Graham guardian., 1902-02-28

mon NOlO' "A iti Sc ihihiVi dl CLIO
, me It, easily bought and sold, has
b IN brought to the polls. The
w men with no standards of life
or ethics have outnum bered those
who seek for the higher ideals.
This result might be at least par
tally averted if all women could
be induced to vote, but large per-
centage Of the better class of wo-
men, for selfish or other reasons,
shun the polls. This leaves the
woman vote an uncertain quantity.
1t is estimated that in Colorado
there are only one-third as many
women as men voters.
Equal suffrage has not even flu.
filed the hopes that it held out to
its partisans. In order to enjoy
their rights to the fullest extent
women have to make great sacri-
fees. The price of the ballot has
been dear. The law has made
them res 2onsible for family debt.
The gal Interpretation has been:
"Well, if she wants to be on sn
equal basis with men, lot her take
mans medicine" A test is now
pending in the supreme court Of
Colorado as to whether a woman
has he riglt to enter s saloon,
and the ,art will be called upon
to draw a very fine line between
right and privile 20 in the decision.
U on woman herself, voting has
had fr more ref ing influence.
She has bee t'.fle coarser and a
great deal less feminine. Home
means lie and the world more. A
wo .; nstaL e, her politics hard.
] ut the NEST revolving side of
the su rage problem is seen in
the women poiticians-womcn
w o s licit votes, who seek Office,
who libby, and who in every way
politi ally as oire. At first women
confined tn ,ir political ambition to
the promoti 6 of the prohibition
movement, but when they found
how un! opular the dry cause was
they consented TO enter 8 wider
field.
AS political workers women
have been unquestionably success
full. One-halr the lobbyists in
Colorado are women, it is said.
Instead Of henpecked husbands
there are henpecked senators
senators who look anxious when
they see the female lobbyist ap
pearing. This is where woman
shines as politician, for her
method is like that of Fabius. who
believed in wearing out tho enemy.
When she determines to talk a sena.
tor into voting for q bill she is as
persistent as book agent. The
work of soliciting votes is confined |
almost entirely to women. As an
active politician, woman must
devote all of her time to the
worrying, hurrying world in which |
she boasts herself t'hus ler."
To fail in her political career is
more embittering to the female
politician than to the disappointed |
in love. She has felt the fascina
ton of political life, or perphaps
one had better say, the enjoyment
of really having her own way, oil
feeling her power.
Part of the programme of politi-
cal reform which the woman voter
mapped out for herself was legisla.
tive. The making of laws is very
complicated. 1t is even more be.
wildering than scratching ticket
and there are still many women
who con scientiously scratch" just
to keep in practice. 1t is, how.
ever, i'm the hands of women some
whae of q drawback to the state
that must experience the results.
The optimistic assure themselves
that she will learn, but not so with
the lie al luminaries. 1t would be
unfair TO make any sweeping state
ments in regard to the legislative
work Of women But even the
most unbiased must admit that her
influence has bee sentimental.
BloVn Up.