The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-24
WOMAN IN OFFICIAL LIFE.

Editor of The Spy: The willingness
of The Spy to publish both sides of the
suffrage question, encourages me to
comment further on some of the argu-
ments against equal suffrage lately
presented before the Worcester Wom-
ans Club. Mrs. William 7. Sedgwick
is reported as saying:
IF both men and women of high
ability are to devote themselves to
politics, what will become of hui
manity's other interests? Compare
lively few men take an active part in
politics-about ten out of hundred
If the same held true Of women when
they received the ballot, that would be
a reason against giving women the bal
lot for we could not afford to have
ten in every hundred women withdraw
from their work on hospital and poor
farm boards"
1t is difficult to take this seriously.
Does any one really think that ten
women out of every hundred are now
serving on hospital and poor farm
boards? In spite of their political du-
ties, do not men constitute the vast
majority of the members of such boards
all over the country? There is not the
least foundation for the idea that if
women had the ballot, the able ones
would devote themselves to politics so
exclusively that there would not be a
sufficient supply left to do their fair
share of work on such boards. 1t has
not proved so in the case of men, nor
in the case of women in the states
where suffrage has been granted. AS
a matter of historical fact the grant
ing of the ballot to women has always
been followed by a marked increase in
the number serving on educational,
hospital and charitable boards.
In 1859 England gave full municipal
suffrage to single women and widows.
Since then the number of women serV-
ing on school boards, boards of poor,
law guardians, ETC., has increased enor-
mously. 1t is no exaggeration to say
that more women have thus served in
England during the last thirty years
than in the three hundred years pre-
ceding. Neither has the fact that they
have the ballot prevented them from
doing excellent work
Mrs. Sedgwick says that at present
the influence of our women on these
boards counts enormously just be-
cause it is disinterested. Give women
the ballot and they cannot engage in
philanthropies without being accused
ence Nightingale's opinion on hospital
matters been less respected or regard
ed as less disinterested during the past
thirty years because she has had a
vote? Has Miss Octavia Hill found
herself less able to do good work in
tenement house reform for the same
reason? Is there any evidence what
ever that women find themselves at q
disadvantage in charitable and philan-
thropic work where they have a vote?
In Colorado since equal suffrage was
In Colorado, since equal suffrage was
president of the stae board of charities
and correction. There are women in
Massachusetts abundanty capable of
filling that position, but here they are
never chosen for 1t. The lady in ques-
ton, who is we'll known and much be-
loved in Denver, does not feel that
equal suffrage is a hindrance to her in
her many good works. On the con-
trary, she says it is delightful and in
spring to find herself a full citizen.
At the first election in Colorado, after
suffrage was granted, the number of
women chosen as county superinten-
dents of schools, went up to IS: and
similar results have followed in Wy
oming and Idaho.
By engaging actively in politics."
Mrs. Sedgewick perhaps means holding
office. Mrs. Cabot, the president of the
Massachusetts association opposed to
the extension of suffrage to women"
once said that in womens clubs and
societies the stripe far office casts into
the shade anything of the sort that
ever takes place among men. and she
predicted much trouble from this
source if women voted.
With the execution Of educational