The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-03-03
FRANCHISE FOR WOMEN
An imminent MATTER
Duluth Writer Says That Mimi
esota and Wisconsin Will
Soon Decide Question.

helen Aston Williams, reporter on
the Duluth News Tribune and pres
ident of the Duluth Gridiron club,
spoke to the women of the Superior
clubs under the auspices of the w. G.
T. U. Tuesday, on Franchise. Deliver
ing straight blows, with uncomprom-
Using directness, she urged the women
assembled to take into consideration
the fact that woman's suffrage is one
of the great questions of the day, and
confirmed her talk to urging them to
prepare for the situation rather by
study and observation, than by ag-
gressiveness. 1t was a little difficult
to discover whether Mrs. Williams was
a suffra gist herself or not, but she de-
mOnstrated that she was a Yankee and
would vote when she had too. She said
in part:
"Franchise for women is one of the
great question of the day.. It is COM
Ing, surely, and it is coming fast, and
1 want to implore you to prepare for
it not, while you have time, in order
that for years after the thirty million
women in the United States who are
entitled to vote as soon as the law will
let them, may do SO without making
to make yourselves ready for the wise
use of political privileges when they
are granted, for political duties when
they are imposed.
Politics is not a matter of men and
women, it is a matter of human nature.
Colorado women have had all the liber-
ty Of the ballot for ten years, And the
record of the state is neither better
nor9worse than before they voted.
Why? Because the women knew little
or nothing of the work before them,
and practically voted as the men were
voting, taking counsel with those men
whom they believed to be best fitted
to guide them.
Those Of you who are going to live
in Superior all your lives need not
worry for the present, over your fran
chise. But supposing you were sud
denly transplanted to Colorado, Wyom-
ing or Idaho. and the duty was inn
mediately thrust upon you, how many
of you could act wisely? Remember,
the United States expects you to- VOTE
even though it does not compel you to,
after it gives you the right. Remem-
Der also, that the vote of every good
woman, intelligently cast, makes for
good government, and counts against
the vote of bad woman, who cares
not for country, or against the care
less superficial woman who is too
ignorant or too indolent to vote wisely.
You all know something about the
progress of women's rights in the
United States since the first. few wo-
men, incensed by the slavery question,
started the movement in 1880. The
most interesting reading I have ever
done in my life was that of the past
few weeks on this subject.
DO you know that: the first high
school for women was opened in Bos-
ton in 1926, only: 80 years ago? That
it was closed by the, storm of censure
III 2 years; and not opened again for 20.
Do you know that the; first woman
physician, Elizabeth Blackwell, was
ostracised by men and: women, and that
women even spit upon her. clothing
when they passed, her, on the street,
only, few years ago? Do you know
that the right to industrial and educa-
tional opportunities; to a voice in the
disposition of her children; the right
to own property, and to have her own
wages, has been given women since the
Declaration of Principles was drawn
up in 1848, only So years ago.
ct with the past record we now
have full or partial suffrage in &c
states. full suffrage in five, and NUM-
c1pal in one. Kansas. As said before,
this thing is coming upon US. whether
We wish it or not. Yet notwithstand-
ing this, the woman are curiously
q ore111 l.,
alive to the question as the men, and
the married, working women, the ones
above all others, whom franchise
would most benefit, are the least inter-
ested In Duluth 1 asked AZ represent
tative women this question:: DO you
believe in suffrage?' Three said, think
So Nine said, mo- with an emphasis
which left no doubt as to their attitude
and 81 replied, I reall ydon't know, ]
never thought anything about it,
The time is rapidly approaching
! when women must know. They can
not take this lazily negative attitude
''Harper's weekly in noticing Grover
Cleveland vigorous attack on woman's
suffrage, opines that he speaks the
mind of nine-tenths of the women il
the United States. I think Harper IL
slightly astray on figures; at the same
time, Boston turns out every year q
little four-page paper, called The Re-
monstrance,' which is conducted entire
Iy by women. This paragraph heads
! the first column:
The Remonstrance> is published an
nually by the Massachusetts, Associa-
ton Opposed to the Further Extension
of Suffrage to Women. 1t expressee
the views of women in Massachusetts,
Maine. Rhode Island, New York, IL.
linois, Iowa, Oregon, Washington and
other states who believe that the great
| majority of their sex do not want the
ballot, and that to force it upon them
| would not only be an injustice to wo-
men, but would lessen their influence
! for good and imperil the community.
AT almost the same moment, tina,
this gentle little communication is be.
| ing distributed, David Brewer. one OF
! the chief, justices of the United States
| is telling the world that he thinks Jane
Adams; the founder Of Hull House
| would make a good mayor for the cit,
| of Chicago. That is mans opinion
AGAINST wOmen's while the 1ist If me-