The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-12-01
Suffragists Celebrate the Ad-
dition of a New Star to
Their Flag This
Month.
RESULTS OF THE BALLOT
BY o. X. LARlM Err.

From The Sioux City Tribune.
Advocates Of the ballot for women are
celebrating tho addition of a new star to
tho suffragist flag. The state of WASH
ington last week adopted a constitutional
amendment comforting upon women the
full right of suffrage. 1t thus becomes the
NTH state In which women may vote for
any public official from constable to pres-
Dental elector. and In commemoration OF
the victory suffragists all over the coun-
try are holding banquets and otherwise
giving outward and visible evidences OF
their qualification.
II some OF these Joyful women were
asked to pause moment and cite an In
stance OF where women suffrage has left q
permanent imprint on the government or
legislation OF the states where 1t is in full
force. they would probably be stumped for
an answer. True they could cite fndi-
viduai or spasmodic instances, such as the
election of Ben Lindsey In Denver, where
the vote of women has achieved temper
airy results for good; but they could not
point to solitary case where the political
or moral tone OF any state has been af-
fected either for good or evil. because OF
woman suffrage.
Makes No Difference.
|. This Is not to assert that woman sur
sfrage IL wrong In the abstract. In truth
the man who attempts to argue that he
has a right to deprive woman OF the ballot.
or that a woman has not as clear right
to vote as he has, will soon find himself In
deep water. 1t is. however. mere state
ment of fact to say that woman suffrage
In the four states where II has been In
force for years-Colorado. Utah, Idaho and
Wyoming-has made no material change,
either for better or worse. In political con-
ditions
Suffrage has neith.r justified the hopes
OF its friends nor fulfilled the direful pre-
dictions OF Its foes. 1t has neither ushered
in the millennium nor brought forth chaos.
1t simply has made no difference In po-
litical conditions. 1t has doubled the vote
without changing the result. The states
where 1t exists have not suffered from 1t.
nor have they appreciably gained from 1t.
The reason for this Is apparent. and will
probably be admitted by intelligent suffra-
gists. The average woman takes no In
terest In politics. The militant suffraget.
Of course, has what are to her very clear
ideas Of how the government should be
conducted, but the militant suffraget Is a
rare individual. The housewife, the ev-
eryday woman, together with her daugh-
ters finds her field OF interest and activity
elsewhere than In political discussion and
political work. II any man doubts this let
him ask woman acquaintance the name
and politics OF her district congressman.
or the name and politics and place OF resi-
dence OF the two senator's from her state.
Possible to Arouse Women.
It Is fair to say. however, that In ex-
IRENE cases II is possible to arouse wom-
ems political activity. They bombarded
congress in protest against the hosiery and
glove schedules Of the Payne tariff bill (:
they elected Ben Lindsey, the kids
Judge" in opposition to the machines Of
both parties In Denver. and they can be
massed OF times in support of remedial
labor legislation for women. Nevertheless
It is difficult. owing to their Indifference to
politics and their lack Of knowledge Of the
subject, to maintain a sustained inter-
est on their part in any political issue.
Those who live In suffrage states know
that a woman, as q rule, takes her politics
from her husband. her brother or her
gentleman friend" She votes as he
votes, asking no questions. and never
doubling the wisdom OF her masculine ad-
wiser This Is not true. of course. In every
case. but 1t would be absurd to deny its
truth in a vast majority OF cases. In
stances where husband votes one party
ticket and his wife another are so rare,
even In full suffrage states. as to excite
comment
The ftire press OF a city may attack the
.,haracter of a candidate for office. and
the woman will be guided by the mere
statement of her husband that the attacks
are lies. The writer knows a gentle Chris
tian woman in Utah, devout member of
the Presbyterian church, who voted for
polygamous Mormon for a municipal Of
Ace. because her husband was actively
connected with the political organization
upon whose ticket he was candidate.
Exercise Their Privileges.
If the ballot were to be taken from
women In the states where they now have
1t, the election results would not be ma
terlally changed. Considerable labor and