The San Francisco call., 1896-10-31
LET WOMEN HELP.
trong Reasons for Voting for the sixth
Amendment to the Constitution.

strong Reasons LOT pOtihs iOt eAAS N'N~e~-
Amendment to the Constitution.
The differences in opinion which have agi-
tated the minds OF the people OF these United
states will soon have been decided one way or
the other. The National issues are great and
imnortant. and the voters representing the
various political parties are necessarily more
oceupied with them than with any state OF
local question.
But this election day in California will also
decide question which, to the women OF the
State, possesses more vital interest than even
that of gold or silver, free trade or protectlon'
1t is the prayer for equal liberty to express an
opinion, for equal freedom to determine Win
others who shall govern this country OF ours,
that the women of California are sendlng
FORTH and which will be granted or Denied as
the sixth amenoment wins or falls
For wears the women have thus prayed, ana
now for the first time, the question has come
before the voters OF his State for decision.
If we could but make the men understand
and realize what this means 70 u.s. now
OF the State that all It's members should partl-
cpate in its government; now Illuminated we
feel in our condition OF dlstranchlsemenI ana
hopeless sck OF influence; how strongly we
believe that there is noble work Tor us 10 90,
and glorious results 10 accomplish IN the neia
OF politics were we but permitted; II we couIu
make the men see this, we should lot tear the
result, For we believe that the majority OF
men are good men, and we know gooo men are
not pleased or satisfied with the present con-
dition of politics, and ii they could put De con-
vinced that women in politics would help TO
purify them, we are sure we should not ask IN
vain 10 be allowed to do It.
In all institutions of whatever nature,
where women are part, they represent the
moral force, the unseltish enthusiasm, the en-
ergetic work. that are needed to benefi So
ciety and which are nowhere more strongly
needed than in the institution OF politics to-
day, but which are SO well known to be lacking.
Good men say they have not the time to at
tend to political responsibilities. ana II they
had things are too hopelessly bad to be i'm
proved. Women would have time They
would make time as they do for houseclean-
ing, and the same enthusiasm to clean up dirt
which, annually or oftener, assails the mind
of the good housekeeper-and which every
man breads because it makes things for mo-
meut SO very uncomfortable-would be mani
tested in taking hold OF the dirty corners IN
politics and insisting upon their being washed
and scrubbed and the light OF day turned on
them.
This would undoubtedly be an uncomforta-
bic time for those who prefer living in the
"flthy pool OF politics" just as it is, yet to the
clean minded voter the honest wellmeaning
citizen, it would be a very delightful feeling TO
Eaow "the house is cleaned and garnished,"
and wor thy to be lived in once more, and that
furthermore it would never get as dirty again.
Because women have heretofore lived in the
sphere OF small and unimportant details they
will bring TO bear on the political situation a
searchllght OF observation, q minute scrutiny,
which will see things that exist which men in
and wider affairs would never discern. This
closer looking at matters political could only
result in good for good women will never en-
dure the "dirty corners" And who will say
this would not be benefit to both men and
women
But beyond and above this characteristic of
women to busy themselves with the smaller
affairs of Lille because they are not allowed to
do so with the larger interests of government;
back OF this pettiness and restricted growth OF
women exists noble patriotism, which would
be one OF the greatest benefits to the country
q patriotism which believes that the grand
race OF statesmen is not vet entirely absorbed
into politicians" that it is possibl yet to find
love of country dominating love of Office, anu
that those who believe in ''the greatest good
to the greatest number" are yet more numer-
Gus than those who would prostitute public
Office for personal ends. This is not practical
tainment, but the good women of this State
will have to suffer long experience of dis
eouragement and defeat before they win ever
believe such things cannot be. And is not
this ideal worthy an attempt to embody in the
real?
Is it not motive worthy the support of
every good man, every man who is anxious
that this Government should be great and
noble, every man who is a true and loyal citi-
zen? Is not such belief on the part of women
in the Possibilities OF politics, the outgrowth
of patriotism that is needed, sadly needed
in the Government to-day? 1t seems TO us so.
and it is for an Opport unity to prove that poll
tics can be made better; that the ''filthy pool''
can be eieansed; that true patriotism and love
of country yet exists, that the women of Cali
fornia ask the men OF the State 10 vote for the
sixth amendment on Tuesday next
MRS. N. w. PALMER.
Oakland Gal