The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-25

to the declaration of principles first
avowed at the first convention OF wom-
en- at Seneca Falls over 81 years
ago: That it Is the duty of the women
of this country to secure for them
selves their sacred rights-the elective
franchise
Whereas. The movement for the en-
reimbursement of women is now world
wide and is founded on the principles
of human liberty. in accordance with
which successive classes of men have
won the right to self government. and
whereas we deem it more direct, more
womanly. more dignified to cast our
own ballot than to ask some man for
his vote on matters that concern US
vitality. and since the law provides just
one ballot Cor the man, and if that is
given to his wife or daughter or any
other woman he is disfranchised;
therefore, be it
Resolved, That we ask the coming
legislature to grant to the women of
Kansas full and complete citizenship;
that We ask at their hands presiden-
tial suffrage; that we ask concurrent
resolution striking out the word male
from our constitution, and also that
we ask for the extension of the suf-
frage in all ways possible.
Whereas. We, as national house
hold are guilty of partially to the boy
offspring, discriminating wickedly
against the girl even before she is
born, and instead of making up TO her
in legal, social, political rights what
she has lost by the handicap of BIRTH
we have taken from her the right to
equal pay for equal work: class legis-
lation has robbed her of her constitu-
tional right to voice in the laws that
govern her, a right to be tried by
jury of her peers; and since alien
races, foreign born men are given
rights denied the daughters of Ameri-
can pioneers and soldiers who have
offered up their lives that their chill
dren might be free, and since the old
Indian brave with the scalp locks of
her people at lis belt the naturalized
Chinese from his opium den, and the
ignorant negro. may help to make laws
to govern our cultured American wom-
en- and college bred daughters: there
fore. be it
Resolved. That this discrimina-
ton shall cease.
Whereas, The tribunal of The
Hague has declared in effect that the
ballot is the rational, democratic
weapon for mans future protection, we
concur.
Resolved. That in an early day.
under the reign of the sword and gun,
men realized their ina bility to be al
ways present, and armed the women of
the household for their protection;
yet in the present day when even more
dangers beset the path of women, they
are denied the protection accorded to
men-the protection of the ballot,
mans only protection in the reign of
peace. We, therefore, demand for our
daughters the same protection accord
ed to our sons.
Whereas, One of the forms of
punishment for murderers and male
factors is to reduce them to the con-
dition of disfIanchised women. re-
solved that It is our belief that this puts
a slight upon American womanhood.
We demand that some other punish
ment be meted out or that women be
enfranchised and lifted out of that
Odious company.
Whereas, Congress annually sets aside
large sums for the establishment and
maintenance of commissions that have to
do with the public veal. that the presi-
dent has recommended the setting aside
of $4,000 for the suppression of the white
slave traffic: therefore, be il resolved that
We believe that our organized bodies of
women that are skilled in philanthropic
work, whose activities are largely along
lines of unremunerated work for the pub
lie good, and since women are the subject
of some Of these commissions. We believe
that women are better qualified to serve
on some of these commissions than are
men. We. therefore, most urgently re