The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-11

have demanded an extension of this
right that would include all other Off
cials-in short, absolute equality OF
suffrage. They asked the legislature to
submit an equal suffrage amendment
TO the people, but failed to receive q
favorable response.
That is precisely what has happened
in many other states Indeed, it has
almost come to be the regular order"
And in all states except Kansas the
defeated applicants have acted up to
the good old maxim, Try, try again, -
and have carefully-we might say nat
urally and nevitab1y-avoided any
unseemly or reprehensible exhibition Of
resentment. But this cannot be said
of all the influential leaders of the
movement in Kansas. For some rea-
son which may be clear as daylight to
their minds, but which IS quite incOm-
prehensible to outsiders, the members
| of the Greensburg Woman'S Suffrage
association have decided to hit the
churches in revenge for the refusal of
the legislature to grant their request.
Here is a manifesto which they have
issued:
..As our state legislature failed to
allow a vote of the people on a consti-
tutionaI amendment granting universal
fected and should get redress, there
fore would it not be we'll for them to
withdraw their presence and support
from the churches until the male mem
DGAS WOulQ DC DIO05IL 10 dQNOCdlC
their cause? Think you the kingdom
of heaven will come with the best half
of the people slaves? The old adage
that those who would be free must first
make the effort is particularly applica-
bic to the cause in point.
Then strike, sisters; you have the
world and heaven to gain and nothing
to lose but the letters that bind you to
man-made laws"
Could the blindest folly, stimulated
nv EOriOc yxyra fh farther than
that? If that Were-aS we know it is
not-a fair illustration of the intel
] lgence of Kansas women, their unfit
ness for the suffrage would be mani
fest. That appeal is as deficient in
morals as in reason. The adoption of
the course suggested would be fatal to
all the churches in the state. 1t would
cause the abandonment of religious
services, including the Sunday schools
and the various religious organizations
of which women are the soul. Would
/ it produce the intended effect? Would
the men of Kansas surrender to such
a strike, a strike against all the means
! of supporting the churches and their
work? Possibly they might. but their
devotion to women would be rudely
shocked The cost of such a victory
would be in excess of its value We
apprehend, however that there is little
danger of the calamity that those I'M
wise women invoke The only effect of
their folly will be to render more diff
cult the attainment of the reform in
which they are engaged. In Kansas.
as in all other states the women will
continue to be the life of the churches
and the most jealous promoters of re-
ligion As for the women who are re-
sponsible for that appeal, we hope they
viii soon get their overheated brains
cooled off to such an extent as to re-
alize and be ashamed of and sorry for
their bad break. Their plan for con-
trolling legislative action is little, If
any, better than Carrie Nations
scheme for promoting temperance.