Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1904-09-09
"KEEP RESPONSIBLE"
MRs.L ELLEN FOSTERS TIMELY
APPEAL TO WOMEN.
Why Their Influence Should BE Exsr'
ted In Behalf of Republican encce~
1t the Poiis-A Party that Leads Al

Western life, the author makes his here
say to crowd OF comrades who urge
him to take a drink, mo, boys. l must
keep responsible"
This tall, big-boned and big~hearted
man OF the woods and of the plains had
driven many miles from the ranch to the
railway station, to meet a visiting city
gentleman. 1t was "up to him" to bring
that visitor safely to the ranch; to per-
form that duty he must keep responsi-
ble."
1 read this story two years ago,
while campaigning in the State Of
Idaho. In that State. and also in
the States Of Wyoming, Colorado and
J Utah, women vote and may hold Office
on the same conditions as do men. A
Democrat, Miss French, had acceptably
held the office of State Superintendent
OF Public Instruction, and was renomi-
mated. The Republican party had alss
nominated a lady, Miss Mae Scott, for
the position. The campaign for the State
ticket. and for Congressman-at-largA
was vigorous, and the Republican party
won. The shibboleth passed around
among Republican women was, Keep
responsible"
Miss Scott has been renominated By
reclamation, at the recent State conven-
ton at Moscow. No criticism had been
made upon her conduct Of the ofice-shs
had kept responsible"
We are now passing this word on to
Republican women, the country oven
Whether or not you can vote, you car
keep responsible"
Among the qualities Of the IDEAL wo-
man none is SO universally acknowledged
as is that one of answering fidelity to
duty. In literature, and in the common
experiences Of ordinary, everyday life,
! woman's reliability as sister, sweetheart,
wife or mother is the keystone Of every
arch, the keystone of all music. An
| irresponsible woman, woman who
docs not care" is pitiful and revolving
object. 1t is common to say that Z
woman who goes wrong falls to lower
depths than man can. l am not sure
that this is absolutely true. 1t surely
seems so.
During the last quarter of a century
woman's sphere of duty and of respon-
sibility has greatly widened. In fulfilling
her primal responsibilities to the home,
she has been forced beyond the old-time
limitations in education, in industry, in
social economies, and in politics. The
demands of necessity and the limits of
opportunity are always the measure of
responsibility. Consciously or uncon-
sciously the average woman has always
accepted this standard of obligation. The
American woman has conspicuously done
so. The American man, her comrade in
the home and in the worlds work, 10
larger Drained, more free-hearted and
open-handed, more responsive to the
spirit Of progress than is any other man
in the world. He, more than she, is re-
sponsible for the enlargement Of her
sphere Of influence He is sometimes
little slow in recognizing the results Of
his own initiative.
This is how it is and why American
women now find themselves driven by
the necessities Of the national life to the
open door of opportunity, and coerced by
forces Of progress.
l cannot in this paper set forth the
claims of the Republican party, or show
the utter inability of the Democratic
party to legislate for the people, and its
to administer the govern
ment. here only ask intelligent wo-
men to read the history of the country,
to study its present life as illustrating
the wisdom OF the principles and the
policies of the Republican
party, and to contrast them with the UNI
wisdom, and the dangerous go-as-you-
please, irresponsible suggestions Of the
Democratic party. l do not fear the
hnal judgment of the average American
when she accepts the fact of her
wider sphere in politics and informs her
self. l know that she will Keep Re-
sponsible."
/ urge all women to think. and then
% act Study the national situation:
note the strides which the country has
made in every department of human pro-
yress. See its greatness at home, aud
Is benefcient influence in world reIa-
ions. Remember that of every forward
movement the Republican party has been
he instigator and the leader. But while
'ou rejoice in victory and in progress.
pen your ears and your hearts to the
lndertone of discord from mis-applied
md jarring forces in Industrial and civic
ife. There are wrongs to be righted.
wounds to be healed. and ulcers to BE-
urned out. There are whole races OF
neh to be lifted from the night of bar
arism into the morning of semi-civiliza-
ion. and finally into the MONDAY OF
rderly seif-government and political lib
rty.
The great, the beloved Mckinley 6rs&
DICED the National Consciousness %
Torld responsibility. He was Gods In
trument in the political evangelization
those island empires where our naa
ow floats You reverenced him. yea
lourned for him ~ you never incurred
efore. Your tears were your hearty
'ibuts to his character. and were ele-
uent with love Of country, and indigna-
on at her enemies. You can pay
oble tribute, and voice . noble patrise-
m. by helping to sustain the principles
: believed In and the enterprises 10
a ugurated. The wisdom OF our great
atesmen II developing his and thels
Of National and international
ghteousness. The service and the blood
our sins have consecrated these ereat
The work must rs q.
I'd you must help.
During this last year, under that
ave knight Of progress. Theodore
oosevslt. the greatest physical entsr-
Use in the worlds history. the conusc-
IN Of the oceans Of two hemispher>s
the Panama canal has been begun.
hen fhs ~sfsr shau 49, th~o~~A el-A