The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1900-05-09

Mrs. Ida Calvert ObenchalD ELIZA
Calvert Hal), author Of sally AIMS
Experience and other tales, one of Ken
tucky's mort brilliant writers, gives in
the WoMAN's JOURNAL. a Boston paper,
last week her views as to the bearing OF
the recent political disturbances in Ken
lucky on woman's ballot 1t will be re-
membered that II the late Congressional
hearing, Northern opponent of equal
rights for women referred to the shoot
ing of Goebel as conclusive objection
to letting women vote, and Mr..
Charles r. Saunders used the same ar.
gument in the recent debate on equal
suffrage in the Massachusetts, Legislature.
Mrs. Obenchain says;
A few weeks before our last. Equal
Rights Convention had letter from
Mrs. Mary @. Roark, asking me, among
other things, for my idea of the lines of
suffrage work that needed special atten-
ton in this State at the present time.
As nearly as can remember, my reply
was as follows:
The political conditions in our State
are such that l do not see how any
woman with an atom OF common sense
can say that she does not want TO vote.
II some divine power would only rain
down little common sense on the wo-
men who need 1t, any line OF work
wkald lead speedily to woman suffrage;
but without that divine interposition, no
line of work can possibly prove effective.
This sounds pessimistic but do not feel
pessimistic at all. 1 believe that woman
suffrage is near at hand, but it is going to
be forced on the women OF Kentucky by
some unexpected combination OF circum-
stances, Just as it was forced on the wo-
men of New Orleans. The average wo'
man has no sense of justice. She will
have to learn the expediency OF woman
suffrage before che sees its justice.
When wrote these words, Id ii not
dream that their fulflment lay very
near at hand, and that it would be writ
ten in blood on the pages OF Kentucky's
history. A few weeks later came the
assassination of Goebel, the climax OF all
Kentucky's bloody deeds The "unex-
pected combination Of circumstances"
had occurred at last.
A few weeks later still, and the Louis
: vile Courier Journal announced that
1.-THE Women's Emergency Association"
would hold meeting "for the purpose
of directing the attention OF women to
/. 3.e Importance and necessity OF using
fhsir influence in behalf OF good citizen
ship.' Here was the fulfillment OF my
words. Goebel's death had not only re
united his party, but it had awakened
the women Of his State TO realization of
their civic responsibilities.
The mass meeting was held and the
speakers were the most eminent among
the city's clergy. There was great
amount OF eloquence and enthusiasm;
but between Bishop Dudley and Rev.
Carter Helm Jones the women Of Ken
lucky will have hard time finding out
who they are, and what they are, and
where they are "at" in this political
crisis.
First came Bishop Dudley who said
that all the good qualities OF man are
due to woman, and that "the mightiest,
bravest, and best men in this country
have been widows sons" and that "the
country is full Of good men who never
had fathers il fluence 10 guide them"
Then came the Rev. Carter Helm Jones,
who declared that "the men Of Ken
lucky are just as good as the women
want them to be-" in which case We wo.
men are certainly a very bad lot.
To suffragist, these conflicting state
lments are very suggestive. If We women
IKE as powerful and as good rs the Bis
hop says we are, / would like to ask him
how 1t happens that affairs have gotten
into such q bad condition. Then, again,
If our "ideals" are to blame for all this
political trouble, as Mr.. Jones asserts,
what is the use Of calling on us to purify
politics A mass meeting Of angels and