The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-03-09
HICKORY STICK FOR
KNOCKING PREACHER
Continued from page u

shall vote I trust he considers
well this responsibility, and advises
them right. Women have been
kept in subsection for ages, and
many men in the reverend's profess
sion are responsible more than any
other class for woman's submission.
TOO many women today are
thinking to please some of his cult.
But there are many women who
have come to think that there is
something more in life than devot-
ing their time and energies to hold.
ing oyster suppers and strawberry
festivals to procure the funds so
that some preachers who might
have made good blacksmiths had
they had the energy, might con-
tinue in a life of uselessness.
Il do not wish to be understood
as knocking the clergy as whole.
credit the majority of them with
sufficient discernment to see the
handwriting on the wall in the
question of woman's politial eman-
cipation. The advocates Of the
movement realize that it is a mat
ter of education to a great extent,
and we need the support of all men
in all walks of life to aid us.
think it little behooves a preacher,
of all men, to ridicule any move
ment advocated by even a few wo-
men, when they owe their very ex-
istence and support principally to
women.
Again Mr.. Utter Is troubled over
the family jars which may result
from women being given the right
of Individual expression. l say,
let them jar. If families are in
clined to jar, this will be only one
more subject for them to jar on.
Good can come from even family
jars, nf thereby women can be
brought to see the Importance of
their political Acknowledgement. No
reform before the world today can,
in my Judgment, give women
broader outlook and a greater influ-
ence, industrially, morally and So
cially,. than the ballot.
This learned preached is incon-
sistent. At one time he says, 'Wo-
men do not think, read or study po-
litical questions He says, L be-
lieve that a great deal of energy is
being wasted, that might far better
be used in drilling into the minds
of the rising generation a higher
conception of civic responsibility
These last clauses of his article are
the only ones that need serious con-
sideration.
For generations, mothers, &C
cording to their light, have incul-
Gated into their children ideas of
good citizenship. The standard of
citizenship today proves how we'll
they have taught. The fathers of
today leave the training of the chill
dren almost wholly to the mothers.
Practical experience in business
and industrial affairs has book
knowledge on the run, and if the
mothers of the nation must con-
tinue to train as well as bear our
future citizens, then give them the
added experience of the ballot to
aid them.
The last question is, DO women
want the ballot?' Did the African
slave want the ballot when it was
given him? Ask the average color
ed man today if he is willing to
give up his political liberty. He
will quickly tell you no. Why? Be.
cause it is a power that helps him
to better his condition. Does the
average woman today want the bal.
lot? l believe she does. Hundreds
Of women all over the nation have
wired and written me upon our
success in persuading the Washing
ton state legislators to pass an
amendment submitting the question
to the. voters at the next general
election. And we are going to win
at the polls. The very air is per.
meated with the idea, Votes for
women The west will lead the
east in this reform as it has in
many others. and predict the time
is not far distant when all Ameri-
can women will be free in all the
word imDlieS." A''