Evening journal., 1907-10-24

fof the foremost woman suffragists, has
renounced the cause for which she for
merly pleaded eloquently from the plat
form in every big city of the land.
Hiss Couzins is quite as eloquent in
giving her reasons for the loss of faith
as she was in the days when she in
sisted that her sisters were entitled to
the ballot. and that if allowed to vote
they would put politics on a higher
moral level than Il had ever attained
| The abandonment of the suffrage cause
by the woman who was moving figure
in securing for women recognition at
the Worlds Columbian Exposition in
1898. and was secretary Of the board
lof lady managers, who participated in
the campaign Of 1894, and has made
political speeches in all the Western
States. is detection which will be Sc
Iverely felt by the suffragists.
] Woman suffrage Is an unmistakable
/ failure" said Miss Couzins yesterday
at the Riggs House. where she makes
lher home during winter Il have work.
ed for the cause for years; have OBJ
lserved the effect Of enfranchising
women, and r know that instead Of
bringing to public life that moral uplift
(which was expected Of them, they have
even added 10 its Generalization In
states where they have been given the
ballot.
Out of Place in Politics.
"The reason for this lies i'm the women
themselves. They haven't the neces-
sary stamina for public life; they can't
stand up under il as men can. Nature
hasn't endowed them with the needed
nervous force. Then they cannot look
at public questions impersonally; they
PERSIST in confounding personalities
with principles. In all movements re-
quiring organization woman is a fall
lure. In philanthropy art, literature.
charity, women are all right, but when
il comes 10 politics they are distinctly
out of place.
"The religious fanaticism Of women
must also be reckoned with, and the
fact that they are largely dominated by
/ clergymen. both Of the Protestant and
lCatholic churches. Let a known
clergyman espouse any cause, and the
women Of his flock will follow him un-
reasoningly, even il his ideas are op-
posed to the public welfare. This IA
. naucism leads women 10 seek TO i'm
! pose their religious views on the COM
{ munity. Once give them the franchise,
, and religious despotism will run ram
! lpant
I'VE have had two examples Of that
, right here in Washington Although
our form of government absolutely di-
, vorces church and state and gives peo-
pie the right to their own religious
, Opinions, we have the women of the
= country attempting 10 exclude from
the Senate a Mormon apostle. for the
sole reason that he is, such, and fore
ling the government to expend $4,000
to hear his case. Religious freedom
would be impossible with woman suf-
frage.
Disregard Vested Rights.
a Women also exhibit a disregard for
g lvested rights and for law. As an in
r lstance. take the temperance agitation of
$ last spring, when hundreds of women.
= who enlisted the services OF young chill
y dren and half-grOwn girls. marshaled
y by a number of clergymen, marched
e. upon Congress. Notwithstanding that
s the law prohibits such gatherings in
. the Capitol. There you have them
violating the law, first whack.
"When an amendment providing for
s feminine suffrage passed the Califor-
o mia legislature in 1896, the W. c. T. u.
4 boasted that they would. if il became
s. law. end the manufacture of brandy
Y and wine, two of California's great in
e dustries. This they did notwithstand-
b ing the fact that the suffrage fight had
been financed by Mrs. Jane Sanford.
r whose income was largely derived from
[ wineries.
n Does the participation of women
raise the moral tone OF politics? No!
s What do women do with suffrage when
d they get it? Well. as class, they will
= not vote contrary to the political views
4 of their husbands, fathers. sons. and
! sweethearts. Among the enfranchised
e women of Colorado thereris great apa-
: thy on political questions. The vast
n majority of American women do not
i care for suffrage.
"As an evidence Of the working OF
I suffrage, Just take Colorado. Governor
{ Waite the best governor colorado ever
o had. succeeded In obtaining the fran
Y lchise for women. without their making
v a tight for it. In the following cam
r lpaign. the hard fought battle of 1894
n they voted en- masse for his opponent
0 a man far inferior in every respect tc
II IGovernor Waite.
r Failure in Colorado.
+ There were several reasons for this
n lOne is the fact that the woman voters
II lof the WORKING class were frightened
Il by the English syndicates into votine
lagainst Governor Waite. although he
Z Twas everywhere regarded as the friend
r lof the laboring man. But the large
It smelling industries threatened theh
Is lemployes with discharge If they voted
e for Waite. and the women Of then
families locked as a unit TO the oppo.
$ lsition. The reckless use of money IA
e THAT campaign was as demoralizing &
S the woman voters as to the men
e Women are no more moral in polite.
n than men, They can be depended OF
to vote for their own selfish Interests
d Just as the men can.
/ Another startling fact in Colorad,
It was that many women of unquestionet
e social position sent their carriages int,
the worst slums of Denver and con.
lveyed to the polls some of the loves
denizens OF the streets. in order to Sc.
lcure votes for the ticket they were sup,
I, lporting. This shows. to my mind. tina
participation in politics is demoralizna
TO women. For these reasons fee
Y. that the suffrage movement is doome,
Ito failures