The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1909-01-15
Declares at Hotel AStor That
oodGovernnentWill Come
When Women Vote.
THEIRS A MORAL FORCE.
Influence Is Already Felt on
School Boards and Tenc-
ment House Inspection,

For several months been one OF the
leadera OF the campaign for ~omans
suffrage in this country, delivered the
principal address at largely at
tended luncheon OF the Interurban
Womans Suffragette Council. at the
Hotel Aston, to-day. Mrs. Mackay said
in part:
Il have no right to pass by such an
opportunity as this to say few words
on the subject which lies so near TO
my heart. I am convinced that the
country needs the woman's vote, and |
want to do what l can to interest the
women OF our own State In question
so important TO the future quality OF
our Municipal and State government.
Government among men is really
in Its infancy. Hitherto, the function
OF government has been a police fInc-
ton. Man has been fighting and
governing animal, keeping away with
from his home.
Giving Way to Moral Force.
Little by little the man has allowed
the good moral element in him to take
its place in government and he has al
ways pers!stently kept the good moral
element In the race-namely, woman
from having any place If government at
all The process by which man has
gradually allowed morality, decency and
altruism TO share in the government
has been slow and reluctant.
Yet modern legislation shows mans
willingness TO allow kindness and gem
crosby share in public affairs. The
laws giving care and protection to help
less old age, free education, and even
free public school food to children in
dictate the share Of mans better nature
in government. We women demand that
the real step be taken, that morality it.
self be admitted to government u
equal terms. Every part OF our coun-
try's life Is changing. Surely the living
shall not be led by the dead to retrace
footprints OF those who have gone be-
fore.
our Pilgrim fathers and mothers
who lived near 10 nature without super
hultles, planted many seeds in their
chiidrens spirits. For the greatest
educators are children: the mother
learns unselhshly because she learns to
give.
The child's mind probes into every
recess OF the mothers heart, ard IN
stinctively size gives her all because
she wants her child to grow stronger In
every way than she herself is able to
do. Woman's entire energy has been
devoted to physical and mental pro,ec-
ton OF children.
The Real Work for Men.
lie, men, BY their individual achieve. |
ment. develop the commercial instinct
TO It's utmost selfishness; let them make /.
the United States the market OF the
world, for the mothers have entered
into the struggle for intellectual growth.
quietly, unobtrusiNely, from their own
lresdes.
"Woman's Influence has been fel, In
all the various channels OF our life.
But /. has been an influence without
responsibility and no nation Is the bet.
ter for what must be an immoral factor
in It's structure. Influence without de.
spons!Jility is immoral.
1T has been sad that men and
women may he equal. but that there is
no trait more essentially woman's than
mans, no trait which would he suffi.
cicntly powerful to give her the right
10 enter avtcely into the civic life NJ
the nation Is there any father IN this
country who will deny tho axclusiv.
quality ~ the mothsr-instinct? Surely
there is no trait In mans composition
So completely and beautifully developed.
BY bringing the mothers vote into
our political He We will enlist pro.
sressiye force, full Of promise for the
future OF the State. The mother will
consider far more even THAI the .ath4.
what sort OF man shall BE- put in Of
flee TO make and enforce the Laws
under which her sons and daughters
shall live.
What women Could Do
1T is impossible for the half to ex-
press the whole. Women serve and
serve we'll, on school boards, and As
tenemsnt.house commissioners, as fac
tory inspectors. There is a great deal
Of municipal housekeeping to be done,
which women can do far better than
men
Equal suffrage the vote for all, is
demanded not so much for the sake
of the women as for the SAKE OF tho
children. The children are the future
and nobody viii deny that women
know what the children nceu"
Mrs. Mackav said that women would
not demand Offices Tor which they were
physically and tamperameutaily IN.
fitted. The nation should conserve the
resources 81, WOnan's experience and
pToEresf. WOnaus mental hunger had
been the inspiration uf the male CON
duerors ot thought and action. Vol
ta.ro wrote his 'ssay On morals 10 teach
Nine. On Chatelct real history. The
took was the inspiration OF Buckle,
Lewis l..Cky and many others. In
conclusion. she said
The establishment o. equal suffrage
IN America win be conclusive evidence
that the human race lT no longer 20
% governed with the bludgeon. the
club, ami brute force. hu. hy the high
est element tn human'f, tho spirit "
justice, fairness, generosity and unset
hshnesF
shall not No. tho women nj our
STATE. In 0ur generation. make q useful
record for ourselves hy helping oar
State hy our energies. through our
labor. without leisure, 10 be- grea' be-
youd an others beJduS" T. is using all
itg individuals. women with men,
alike
Among other prominent advocates Of
wofnan's suffrage who attended the
ipneheon were Mrs, Ethel Arnold, sister