The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-19

Now, this question brings up oho f which is creating endless dtscussion 2 in my home state. as 1t IS Tn every state of the Union, and seemingly n ali the civilized countries of the globe l Whether the interest which women are lmanifesting in public affairs and their desire to direct the national destiny has anything to do with the unrest observable all n1onge the line, do not know. Many eminent publieists be- Iieve that the increase of divorce is | largely due to the fact that American women has deserted her proper sphere in the home. has in way uncrowneo herself in the supreme effort to reacn civic equality with man. The subject is too hard to discuss adequately and to consider from all points of view. Those who say this have better means of judging I have and no doubt they have reached this conclusion aft CT giving every point full and logical deduction. I have regarded the equal suffrage movement with mixed feel ings Personally 1t does not appeal to me, and fail to recognize It's neces- sity nor the ultimate good which would follow Its adoption. Then am moved to admiration when see what fine things women can accom- plish in the domain of pure politics when they rise to champion good cause Several times things have been revoiutionized in my home city when the women were aroused to the danger of permitting certain evils to go un- reformed Kansas. concisely stating the case. has granted limited sunrage to women. They vote on school ques- tions and for the county and muni- cipal officers and generally on those questions where increase of taxes and such vital points are decided. The women of Kansas certainly make good use of their privilege. and have heard that in states where they have full suffrage they employ their power judiciously.
 But there is one thing which makes me fear for my sex getting supreme power of the ballot. They do not rise Ito the objective viewpoint which near | ly always dominates men in their handling of national or even big local issues. The sting of opposition seems
 to rankle too deeply in the soul of
 women and the personal element creeps out to defeat measures which should in all justice be enacted. Then I shrink from the ordeal which. It means for women to mix in politics. l The bitterness and strife. the heart- | aches and disappointments seem in- l adequate for the reward. think wo- men have som uch better work. all women, not only those who marry and have homes to superintend and child ren to rear, but the single woman who has elected to spend her life 1 alone.
 "The old Idea about the head that
 | rocks the cradle appeals to me, no
 matter how hackneyed this saying has
 1 become or how obsolete such ideas
 l may be regarded. If women wish " tc I be real forces in national affairs. If l they wish to fulfll the highest duty
 1 of citizenship. 1t can be done in their l homes and without any controversy about the ballot. The influence which I a woman has over her husband and l sons, her father or brothers is some thing which might be taken into ac- count. believe that all women should study politics from the higher ground. l but also from the result which local 1 politics have on home affairs. The | woman who influences her husband l to vote right is doing splendid work | in the making of the nation. The wo- man who looks into matters and knows | what every man who Is on local 1 ticket stands for and what his sue l cess would mean to the community Is l I think accomplishing more than If | she filled halls to hear her talk on | good citizenship and her alienabls | rights to get civil privilege which i comes to a man. I am glad that
 l many women, especially married wo-
 1 man, fael as I do. When we all get ! hack to the views of the rights oi I women which our grandmothers took
 | if looks as though things would ass
 l sume their sense of probation"