Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-05-29
OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON FRIDAY MORNING. MAY 49,
BALLOT OR BALLET?
HERES S A NEW ARGUMENT FOR
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

HERE'S A NEW ARGUMENT FOR
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
Andrew J. Hirschl Declares That the Man Who
Opposes Equal Rights Usually Can Be
Found in the Front Row of a Vaudeville
Theater With His Eyes Fastened on the
Dancing GirIs-Sses a New Way Of Popping
the Question.
The cry that woman's place is in
the home is meaningless unless the
men who are making that cry see to
it that every woman has home.
Usually the man who raises this cry
can be found in the front row of a
cheap vaudeville theater with his eyes
riveted on the ballet girls who have
no home"
In this fashion Andrew J. Hirschl
addressed the Chicago Political Equal
ity league, a few days ago. He declared
that the majority OF men are too sell
fish to recognize the fact that a wo-
man who has to earn her own living is
entitled to voice in the government
of which she is part.
eff a woman is able to work and
engage in bargain.counter struggle"
he declared, "she is physically able to
vote. If che is not able to 60 to the
polls carriage should be sent after
her. The politicians are able to send
carriages for men voters, and they
should be able to send them for the
women, too.
"Some men object 10 the enfran-
chisement of women on the ground
that every husband would control two
votes. Well, ! say that the man who
has large family deserves two votes.
If 1 had my way about it, he would
have as many votes as he has children.
He deserves a dozen votes great deal
more than the bachelor. who has no
responsibilities, deserves one.
"The man who makes that argu-
ment shows also his lack of knowl-
edge of woman's nature. He must
have been bachelor. 1 have found
that wife has an opinion of her own
and l believe she would not be die
tated to-"
Mr.. Hirschl took up another phase
of the question and pointed out some
of the possible results OF franchise ex-
tension.
"Women would do their own pro-
posing after they had acquired the
ballot" he declared. "They would be
more independent and maybe the di-
vorce laws would be improved. Why,
as early as 1886 the women of Poland
issued manifesto in which their de-
sires were clearly shown.
"They protested against the prac-
tics OF long courtships, they asked a
law guaranteeing to every maid the
right TO choose her own husband, they
demanded the establishment of n GEN.
trail marriage mart, and lastly pleaded
for law prohibiting the marriage of
widows over 40 and providing that
violators should be executed. They
made this demand because they
claimed so many young men were be.
ing ensnared by the widows fascina.
tions.
"If one woman demands her right
to suffrage every man in Illinois should
make it his personal business to see
that she gets it. The failure of the
women TO vote for school trustees
means little. They should be given
the vote for all Offices as a matter OF
right and not for one Office as a mat
ter of expediency. dare say that if
the men had to 60 to the polls at q
special election to vote for school
trustees only one in ten would 60. 1t
is the same with the women.
"If women were allowed to vote it
would better their condition, and that
one reason is sufficient to justify the
Legislature in granting suffrage. Every
one who has a heart, soul, and a
conscience, would do anything to bet
ter the condition of even a little yell
low dog.
"The great bulk of the teachers OF
Chicago are women, and they are un-
derpaid. l think that If they could
vote for Mayor Harrison at the next
election he would see to it that they
received their pay"
The speaker said that the only two
qualifications should be those of age
and education.
A.