The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-06-11
WOMAN SUFFRAGE,
BY HELENE w. PURDY.

year OF social unrest, 1910. III
1869, Wyoming, 1898, Colorado,
1896 Utah, and Idaho all became
woman-suffrage states. In none OF
these states were the majority of
women asked whether they wanted
the vote; it was assured that they
did.
But in the east the women who
did not want the vote took alarm
Were they through the mistaken
chivalry of the West to be burdened
by the ballot?
Suffrage is a universal affair in
America. Therefore the position of
the woman who do not want the
vote is entirely entitled to be consid-
ed as the women who do. Suffrage
proposes to give to every American
woman the right to vote whether
she wants it or not, or whether she
believes in it or not.
Now there happen to be thous-
ands of intelligent and influential
women who disagree entirely with
the suffragists and suffragettes.
Women who in the kingdom of
home, the realm of social power,
the avenues of literature and in
dustry, have thought the problem
out from varying sides, and come
to the conclusion that it would be
of no benefit for women to cast the
ballot. Suffragists in their speeches
| lead us to believe that the Ameri-
can woman really wants the vote,
, but she is pleading for her own
cause. The field of politics is a
new excitement for a few restless
| American women. who if they were
attending to home duties would not
be so exercised in the affairs OF
men. Women may take part in pub
lie affairs but to do this they do not
need the ballot. Women that are
yearning for your rights take them;
they are waiting for them. 1t is their
right to influence the supreme
power of a national human being,
that of concerning glorious deals of
human service. OF supporting and
inaugurating new activities with
the lesser ones The wife of a
working man has the sole care of
| IL,
cases is overburdened by it. Her
thoughts do not travel beyond the
home circle or that of the nearest
local affairs; she has indeed neither
time nor interest for public affairs.
What, for example, will the in
funce of suffrage be on the woman
herself? Participation in public
| A. Of u 70
woman unwomanly, by exam
ming the influence on those who
have had suffrage. Are men to-
day fighting for great causes, re
spending to great impersonations?
Years ago when the dreams of the
utiltarian was upon us, that great
soul, John Stuart Mill, fondly be-
lieved, that, given the ballot, men
would rise to more glorious con-
ceptions of social duty, but he lived
to see his illusions vanish,
How is it to-day? What are
men fighting for in the political
arena? Men are playing the game
for material prizes, not for princi
pies. They join forces, play of
|
of the nation lightly to and fro, al
for the glittering bait of politica
advancement.
Would women play the game
more wisely? The promise of ;
Merry Widow" hat or paris
gown" might as easily turn the des
tiny of a nation as that of NOR,
masculine craft.
Women may say what the.
please, but the state of the civi
lized world shows that force, ply
steal force, armed with the mos
deadly invention known to tn
brain of man, is what every stat
in the long run and in the last re
y sort depends upon for it's existence
Woman have no right to clair
: full political power in state wher
j. she herself can never take the re
sponsibility of her actions. Con
{ merce and finance are carried o
e by man, and in the past year ther
- have been disastrous evidence
i among us. But shall we bring
the vote and political influence b
those who have never had an
guiding in commerce and finance?
) The framework of state W;
T made by man and must be mail
s. tained by man.
e The government has made mar
u efforts to stop the crusade beiI
waged by woman suffragists but
spite of their many efforts to ste
it they have gained many conver
y among the wealthy and culture
- women.
The press of the country h
y suddenly began talking woman 81
y frage, and the newspapers have d
lighted in announcing the suffra
lists uprising, and the magazin
have published serious articles
&C the political historic, econom
on phases of feminine enfranchis
B. ment.