The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-04
He IS LUKEWARM
President Roosevelt Personally
FaVOrs Woman Suffrags
But Considers Matter to Be of
Little Importance.
SEES NO DIFFERENCE
In S. ates That Permit Their
man to Vote.
Conditions Neither Better Nor
Worse Than Elsewhere.

New York, Dec 4-The attitude
of President Roosevelt and Secretary
woman suffrage was disclosed today at
a meeting under the auspices of the
National league for the Civic Fedora
ton of Women.
The Rev. D. Lyman Abbott, editor
of the Outlook in the course of an ad-
dress in opposition to granting the
right to vote to women read the fol-
lowing letter from President ROose-
welt, which he said NE read with the
presidents permission although it was
not written for publication nor for
this occasion:' ~
Personally I believe in woman s
suffrage says Mr. Roosevelt at the.
outset of the letter. which is dated
enthusiastic advocate of. it because I
do not regard it as, a very important
matter. l am unable to see that there
had been any special Improvement in
the position of women in those states
in the west that have adopted woman.
suffrage, as compared with those
states adjoining them that have not
adopted it. 1 do not think that giving
the women suffrage will produce any
marked improvement in the condition
of women. 1 do not believe that it will
produce any of the evils feared and I
am very certain that when women as
a whole, take any special interest in
the matter they will have the suffrage
If they desire it. But at present I
think most of them are 1ukewarm; I
find some actively for it and some ac-
lively against it. am, for the reas-
ons given above, rather what you
would regard as 1ukewarm or tepid in
my support of it because while I be-
lieve in it, I do not regard it as of
very much Importance.
81 believe that man and woman
should stand on an equality of right
but I do not believe that equality of
right means identity of function; and
I am more and more convinced that
the great field, the indispensable field,
for the usefulness of woman is as the
mother of the family. 1t is her work
in the household, in the home, her
work in bearing and rearing the chill
dren, which is more than any mans
should be normally the woman's
special work. just as normally the
mans work should be that of the
bread winner. the supporter of the
home, and if necessary the soldier
who will fight for the home. There
are exceptions as regards both men
and woman; but the full and perfect
life, the life of highest happiness and
of highest usefulness to the state, is
the life of the man and woman who
are husband and wife, who live in the
partnership of love and duty, the one
earning enough to keep the home,
the other managing the home and the
children. Sincerely yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
DIR. Abbott Against 1t.
DR.. Abbott, who was the principal
speaker at the meeting, argued against
what he held would be the inf1iction of
new and unnatural responsibility and
duty upon women by forcing upon them
the obligations of public life. The title
of his address was The Assault of
Womanhood." sN
Secretary Root, in a letter which was
read at the meeting, says:
81 do not myself consider that the
granting of suffrage to women would,