Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-01-12

instead c4 L. .,,.,...s been sained"
by Won-c;., l.. are stlll struggling
for foot1a!s .as Just received 4
practical illustration in Washington
city. During the iast two years for
the first time q woman has been pe-.
mittcG to enter the law department
of Columbian university in that city
and prepare for its degrees.
paragraph has been going the
rounds setting forth the small nun
Der Of women who voted in the re-
cent municipal" elections in Massa.
chusetts and asserting that the nuEl-
Der IS constantly growing smaller.
In Boston, it is said, only 1850
women cast their ballots.
The fact is that women have no
,municipal' suffrage in Massaehn
sets. In 1879 in a burst of geaar-
oslty, law which never has beea ge
pealed was passed by the legislature
providing that a woman q ears OF
age who could stand the educational
test and who shouil give notice IN
writing that she wished to be as.
sessed a poll tax fs2l, and who should
give, under oath, q statement of heS
taxable property and be therelDon
assessed, and who should go at an
appointed time and register and re-
peat this performance every year.
should be allowed to vote for school
trustees. She could not attend IN.
primaries and help select the candt.
dates; she could not vote for super.
Vlsors or any other officials, nor for
appropriations for new schoolhouses.
nor In the selection Of teachers nor
on any question connected With tho
public schools, bat simply could make
a choice Of trustees from ballot pre-
pared without her sanction
Under these conditions men pretend
to be shocked and grieved that ,hs
women Of Massachusetts 10 not rush
en- masse to the polls. To compare
the size OF the woman's vote with
that Of the men under such widely
tiferent conditions. is more than IN
fair, il Is dishonest. The only legitt-
mate comparison must be mads In
he four states where conditions ara
precisely the same, and here ths
women come out Of the tes: With ey,
Ing cOlOrE
The indianapolis Journal aai, Ia
recent editorial referring to The grow.
ing sentiment in favor of tax paying
women having municipal suffrage
"The conviction undoubtedly aas
become widespread tha. they sa5gld
be allowed to assist In CHOOSING ehs
officers who are to adm n.ater busi.
ness OF such direct importaaee 20
them. A lesser number. PROBABLY. 49,
lleves that IL all women .ere allowed
to vote at city elections the t41daacy
to political corruption would -
checked: neyertheIass. this 59Iea u
gaining ground a,so
The important interview With Prof.
W. H. II Hart ii tI8Wand university
on the race protein. which waa pub.
llshed recently corr aea this strong
ASSERT
In 'te "nt. Whatever may be ths
condition nov the c.eht II suffrage
mus Der rae sword ANA shield u all
the Ia2p.a If democracy. In a
monarcag II is tie .4t5 Of the mobiles
% gl7ri. protect aa5 help the sui.
tocc classes but IN democracy such
as ours the ballot IS absolutely the
oIly protection of the citizen, and 1t
is a oaees7ary il the long run TO tho
man whose skin IS dark as to him
whose skin is light. and WIEN the
race question is settled properly It
can only be or the theory that the
perpetuity Of the nation Deepen is upon
The equality betora the law of al. its
citizens, "-Ch.cag- tribune.