The age-herald., 1901-03-03

The old, time-honored tradition that woman's exclusive realm is the home has, in the light of modern advancement and political achievement, been relegated to the past Since woman has entered the arena of politics, the world we might say, has watched her career, studied her in fiuence and deduced from her position its own conclusions Today in Colorado she stands thoroughly emancipated from all restrictions of so-called personal and po- litical liberty; she stands unchallenged with the privilege of using this power and this infuence-to what end the world Is waiting to see.
 In many respects, dare say, the most enthusiastic suffragists have been disap- pointed. Great things are always expect ed of women when they essay to follow any peculiar tendency or espouse any un- usual cause. Why does she leave the trodden ways of centuries for the harsh, uncertain by-paths of a new condition? Is it here that she hopes to find all that that misappled, misused term, progress sive, implies? It is question which wo- man herself cannot answer with any de- gree Of satisfaction to herself or to her hearers.
 When the suffrage bill first passed the
 Colorado Legislature it was thought that
 woman, through the power of the ballot.
 would effect reforms, purify politics and lift the great parties out of the mud and
 mire In which they had widowed so long.
 What has been the result?
 On all general questions the vote IS
 practically unchanged. The number Of
 votes gained to the cause of prohibition l throughout the State could be named in
 two figures, and no measures of reform
 have ever been accomplished through her
 vote In local affairs the vicious and cor ruptfng institutions which are controlled
 by municipal authorities remain un- l changed Vice continues 10 f1aunt her l self publicly in the face of honest people l chicanery and political intrigue are prac-
 ticed quite as effectually among women
 as among men, and the average woman
 politician will resort to more methods or
 carrying her point and of accomplishing
 the success of the party with which she
 Is identified than will the average man.
 She Is persistent to a fault, undaunted
 by harsh treatment incapable of being l offended and possessed of the assurance l that enables her to meet unabashed the
 rebuffs end insults that fall to the lot Of l the average ward politician. She becomes l a source of annoyance and almost an oo-
 
 | sisters; she becomes man among men, l and receives from them only the consid- eration which one politician may expect
 at the hands of another. She Is no longer l that dainty, mysterious creation of femi- | ninity made to challenge their love and l admiration but a modified edition of man | in petticoats. l do not say that she is | more interruptions than man, but she is | equally as much so. During a political | campaign she becomes as much the tool | of her party along whatever lines 1t may l prescribe as does her supposedly less | scrupulous brother, and always remem- | bers with the female capacity of storing l resentment all who oppose her position. | She Is not yet thoroughly masculinized. | It will take generations of this assumed | role to eradicate all feminine character | istics, although in some respects her | progress has been beyond the most san | guine expectations She Is rapidly lay | ing aside many of her most womanly | chara cteristics Of course this applies not | so much to the average voter as to the | typical politician. I think I can safely | say. for this State at least, that If the | question of equal suffrage were left for | the women to decide, they would repeal | the law. It has been thoroughly proven l that the female vote does not change "e- suits The average woman takes little, | if any, more interest in politics here than