The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-04-02
Ballot /. Battle
1UNElyTs OF BUFFALO Wo.
MEN AT SUFFRAGE HEAR
ING IN ALBANY.

llNel. IN ittL-0ANIS
This IS the argument set forth by
n mrs George Howard Lewis, treasurer
q the Bunalo Political Equality cllb
ana an ardent advocate OF the ballot
sof women. at a meeting last week:
+ q strange that after all these 60
year Of work, Of pleading for justice,
We women are still DISTINGUISHED
: class It Is so strange that Now Zeal
anil Australia and Finland will go
down IA history as Sns emancipators,
''the hrst counties to realize and Judge
the word Justice. America calls her
self the most enlightened country in
The work, i wonder why? Her nation.
a anthem says the home of tho free.
That song was sung before Lincoln's
prociannation. 1t is sung today while
one half Of It's people are a disfran.
chlsed race. 1
This winter Ireceiyed a tract NAM
e White Slave Traffic and / found
IS read It that there Is a federal law
that applies to girls from other coun.
tries but no federal law when applies
70 American born girls. I read that
5000 Of those poor alien girs in the
year 1908 had been enticed from for
elgn countries by friends who prom
ised them honest work, and when they
arrived In New York AMI other cities
they were taken to dens OF inramy
and ruined. Edwin w. Sims assistant
United States district attorney, the
author Of this tract, writessme, at is
the BLACKLIST stain OF the twentieth
century. DO you not believe If wo.
men had the ballot there would be
laws enacted and enforced to protect
these girls and punish these criminals?
This Is one of the many serious prob
lens to be solved. Another one is the
child labor, problem.
Anti$unFagists say women do not
need the ballot, but suftragtYts say
Tie ballot needs women.
Abraham Lincoln, whose memory
we revere. said; Let US unlte as Que
people through this land until we
shall once more stand up declaring
that all men are created equal, and
by equal With certain inauenaDle
rights among which are life, liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness, and he
4 said Il 90 for all sharing the priyf
ieges Of government who assist In
bearing Its burdens, by no mems ex-
eluding women
This concurrent resolution 70 amend
the constitution Of this state by strik-
ing out the word male has been long
enough before the Senate and Assem-.
bly, judiciary committees. A member
d the Senate judiciary committee has
said to some of the women suffragists
before you today when they told him
the bill had been long enough IN the
hands OF these committees, "Wen, II
Il were brought out Of me committees
would be as good as passed.
We ask you TO release this so-called
prisoner Of ours and give It chance
II our Legislative halls. I ask you ser.
ppsly Il you would like % Join the
ranks OF the distranchised, one half
st the population or me United
states2 Il you say no. remember the
Golden Rule, Do unto others as you
would that they should DO unto you.
What do you need the keep the na.
tion whole,
70 guard the pillars Of the sta.e7 You
need
The fine audacities OF honest deed
The hcmely old integrities of the soul.
The swift temerities thrtsake the part
Of outcast right-the wisdom Of the
near. si~lNs
Brave hopes that Mammon never can
detatn.
NorsuIy with his gainiess clutch for
gain.
youspeed the Cromwell fire to make
you feel
The common burden and the public
trust III
~ be ! thing as sacred and august
~ the white vigil where tae angels
kneel.
we need the faith to 80 a path un.
trod
Thespower to be alone and vote with
eod.e
Perhaps hero is an offer made in
one Of to-day's ads. that you couldn't
'rHd again II in 9 year.