Evening star., 1908-01-26

-T was cold November day in 1915.
There was a raw wind blowing that
made the voters teeth chatter as
the long line of men and eager
women casting their first ballots
su,elIed in number before the little cleo
tion booths.
The atnosnbere was not sociable and
everybody was anxious to get their pa
triotic duties over as quickly as possible.
In spite of this it was a surprisingly or
derly crowd As each fair voter Trip
ned M to the ballot box the man ahead
stepped respectfully aside and gave her
first place There was none of the rude
ness of pushing and iostling women that
happens in the lines at II general de
livery window or a first night at Sraho
opera.
Everything was perfectly lovely.
Dutiful husbands who never cared about
saving their country's future before stood
dociie and attentive just to the rear of
their wives. They felt it privilege TO
be there.
1t was a big event. Historians armed
with blue and yellow pencils stood about
to catch every bit of local color going
and all the facts and figures.
It was an imposing sight that would
go down in history as one of the world S
great events
Woman patient and long-sufferins. had
come into her own.
At last, after years of struggle and
patient persistency, she had the ballot
And the men were filled with remorse
when they reasoned how long they had
deprived her of it, and how happy it now
made her.
Didn't / tell YOU" said Mrs. Belva
Lockwood. triumphantly. to the smiling
women, that we would have suffrage
within eight years.
The happy women smiled upon their
prophet. I'VE always had faith in you."
they said We believed what you al
ways told us and we knew we would live
to see this glorious day. We are sure of
it now. Isn't it just grahd?''
The men overheard these bubbling ex-
pressions of joyful qualification and did
not smile. But they looked pleasant
enough I'VE don't care" said they. "as
long as the women are happy
Little groups of women were engaged
in earnest conversation at their club. dis
cussing the present and future needs of
the country and how they would meet
them now that they had suffrage.
How did We come out on the last spe-
cial prohibition election?" asked a little
woman in gray.
why, didn't you hear about it, ex-
claimed an officer of the club.
NO. stammered the little woman apo
1ogetically. You see, / had my large
family to look after and Johns been
sick and
Well. we won, of course" interrupted
the club officer. Its only question of
time when there won't be enough beer
kegs left in the country to build a cam
paign bonfire"
Indeed" exclaimed the little woman.
.sYes, indeed said Mrs. Lockwood.
ct is only question of time when we
VIII have national prohibition. The late
returns from the counties where we have
had municipal suffrage for some time
show that prohibition is popular. There
are counties in Kansas, which has long
been prohibition state, and counties In
Illinois, where jails have now been con-
verted into municipal lodging houses.
There is absolutely no use for any jails in
the community. Constables and sheriffs
have already been relegated to the dark
ages as relics of standardization.
They are not on the municipal pay roll
now because there is no demand for
their services"