Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-13
DECLARES SOMEWHERE
IN EGYPT EXISTS CITY
WORSE THAN PlTTSBURG
Speaker in introducing Lecturer to
Audience in Steel Metropolis Ar
raigns Its Government and
Public Utilities

PITTSBURG, Feb. 12.-"Pittsburg is
bad, very bad, but it is not the worst
city in the world" declared Julian
Kennedy last evening in introducing
Early Barnes in the First United Pres
bytreian church. There is a worse
city somewhere in Egypt" he remarked
sarcastically.
Mr.. Kennedy arraigned Pittsburg. its
street cars, its city government, its
schools and other things innumerable,
blaming all the bad things upon the
men. And then he advocated women
school directors in particular.
The church was crowded with one Of
the most representative audiences of
men ard women, particularly women,
ever noticed at a simalr gathering in
this city. Mr.. Barnes spoke on THE
Place of Women in Political Life, .
opening his subject with a review of
the position of women for the last
half century. since Miss Susan B. An
thony began her career of enlighten-
ment, and then in detail described the
place o. women of today. In part he
said:
For forty years past women have
been steadily gaining control of their
own bodies, of their private property
and in some measure, of the children
whom they go down into the grave to
bring back to the men they love. But
in this same time they have gone
much further; they have forced the
doors of learning, they have mastered
the right to earn their own living,
and now they are learning to master
public affairs.
''It is no longer a theory with which
we are dealing, it is a condition. The
next census will show over 5000, 900
women wage earners In the United
Eiob+ hundred thou CO nd vyo7l1a,,
are now enrolled in registered wonen's
clubs, and as many more are learning
to sweat their temper and know their
man in unregistered organizations In
every institution of higher learning
with the exception of Princeton and a
few small colleges, women are found
with ever increasing numbers; they
predominate in high and elementary
schools; and they are teaching the
whole oncoming generation Of children
how to become good citizens They
own property, SO that Mrs. Hartman,
Mrs. Sage and Mrs. Green could among
them buy up a European state or an
American city. In some Of our states
they have already full political powers;
in every state they have some partici-
patton in public affairs. With such
conditions around US, it is too late to
ask whether we shall allow women to
participate in political life.
THE one great justification for
democratic form of government is that
it develops all the people on all sides
of their natures through continuous
education. A democracy like an army,
cannot afford to have a mass of camp
followers who are noncombatants. All
must participate for the good of an
The women are here, they are free,
they have property, they are highly
educated and deeply interested they
must participate or become a menace
to our democracy. Voting is no longer
a woman's right, it is her sacred duty.
Political life gives the deepest and
most continuous education possible.
Those who participate must study and
discuss European affairs, industrial
conditions, imperial responsibilities
free trade and protection, the status of
colored people, conservation of natural
resources punishment of criminals, the
care of children and every other vital
question of the larger life. But they
must not only study and discuss; they
must go further-they must decide
and act Such a cycle of activity
gives sound education. But the voter
must also pick out men, and present.
ly women, pass on their qualifications
and determine their fitness for varied
forms of responsibility. What better
continuous training could be devised
for human beings?
Meantime a beginning has been
made everywhere. In most commu-
mites women participate in school
elections; every school board should
have women on it. The women of to=
day have only to take up their pres
ent opportunities and obligations and
even before they are ready for it they
will find themselves facing full equali-
ty with men. Who would want toslive
in hourly partnership with his or her