The herald., 1896-10-31
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
CHAMPION OF RIGHT
eA&esssAssAessA@AA&*seess
Mr.. James II. Bra.y. Pre- ident Savings Bank
Of Southern California. Obtains the Opln-
ioas Of His Fellow Bankers.


required two-thirds vote, passed a reso-
luton to sub nit to the voters of this
state an amendment to. our constitution,
which If passed, would enfranchise our
r women. l then Immediately set to work
= 70 inform myself on the subject. Like
most men l was prejudiced against it.
= But / asked myself. does justice require
that woman should have right to Xe-
press her will through the ballot box
the same as man? After due considera-
tion had. to, answer yes She is mans
equal in Intellectual qualities and his
superior in moral qualities. She pays
> taxes and is a loyal, w-abiding citt-
sen. She has great stake in the gov
ernment and greater stake in the
home than man has. She should there
fore have the power placed in her hands
to enable her in every way possible to
protect her country. her home and her
sacred affairs. from any and all evils and
influences that would disturb or destroy
them. Justice, equity. reason and the
welfare of our country demand 1t. 1t is
!. her inalienable right to have and use the
! ballot Let us not longer withhold from
her what has always been her right. But
says one, what 81 the effects of womans
3 suffrage?A My answer is, wherever our
mothers, our wives. our sisters and our
sweethearts sgo, good order goes; virtue
goes and anctity presides. Open the
way to the ballot box for women and
good order will prevail at the polls. With
4 the women of our, Golden state resides
5 the greater virtueof our state. Let that
greater virtue with equal intelligence.
express itself through the ballot, and
our politics will be purified. A higher
grade of men for integrity, honor and
sobriety, will fill our public offices. All
political parties will observe greater
care In nominating candidates, knowing
full well that the women will turn bad
men down at the polls. Women may be
relied upon to cross over party lines
and vote for the best men, Men of inn
pure lives will find Office hunting less
pleasing employment when women get
to voting. So we see how the benign in
fluence of woman's enfranchisement will
begin to work away behind caucuses
and primaries. Enfranchise her, ana
you will enoble womanhood. Clothe her
with the power of the ballot. she will ex-
ercise it with good conscience and wo-
manly virtue. This will dignity her in
her own estimation and in the estima-
tion of men But says one. what you
say are only statements and opinions.
So they are. My candid statements and
honest opinions. And with all my mind
and heart and soul. l believe them true
and not half strong enough. Through
an experience of twenty-four years of
school teaching in this state. twelve
years OF which was in the state normal
school at San Jose. have learned some
thing OF the mental and moral qualities
of the sexes. | have also been careful
/. observer of society and character And
it is out of this experience that l. speak
But statements. should be backed up Dy
facts So / eobtairred and studied tbs
facts and figures from countries where
suffrage prevails. The facts and hgureS
back :uIi and emphasize every statement
l have made. In addition to the printed
matter on the subject, took the pains
to write letters to twenty leading male
citizens of the state of Wyoming asking
each to write me his candid opinion on
the effect of womans suffrage in that
state, where it has been in use for tWen-
ty-fve years. l also enclosed few test
questions asking for answers And what
j is the result of their answers. Just what
. anyone. who has taken the time ana
pains to study the questions would eX-
pect Without a dissenting voice they
testify that woman suffrage in the state
of wyoming has been an unalloyed bless
, ing to the state and to the women. They
= testify that they have discovered no bad
elects growing out of it, but very much
good in many ways. The following are
a few of the questions sent and the an
swers received
Question HAS the ballot in the
hands of your women had the effect to
make your women less ladylike and wo-
. manly?
IA Answer--No sir, not in the least.
n Question 2-To make your men less
3 gallant and gentlemanly to women?
~.
posite is true.
Question 3-To strive for and obtain
political offices?
Answer-No. School offices mostly fill
{, ed by women.
Question ITO disturb domestic tran
guilty in your homes?
I! y Answer-No. not at all.
Question 5-To fill your political offices
with higher grade men as go sobriety,
honesty and ability?
/ Answer-Yes. Decidedly. Women
oppose drunkenness and impurity. They
vote for the best men.
BY the unanimous testimony of eigh-
teen good and true witnesses. men of
high standing in the state of Wyoming.
every statement | have made in favor of
woman's suffrage has been established.
Here are a few of the replies
| beg to acknowledge the receipt
= of your favor OF the 18th, in
quiring a little as to the results,
after years of trial in this state, of wo-
mans suffrage. / have replied in a short
way to the questions you have asked,
but in addition desire to say that after
j a test of many years the almost univer-
!: sal verdict of the male voters of this
state, / am sure. would be in favor of
woman's suffrage, should the question
ever be brought to vote.
NJ I have observed the workings of wo-
mans suffrage very closely through the
y course of many years, and l feel
thoroughly JuSt1ned IN saying that 10
mestic troubles resulting from it are eX
-ceedingly rare; on the other hand, it
stimulates reliance of opinion in our
women that makes them broader mind
ed and more comprehensive in their gen.
eral information, more especially as to
public questions of the day. You find
a great many of our women here as we'll
posted, and who will discuss as intel
ligently the great public questions of
the day, as many of our men.
1 hope that the men of California may
do justice to your women by granting
them the right of suffrage. Yours truly,
ress * 80 .i.as.5 DE F. RICHARDS,
President First National bank,
Douglas. wy.
enclose herewith the questions in re-
gard to- woman's suffrage answered as
we'll asaI could. I will say further that
the right to vote has been enjoyed by
the women OF this state and territory
for quarter of a century. so it is no
new thing with us and seems to be the
{ perfectly natural thing. We find no evils
from 1t whatever that in any way COM
pare with the great benefits. ] was a
member of the constitutional convention
at the time that our constitution was
adopted. There was little or no OBJ
lection in the convention to continuing
the right as a constitutional one after
some nineteen years of experience under
territorial condition.
asg came to this state with the same pre-
fffdfppess fpet xUnruar'u CT, era That