The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-07

BAL T|MORE WOMEN
SPEAK ON SUFFRAGE
Arguments Advanced for Ballots
for Women to Purify
City Politics.

A second parlor talk on woman Stuff
rage was given yesterday Afternoon
by Mrs. Donald Hooker, of Baltimore
in the home of Mrs. George A. BarlSs
dale, 500 East Grace Street. and In
terested vitality large number OF
earnest and thoughtful women among
the society contingent and workers OF
the city.
Mrs. Hooker prefaced her talk with
some explanation of what suffrage In
relation to women really stood for
She said that many people thought II
was an erratic impulse, when II really
had its origin in the most practical
part of a woman's nature.
She sal dthat women were conceded
to be the natural caretakers and edu-
Gators of children. particularly of
young children; that they were con-
sidered to be better housekeepers than
men. Yet because of the present con-
dltions of society, men had far more
TO say In the upbrinSing OF children
than women. the laws relating 10 their
education being made and carried out
by men. without regard 10 what wo-
men might say or think. Because of
these conditions. children were de-
prlved of many advantages they ought
to have, and endured many evils which
proper care could remove
Women, continued the speaker, are
natural housekeepers and the govern
ment OF cities is only municipal house
keeping. There are many depart
ments of municipal government, such
as the water supply and the cleaning
of streets. that could be looked after
far more efficiently by women than by
men. Men cannot be expected to do
all the work of the world. and city
ha 1-ac eft " hnttarpG
by the cooperation Of women, accord
ing to the speaker.
Women, in their own work and for
their own protection, she argued, need
the ballot The prejudice against IT
was largely one of sentiment. Mrs.
Hooker instanced the different points
OF view taken In this matter between
West and South, by telling an Incl
dent az two college students from
these sections. The girls were attend
ing a school in Baltimore and they
were asked how woman's suffrage was
regarded in their respective sections,
and what effect it would be supposed
to have upon the homes in each COM
munity
The western girl, splendidly devel-
oped and perfect picture of health.
said she had never heard such unnec-
essary discussion over a question as
existed in Baltimore about suffrage
In the West women voted as matter
of course, and without any disturb
ance. ''As to my home" she said.
don't YOU think look like was
we'll taken care of in it?"
Tho Southern girl was the opposite
of the Western student. She said she
had hard enough fight to obtain con-
sent to her college career II she
wore to add suffrage to collegiate WORK
the effect upon her home people could
not be predicted And there" said
Mrs. Hooker, you have the direreht
Viewpoints in a nutshell.
Mrs. Hooker dwelt long and earnest,
Nv on the ballot as a cure for unsouhd
mora1 conditions. and for the keeping
of the use Of alcoholic stin1nlants Will
in proper limits. Many questions were
asked by women in the audience de-
string explanation or enlightenment
on different points
These questions were answered ps
Mrs. Hooker until tho moment Tor
her to catch her return train to Bal
timore arrived. Afterward, Mrs. SYM
ington and Mrs. Poe, of Baltimore,
came forward and continued the dis-
c,ssion, giving much information from
the standpoint OF what had been seen
and done by the Baltimore sufraglsts
since their organization.