The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-01-21
Whv Women Should
Be EnfranChiSed

been a champion of the enfranchlse
ment of women, ss matter Of right,
and it cheerfully complies with the re-
quest of the president of the Seattle
Suffrage Club that it give publicity
in it's columns to the following TWEEN
ty reasons why women should vote:
l. Because the ballot adds one to
the number of mutual interests that
should create true friendship between
men and women.
2. Because women own much prop
erty which is taxed, and '"Taxation
without representation is tyranny"
3. Women who are fortunate and
happy in their domestic end social re-
lations and in their pecuniary cir
cumstances, and who have no need or
wish to improve their individual con-
dition have the right and duty of try
ing to better the conditions of life
for the multitude of women who have
no leisure and few comforts. The
needs of these latter are best under
stood by women. and women should
have political power to aid their sis
ters.
4. Women as we'll as men have
ideas and ideals of good government.
Without the franchise they are dis
abled from doing, at first hand, any
thing thst will improve the political
conditions under which they and their
children live, or from effectually pro-
noting any reform in their city. state
or national government. Thus they
are as truly oppressed as are the sub
jects of the Russian Gear.
5 This country is full of educat-
ed and capable women. 1t may be
safely asserted that every mans wife
or sister is his intellectual equal.
For such women to be classed with
the insane, the idiotic and the crimi.
nal and with them shut out from the
polls on election day, is an affront to
thoughtful, self-respecting women.
g. Male immigrants to this coun-
try outnumber the female, two to one.
The acknowledgment of all women
would increase the proportion of ma
tive born electors. It is proportion,
not numbers. that determines results
in elections.
7. Women are generally law-abid.
ing citizens. They approximately
equal men in mum bers. and their wages
are lower while the personal expenses
are greater in proportion to. their
earning power. Yet they form only
six per cent of the convicts in our
prisons and penitentiaries. Those
who best observe the laws should sure
~ share in the selection of law.mak-
ers.
8. Psychologists say that the use
of any narcotI or stimulant endan-
gers the nervous equilibrium and
warps the judgment. Women use but
a very small proportion of the mill
lions on millions of dollars worth of
tobacco and alcoholic liquors that are
consumed in this country annually.
The brains of women are normal on
election day.
9. lie interests of women are
affected ty every law that il made.
Women are also "people. - The fund
amental principles of democracy are
violated wherever women are deprived
of the right to vote.
10. The right to vote stimulates
the sense of responsibility concerning
public affairs, and it is best for our
country that all its people should feel
responsibility concerning it's affairs.
II. Many woman has talent
for true craftsmanship. The country
suffers loss when the genius of such
women is not utilized.
IL. To associate constantly with
either superiors or interiors is detri-
mental to character. To make wo-
man the polictial equal of man, ele-
Yates family relationships. enabling
woman to become less strategic, and
impelling man to greater self-mastery.
ID. Soldiers do not always incur
danger during war. But for every
soldier in the field. u 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. women have taken the greater
risks. Their obscure and perilous
service as defenders of their country
deserves just recognition.
IA. Motherhood is no more sacred
than fatherhood, but it is more self
sacrificing. One sex should not I'M
dertake to make all the laws for an
other sex OF whose functions they are
incapable and in whose ordeals they
are necessarily inexperienced. This
Is class legislation OF the most AFRO
CANT type.