100 years ago in Spokane: Famed hotelier tells Ida Tarbell ‘women have no place in politics’ at business luncheon

Sparks flew when one of Spokane’s prime characters, Dutch Jake Goetz, shared the speaker’s table with Ida Tarbell, famous crusading author and investigative journalist, at the Spokane Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

Dutch Jake, a hotel owner and former saloon magnate, began scolding her on the issue of women’s suffrage.

“I don’t agree with you,” said Dutch Jake. “Woman suffrage is the ruination of this country. Women have no place in politics. Their place is in the home, raising families. All our women think about is to go into the stores and buy fine clothes and shoes when they ought to be home raising babies. I don’t agree with you. I’m glad I’m against you. I’m glad I met you.”

Tarbell’s talk was not even about women’s suffrage. It was about industrial policy and taxation, and she made only a casual reference to suffrage.

Tarbell took it all good-naturedly, probably in part because of Dutch Jake’s comic delivery.

“His remarks were interrupted with shrieks of laughter and prolonged applause, in which Miss Tarbell was a leader,” said the paper.

She “eagerly shook hands” with Dutch Jake, who invited her to come and see his hotel.