The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-05
ALL SHOULD VOTE.
Importance of Exercising Right of
Suffrage in City Elections.

At a meeting of the women's So
ciety at the First Baptist church last
night F. L. Slater delivered an address
on the Importance of voting. He said:
Friends. I am pleased of this OPP
portunity to say few words here in
behalf of a corps of men and women
who are devoting a considera BILE por-
ton of their time in the direction of
securing the election of men at the
coming city election who will give US
clean and decent business admins
VIII be determined, not by the mere
wishes of the majority of our people,
but by the majority of the votes cast
by them.
"An absolute prerequisite to vote at
the ensuing primary is to either regis
| ter, or make sure that you voted at the
last regular election and have not
| moved from where you then lived. The
men are mostly qualified to vote, be-
cause they generally voted at last
falls election. But the women's last
general election was last spring when
1--WE elected councilmen. In some in
stances there was not even a contest,
hence not many voted. And further
more, most contests We're fought out
at the primary And although you
may have voted at the primary and
failed to do so at the election, you are
disqualified under the present law, at
register. So we find that a large ma
Jority of the women are at present dis
qualified to vote, and unless they reg
lister within the next four days they
will not be able to vote on the 18th of
this month"; Many of the ladies' think
they voted at last springs election,
when in fact they did not, because
looking back at this distance they get
the primary confused with the cleo
ton.
Strange to say, most all of the wo-
men who have not registered are
among the best class of our citizens.
women who are church members.
women or the highest type of mothers
and wives. Yet their seeming indiffer-
ence as to whether or not they regis
ter is most pronounced. 1t is possible
that they are becoming tired of the
ballot? If so, then the sooner we get
rld or woman suffrage, the better
Some women say they are not interest
ed. That they have voted before but
that 1t appeared to do no good. Should
you desist in endeavoring to do right
because of an effort or two proving
fru1tless? l know of no authority of
that kind, except possibly, Jobs wife
Inc right of suffrage is not merely a
privilege 1t is a duty as we'll And
when the issue at hand is a moral uues-
ton, the use of the ballot becomes a
moral use, religious duty. The effect
OF good or bad government falls heay-
lest upon women. Where law is SILL
preme, woman is protected. When law,
is relaxed, she is the first to feel the
effect, Take for instance, a large build
ing crowded with men and women As
long as law and order prevail all is
we'll. But for some reason, as in case
of fire, a stampede occurs; law is de-.
throned and every one, according to his
brute force, and where is woman? 1t
is of the highest concern to woman that
the law be upheld. Then why should
not woman be most jealous in protect
ing good government? Why is she so
Indifferent?
Saturday evening before Christmas
last a mechanic of this city, earning S14
per week, was vending his way home
to his wife and four children. The
hearts of all the little ones were full
of Santa Claus Papa would come soon,
bring presents and good things to eat.
He did come, but heewas reeling drunk
broke, mad and ugly. He fell over a
piece of furniture and broke it. Got
mad at mamma and proceeded to strike
her. The only thing that saved her was
his inability to move readily. She had
to flee from home with the children.
Think of how the anticipation of that
mother and little ones was realized. 1
did not see this personally. but the wo-
man called on me a few days later to
see what she could do in the matter,
and told me all about it.
You ladies do much good in your
mission circles. Yea, much good, but are
you consistent there when you are so
needless here?
81 have perhaps spoken a little blunt
ly, but I trust you will all take it in
the best spirit. and all go at once and
register, if you have not already done