Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-17
Don't Thrust Ballot on Us, Cry
Anti-SuffragiSts to Legislators
NEGATIVE SIDE Of
DEBATE IS WARM
Prominent Women Plead to Be
Left TO Their Cook
Stove Throne

Teeming with oratory and with ar
guments bristling with statistical data
on what they held to be the utter
failure of suffrage in several states of
the Union where it has been tried, the
anti-suffragists of Los Angeles yester-
day appealed to the Legislators of
Southern California mot to thrust the
ballot upon them"
Scintillating arguments embodying
all the trite epigrams of opposition
TINT could be worked into short ad-
dresses were mustered and paraded be-
fore the men who are to make Cali
fornia's laws for the next two years
and the ants had the satisfaction of
seeing not a few of their listeners
take copious notes and otherwise show
an interest in the negative side of
the case.
The antis came upon the scene in
force about 10 o'clock yesterday near
ly q score of them invading the dlrec-
tors room Of the chamber of commerce.
They We're marshaled by Mrs. George
A. Caswell president of the Southern
California Association Opposed to Wo-
man Suffrage, and lieutenanted by
Mrs. Otto II. Neher. a member of the
executive committee of the same or
ganization.
Business-like and confident they lost
no time in getting to the presentation
of their arguments when L. Fl. Rose
berry, chairman, told them they had
the floor.
Mrs. Caswell was the first speaker.
She said it was wrong that a few
thousand women should saddle upon
millions Of other women political du-
ties which they do not want" She re-
minded the legislators that less than
4 per cent of the women of Massachu-
setts vote in elections where they have
the right; 3 per cent registered in
Chicago to vote on an educational
matter; Kansas has had municipal
suffrage for years but all attempts
TO extend the privilege have failed"
AT PARTING OF THE WAYS
1--WE are standing at the parting of
the ways. Suffrage leaders in their
beckon us to a Utopia to be created
in some mysterious way by the ballot
in the hands of women. Soon there
will be written a new Alice in Won
derland based on suffrage arguments
and promises" Mrs. Caswell continued.
Mrs. Otto H. Neher was equally
vehement in her denunciation of the
ballot for women. Socialism and an
archy are stanch friends of woman
suffrage" she declared.
She advocated leaving the women
free to do their own work. and said
they should not be burdened with a
part of mans work as well. Women
need protection to live. Men are their
only protectors; they are by nature
Combatants, women non-combatants
statistics show that in Colorado,
where women have voted for sixteen
years, there has been an increase in
juvenile crime. Women could have
defeated the open town interests but
carried the town for the VETS they
could have cast their votes for high
license, but failed to do so. Yet in
Los Angeles recently the political
housecleaning was as complete as that
accomplished in any city in the coun-
try, and was done without a single
WOman'S vote"
Applause followed the conclusion of
the two addresses.
Among other members of the anti
suffrage association present were Mrs.
Henry 7. Lee, Mrs. j. r. Scott, Mrs.
George L. Fischer, Mrs. A G. L. Trew,
Mrs. Joseph Mesmer Mrs. Walter
Hughes, Mrs. J. B. Lippioncott, Mrs.
Josephine Butler, Mrs. M. T. Allen,
Mrs G. S. Patton, Mrs. l. L. Bruns-
wig and Mrs Joseph Banning.
Mrs. Irene Law of the American
Purity Federation argued for a law
making and dealing in white slaves
punishable by a minimum of five years
in the penitentiary.
Measures looking toward the i'm
provement of the soil occupied much
of the time of the afternoon session.
Prof. Ralph Smith of Whittier expert
ment station asked for an appropria-
tion of $4,000 for maintenance, equip
ment and Improvement and for $25 900
for similar purposes for the Riverside
station. H. S. Hazeltine argued for
greater study of vegetable culture and
of vegetable pests.
E =. Clarke of Riverside asked for
an appropriation for another state asy-
lum for the insane in Southern Califor-
mia, prefacing a statement by Or. r.
Scott Blair of the condition of the Pat
ton hospital, which he said was out
growing its present buildings.
Dr. II. A. Forbes, president of the
Los Angeles OsteOpathic college, DR..
O. C. Wellborn, Dr. J. A. Munk, DR.. H.
S. Barnard and DR.. A. b. Shaw asked
for an amendment to the present medi-
cal laws making the state board ap-
pointive by the governor and demand
ing reciprocity in dealing with other
states in the matter of recognition of
certificates from medical schools
G. 7. Roberts presented minors
anti i-cigarette bill; NJ. b. Tower wanted
a law prohibiting public exhibitions of
hypnotism; S. A. w. Carver, president
of the State Dairymen and Creamery
mems association, asked that the oleo-
margarine law be amended so as to
stop the sale of oleo as butter; j. r.
Erwin presented a petition for a voting
machine law, and Constable Del Monte
wanted an amendment of the present
laws relating to the serving of papers