Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-20
on ONTHEANTI.SUFFRACIST SIDE
Votes for Women Far Off, Mrs. Gill
bert Jones Thinks.
CAMPAIGN FOR VOTES A FAILURE
Leader of the Antis Points 10 n Long
Record of Victories for Her Cause
Feminine Indifference
Great Obstacle.

NEW YORK, March 19-Mrs. Gilbert
Jones, president OF the National league for
the Civic Education Of Women. Is not at
all nervous about her coming debate on
woman suffrage with Mime. Nordica.
why should I be-" she smllngly asks,
when have the arguments back OF me
arguments that have facts back Of them?
il was /, indeed, who issued the challenge,
and not Mime. Nordica, as was reported.
The matter came up very Informally at
luncheon, but there Is going to be real
debate" and the anti-suffragst mods in
determined manner.
Mrs. Jones. who has long been a student
OF economic and civic problems, has
proved herself an efficient and untiring
leader in the movement represented by the
league in the last two years Her guild
ing principle is thorough study and under
standing OF her arguments and their COM
plete substantiahon by fact. And almost
more satisfied, II possible, than the suffra-
gists are with the success Of their move
ment throughout the United states are the
anu-suffragists with the success Of their
movement.
1--WE have met with continuous victories
throughout the country" says Mrs. Jones.
We have obtained verdict in our favor
on an average of once in every twenty
seven days IN the state legislatures for the
last twelve years. as woman suffrage bills
and proposals have been defeated and
krned down at that rate.
y we have been especially successful in
Kansas, where, in 1897 women obtained
municipal suffrage. For twenty-five years
the suffraglsts have tried to extend It to
,ryttN
cess.
"A great many states have granted to
women school suffrage, but only a parti-
san or sectarian issue will bring out the
womens vote. In Massachusetts women
have voted on school boards, and after
thirty years training only or per cent
Of the women register or vote That hardly
can be pronounced success We do believe
however. that women should serve on edu-
catlonal boards.
I'VE can find no warrantable pro ex-
cuse in the phrase taxation without repre-.
sentation is tyranny while there is no in.
dvldual representation given to any tax.
payer in any state, there is complete rep
resentation given to all taxpayers in al
states
I'm the early history of our states mer
and women voted because they paid taxes
but qualified suffrage, has given way t
universal suffrage, because taxpaying quail
ifications were unrepublican, undemocratic
favoring the aristocratic wealthy citizens
and showing q decided discrimination
against the less privileged and the poore
citizens. The anti-suffragists, general,
speaking, believe the suffragists are askinj
fors universal suffrage and not qualified
suffrage, which taxpaying suffrage means
Taxation means protection; the phras
Taxation without representation is ty
ranny' is quite out OF date.
I'VE have worked conscientiously owe
the question Of the ballot and the wag
earning woman. Five million men wer,
unemployed last spring They voted anC
the ballot did not help them, nor can 1
help the women.
Women must resort to organizations as
sociations and trade unions, then they cal
command and maintain a standard wage
supply and demand will do for the rest
Women and children are no better paid Fl
tho four states where women vote than 4
the states where they do not vote. wher
transactions are straight and honorabl
market and trade values cannot be- meas
ured by the franchise.
The leagues most important discovery,
says Mrs Jones earnestly, 'is that as scieu
llSlS ana pnySlClanS nave tested tn
strength of the average woman, they fin
that she has just half the physical strengt
of the average man. Consequently tn
promiscuous entry OF women into all sort
OF competition with men in trades Is dc
p,ored by the anthsuffragists, who wi
use their Influence and energy to Undue
women TO enter suitable occupations an
activities, and in this they ask the &C
operation Of all suffragists and anti-sut
fraglsts alike.
And We still retain the backing and sur
port Of public opinion. Tho average Amer
can known that constitutional governmen
g not haphazard. Uniformed, shapeless in
stitution, as many women seem TO thinl
1t has distinct form, established restrIc
lions, and very valid reason for nc
lsk,ng women to have a voice In govern
nSk
Y republic vests the power of the GOV
rnment in the will Of the people. But
hat power rests in portion OF the peop
which cannot sustain It's will, II the votip
power is in the hands of an aristocracy {
a favored class which cannot uphold {
retain that power unto itself then we al
entertaining a false state of affairs, or
contrary to the fundamental principles ,
our constitutional government; IL is er
tirely undemocratic
I'VE particularly want Il known that II
methods OF the anu-suffragists are almo
the opposite OF those OF the suffragist
We do not form many organizations
endeavor to obtain long lists Of signature