The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1910-01-28
WHY WOMEN SHOULD VOTE
The Seattle Suffrage Club Offers Score
of Reasons Why Women Should
be Enfranchised

number of mutual interests that should
create true friendship between men
and women.
Because women own much property
which is taxed, and Taxation without
representation is tyranny.
Women who are fortunate and happy
in their domestic and social relations
and in their pecuniry circumstances,
and who have no need or wish to i'm
prove their individual conditions, have
the right and duty of trying to better
the conditions OF life for the multi
tudes of women who have no leisure
and few comforts. The needs of these
latter are best understood by women,
and women should have political power
to aid their sisters.
Women as we'll as men have ideas
and ideals of good government. With
out the franchise they are disabled
from doing, at first hand, anything that
will improve the political conditions
under which they and their children
live, or from efectually promoting any
reform in their city, state or national
government. Thus they are as truly
oppressed as are the subjects of the
Russian car.
This country is full of educated,
capable women. 1t may be safely
asserted that every mans wife or sister
is his intellectual peer. For such wo-
men to be classed with the insane, the
idiotic and the criminal, and with them
shut out from the polls on election day
is an affront to thoughtful, self-respect-
ing women
Male immigrants to this country out
number the female, two to one. The
enfranchisement OF all women would
increase the proportion of native-born
electors. 1t is proportion, not num-
bers, that determines results in cleo
tons.
Women are generally law-abiding
citizens. They approximately equal
men in number, and their wages are
lower while the personal expenses are
greater in proportion to their earning
power. Yet they form only six per
per cent of the convicts in our prisons
and penitentiaries. Those who best
observe the laws should surely share in
the selection of lawmakers.
Psychologists say that the use of any
narcotic or stimulant endangers the
nervous equilibrium and warps the
judgment. Women use but small
proportion OF the millions on millions
of dollars worth of tobacco and alco-
holic liquors that are consumed in this
country annually. The brains of ,wo-
men are normal on election day..
The interests of women are affected
by every law that is made, Women
also are people," The fundamental
principles of democracy are violated
wherever women are deprived of the
right to vote.
The right to vote stimulates the
sense of responsibility concerning pub
lie affairs, and it is best for our country
that all its people should feel response
bility concerning its affairs.
Many woman has talent for true
craftsmanship. The country suffers
loss when the genius of such women is
not utilized.
To associate constantly with either
superiors or interiors is detrimental to
character. To make woman the politi-
cal equal of man elevates family rela-
tionships, enabling woman to become
less strategic and impelling man to
greater self-mastery.
Soldiers do not always incur danger
during war. But for every soldier in
the field a woman has gone down into
the valley and shadow OF death and
has brought back man child. Women
are the producers of the army and
navy. In any war ever waged the
women have taken the greater risks.
Their obscure and perilous service as
defenders of their country deserves just
recognition.
Motherhood is no more sacred than
fatherhood; but it is more self-sacrifc-
ing. One sex should not undertake to