows:

This is to certify that at a meeting of the judges of the
different divisions of the Thirteenth ward, held in accordance
with the rules of the Republican party, on the evening of January
20, 1874, Mrs. Harriet W. Paist was found to be elected as
candidate upon the Republican ticket from the Thirteenth ward,
for school director.

CHARLES M. CARPENTER, _President_.

JAMES M. STEWART, } _Clerks_.
DAVID J. SMITH, }

No sooner was it ascertained that the ladies had actually become
candidates on the Republican ticket than a movement was
inaugurated to oust them, the old war tocsin of "Anything to beat
Grant" being for this purpose amended thus: "Anything to beat the
women." This antagonism to the fair candidates was based entirely
upon the supposition that their names would so materially weaken
the ticket as to place the election of the Republican common
councilman, Henry C. Dunlap, in the greatest jeopardy. To save
him, therefore, the managers of the movement must sacrifice
Mesdames Woelpper and Paist. How was this to be accomplished?
Each was fortified in her position by a genuine certificate of
election, and had, furthermore, expressed her determination to
run. What could not be done fairly must be accomplished by
strategy. Mr. Ezra Lukens called upon Mrs. Paist, stating that if
she did not withdraw the Republicans who were opposed to the lady
candidates would unite with the "other party" and defeat the
Republican ward ticket. Mrs. Paist inquired if she had not been
regularly nominated, and his reply was that she had b