The Advocate and news., 1898-09-07
Three Topeka BOys-TOm, Dick and
Harry.

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best way to carry out the afternoon's S
program" began Tom. who generally
presided at the club meetings. "Now,
Harry, suppose you start first and give
us you best reasons for believing in Wo-
man suffrage"
well, Mr.. President" said Harry, ris-
ing and addressing Tom II think my
best reason for believing in the subject
under discussion is that If it Is a right
and duty for father to vote it is equally
right and duty for mother to vote.
In fact, think that il one part Of the
human race must refrain from voting it
had better be the fathers instead of the
mothers, as it seems to me that the latter
have the home ever in their thought;
they are always looking out for and
working for whatever will better the
condition of their children. And that,
it seems to me, Is what government is
for--the protection Of the home and the
making Of conditions so that the chill
dren may grow to be noble citizens. Oh,
boys, l think it is very wrong and cruel,
too that after a mother carefully trains
her child to pure thoughts and upright
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ter he has grown to be young man,
under what laws he shall live. All the
influence of her good life and teaching
can serve as nothing if that boy goes out
into the world to find saloons on every
corner and gambling places and every
thing that is bad and naughty. l wish
that l had the say as to whether women
should vote, and l can just tell you
that 1t wouldn't take me long to have
the ballot in the hand of every mother
in our country. I'll risk but what she
would use it for the best interests of all
that is good and right. have made my
speech pretty long, but l have not said
one-tenth as much as ought to be said"
And Harry sat down, flushed and trou-
bled over the injustice done to one-half
Of the human family. Bless the dear
boy; this was one subject in which he be-
lieVed with all the strength Of his little
body. He had heard Mrs. Mcclure so
many times that he could almost repeat
verbatim her many arguments pro and
con.
"Well," said Dick, hopping up when
his turn came, my best reason for be-
lieving in woman's suffrage Is that
think if women voted they would abOl-
ish saloons and then we wouldn't have
no more drunken men and that would
surely be the best blessing that could
come to us. But to tell the truth, boys,
I'm awful tired hearing about woman's
suffrage. / think it's an awful stale,
old, worn-out subject, and l wish |
never had to hear tell of it again. But 1
'spose that as grannie says, no question
is ever settled until it is settled right
that the women'll keep peggin' away at
this until they git their way about it,
and Dick sat down, after exploding his
long pent up feelings, amidst the frowns
of his two companions.
'Why, Dick" said Tom, as he stood
with gavel in hand glaring down on the
young rebel. 81 should think you'd be
ashamed to talk so. The idea of saying
you are tired Of hearing about what the
women want. It's as much our duty to
want 1t as it is theirs. It isn't only the
women that would be benefited, but ev-
erybody would be better off, And can
just tell you, Dick, that you'd be better
off If the women voted, for do you sup
pose that If the women made the laws
they would allow little boys like you to
sell papers instead of going to school?
They would see to it that all children
had a fair chance in the world. l don't
believe this country would be poor and
oppressed long If they had hand in
the government of it. All women are
natural reformers because all they care
about is the lettering of home condi-
tions and home industries. All women
are at heart Populists, even il they don't
know it. Why, l don't believe there
would be any need for poorhouses and
there would be fewer criminals, too, be-
cause much of the crime committed is
because men can't find work to do. Oh,
it would make everything so much bet
ter all round. / don't see why men can't
see it that way. Why, don't you know,
l don't believe would like my papa