Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-04-19
equal SUFFRAGE
MASSACHUSETTS, women OPPOSE
EXTENSION OF SUFFRAGE.
An Organization of Over $4,000
Women RemOnStrate Against Pro.
posed Constitutional Amendment
in That State, and State Some
Good Reasons.

Good Reasons.
The question of woman suffrage Is
now live issue in. the State of Wash
ington, and the voters of the state
will be called upon at the next gen.
eral election to adopt or reject con-
stitutional amendment providing for
equal suffrage. The prO-suffragists
are fully organized throughout the
state, and are already doing effective
work for their cause. The antis are
unorganized, and are doing nothing
to offset the efforts of the pros. It
is a large question, and the Herald
believes 1T should be fully discussed
from both sides in order to get an
intelligent expression at the polls.
With this object in view, we print
below remonstrance against female
suffrage, presented to the committee
of the Massachusetts legislature this
year by the Massachusetts Associa-
tion Opposed to the Further Exten-
sion of Suffrage to Women-an Or
ganization of more than $4,000 wo-
wen.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen Of
the Committee,-Our Association ap-
pears oncets more before committee
of the Massachusetts legislature SIM
ply in self-defense. For more than
fifty years attempts have been made
each winter to obtain some form of
woman suffrage, which Massachu-
setts legislatures have been too wise
to grant. Our association is COM
posed of more than fourteen thou
sand women who have associated
themselves together to resist such at
tempts. They are women of twenty
one years and upwards, and they be-
long to two hundred and forty-five
cities, towns, and villages from Berk-
shire to Cape Cod. They belong to
all classes and conditions of life.
Many of them are taxpaying women.
Others are wage-earners, dependent
4 VII thCAi u0AAy ldOOA1 CAthCl VI lulu
or brain. Their reasons for protest.
ing against woman suffrage may vary
with the circumstances of their lives,
but they unite in the belief that it
would be injurious both to women
themselves and to the state.
We are here in behalf of our own
association and Of all other women
who wish to retain their existing
rights and exemptions, and who pre-
fer to intrust the politics of the state
to men rather than to women.
The men of Massachusetts have
always considered the welfare and
wishes of her women. Our laws have
been changed again and again for
their protection and benefit, and they
stand today as a proof that the inter-
ests of women can safely be intrusted
to those who now enact our legisla-
tion.
Indeed, our only fear is that the
generosity toward women which so
distinguishes American men may in
duce some legislature to listen too
favorably to such petitions as are
presented here today, simply because
the petitioners are women.
We ask you, therefore, to remem-
ber the wishes of the women through.
out the state who would be injured
by the change proposed. These wom-
en- have no desire to secure the rights
of men; neither do they wish to as
sumo their duties. If you doubt this,
we ask you to consult the women in
your own homes and in your neigh
borhood. Do the women you know
wish to attend town meetings? Are
they anxious to go to caucuses? Do
you believe they desire to take their
share in jury service? Do they be-
lieve it is for the welfare of the
state that they should assume your
present duties while still retaining
their own?
We are often told that of woman
suffrage were granted those women
who wished the ballot could use it,
and that other women would receive
no injury.
Our presence here today, gentle
men, proves that argument untrue.
We are here much against our wishes
simply to counteract the efforts of
other women with whom we totally
disagree.
In the same way, were we made
voters, we should be constantly
called upon to offset the votes of