The Springfield herald., 1904-09-09
KEEP RESPONSIBLE"
MRS. j. ELLEN FoeTER's TIMELY
APPEAL TO WOMEN.
Why Their Influence shouid Be E1er-
ted in Behalf of Republican suecess
at the Poils-A Party that Leads All
Movements Which Beneat Mankind.

In "The virginian," that fine story Of,
| Western life the author makes bis hero
say to n crowd OF comrades who urge
him to take n drink, No, boys. ! 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 tho
railway station, to meet visiting city,
gentleman. 1t was ''up to him" TO bring
that visitor safely to the ranch; to per
form that duty he must keep RESPONSE
ble."
| 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
Utah. women vote and may hold once
OH 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 also
nominated Indy, Miss Mne Scott, for
the position. The campaign for the Stnte
ticket. and for Congressman at-iargc.
was vigorous, and the Republican party,
won. The shibboleth passed around
among Republican women was, Keep
responsible"
Miss Scott has been ren0minated BY
At tHe TeCcHN otute
ton at Moscow. No criticism had besn
made upon her conduct of the ofiice-sho
had kept responsible"
We are now passing this word on to
Republican women, the country over.
Whether or not you can vote. you can
keep responsible"
Among the qualities of the ideal wo-.
man none is so universally acknowledged
as is that one OF answering fidelity 70
duty. In literature, and in the common
experiences OF ordinary, everyday life
woman's reliability as sister, sweetheart,
wife mother is the keystone Of every
arch, the keystone Of all music. An
irresponsible woman, woman wbs
does not care" is n pitifnl and revolving,
object. 1t is common to say that
woman who goes wrong falls to lower
depths than n man can. ! 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 d-time
limitations in education, in industry, in
social economics. and in politics. Tho
demands OF necessity and the limits OF
opportunity nre always the measure OF
responsibility. Consciously or unconl
sciously the average woman has always
accepted this standard of oblign ton. The
American woman has conspcuously done
80. 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, il re-
sponsble for the enlargement of her
sphere of influence. He is sometimes q
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 tho
open door OF opportunity, and coerced by
n sense of responsibility to act with the
| 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 iegislate for the people. and its
incompetency to administer the govern
ment. l 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
constructive policies of the Republican
| party, and to contrast them with the IN
wisdom, and the dangerous go-as-you-
please, irresponsible suggestions Of tho
final judgment of the average American
| woman, when she accepts the fact of her
wider sphere in politics and informs her
self. l know that she will Keep Re
sponsible."
l urge all women to think, and then
to act. Study the national situation;
note the strides which the country has
made in every department of human pro-
Sress. See its greatness at home, and
IL. ,,,a, rnI~
tons. Remember that OF every forward
movement the Republican party has been
the instigator and the leader. But while
you rejoice in victory and in progress.
| open your ears and your hearts to the
undertone of discord from mis-applied
and jarring forces in industrial and civic
| life. There are wrongs to be righted,
wounds to be healed, and ulcers to bo
burned out There are whole races Of
men to be lifted from the night of bar
barism into the morning OF scmi-civiliza-
ton, and finally into the MONDAY Of
orderly self-government and political lib
erty.
The great, the beloved Mckinley first
voiced the National consciousness Of
world responsibility. He was Gods In
strument in the political evnngelization
of those island empires where our flag
now floats. You reverenccd him, you
mourned for him as you never mOurnet
before. Your tears were your hearts
tribute to his character, and were eio-
quent with love Of country. and indigna-
ton at her enemies. You can pay a
noble tribute. and voice n noble patriot
ism, by helping to sustain the principles
he believed in and the enterprises ho
inaugurated. The wisdom Of our great
statesmen is developing his md their
conceptions of National and nternatio
righteousness. The service and the blood
of our sins have consecrated these great
undertakings. The work must go on,
and you must help
During this last year under that
brave knight OF progress, Theodore
Roosevelt, the greatest physical enter
prise in the worlds history, the connec-
ton of the oceans of two hemispheres
by the Panama canal. has been begun
When the water shall flow through that
canal commerce will hold the chalice and
human brotherhood shall receive fresh
baptism. and the golden age be hastened.
Women, do you not care for these
things? | recall what Lincoln said con-
cerning slavery: "There are some of US
do