The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-05-17
WOMEN AS VOTERS.
How the Rights of Franchise Are Ex-
ercised in Colorado.
New York Sun.

Congressman Shafroth of Colorado,
has revived the whole subject OF wo-
man suffrage. Suffragists and anti
sufragists have hurled accusation
after accusation at each other, news
papers have been swamped with COM
munications and every sort OF test1-
monv has been heard from the gilt
tering generality OF the suffrage lead
er to the positive Il saw her do 1t
of the actual witness of the diretul
deed.
About any assertion that one
chooses 10 make about woman sui
frage can find a proving instance IN
Colorado. II he wants 20 prove that
the proportion OF educated women
who vote is above that OF the ignorant
he can point out community after
community where such Is the case,
IF he wants 70 show that the women
of the latter type are the only ones
who vote in numbers he can Ind still
other communities.
If he wishes to show that a town.
has been purified morally and beautl-
fed physically by its women voters,
he can put his finger on that town,
And again. his opponent in the ar
gument can point to towns that
were cleaner in every way before wo-
men received the ballot.
Abou, the only thing that can be
positively proved by Colorado in
stances is that the ten years OF wonla"
suffrage in that state have proved alb
-soIutely nothing. AS one woman.
woman who. by the way. has yet TO
cast her first vote. said:
Ten years is not a very long time
by no means long enough to form the
basis OF but one true answer TO so
grave and many sided a question.
Women in Colorado. in the use they
have made-and not made OF their
political power have helped-and then
they have hindered.
The matter arouSeS great deal
more interest outside OF the state than
it does in it. The right OF the ballot
has not created an interest in using
it.
About the same number OF women
vote in Colorado as are struggling tor
the right OF vote in New York. All
the Others go serenly on their way,
and after the excitement is over re-
mark surprisedly over the breakfast
table.
"Why. yesterday was election day,
wasn't it,"
The women engaged, or even inter
ested in politics in Colorado. form,
very small part OF the total feminine
population. and of these the aspirants
for political Office are surprisingly
few. The women who vote do so for
about the same reasons that they
would here if they could get the
chance.
A few OF theia have earnest convic-
tions on the subject Of suffrage, and
use their power conscientiously and
consistently. A few of them vote be-
cause their church or club society has
endorsed a certain measure and pledg-
cd their support. but more than all
the others vote because their huS-
bands or fathers tell them to.
Of all the women of Colorado who
vote for convictions sake there is
none more thoroughly convinced than
Mrs. Elizabeth Cass Ledyard God
dard, of Colorado Springs. Mrs. God
dard belongs to the Goddards OF
Providence and the republican party.
and both are equally dear to her heart
After these two things in her atfec-
tions come dogs. Not pet dogs, she
does not own single one. but the
stray NANCY. street dog. with the city
doecatcher for his hereditary foe.
No dogs are ever killed in Colorado
Springs for lack OF dog tan
Mrs Goddard pays for them all.
Whenever a stray dog is picked up,
Mrs. Goddard is Immediately notified
by telephone, and, no matter what
aer engagements may be. she posts