The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-02-13
LEGISLATORS ARE
CALLED EDWARDS
MRS. DE LENDREclE USES SOME
STRONG LANGUAGE IN TELL.
ING OF HER TRIP TO BISMARCK
MAKES A PUBLIC PROTEST
AGAINST TREATMENT.

To The Forum: In view of the
courtesy extended by The Forum,
will be as brief as possible in my re-
marks. l desire to protest publicly
against the cowardly action of the
small majority of the senate, in the
vote upon the suffrage amendment.
When / say cowardly / mean it and
am prepared to defend my position.
What but towards, pledged in the
platforms of both parties to the ini-
tiative and referendum will refuse to
allow a measure to come before the
people for final settlement. A meas
ure backed by the petitions of large
body of educated and broad thinking
men and women.
If this had been "a vote on the final
question, while the cruelty and in
justice would have remained, the
brutal cowardice would have been
eliminated. But for a body of men
to stand up and say in return, 1--WE
are not for the rights you represent,
but we are the masters, who hold the
clubs and we intend to WELD Them"
is the very soul of tyranny. Who but
tyrants and cruel towards will use
them? Their clubs are the votes of
which we are deprived. The souls of
honest women, who feel the extent
of their wrongs and ask the self
elected for redress are wronged to the
center by such cruelty. We can still
retain some. little CLEAN OF respect for
those who replied to our request for
reasons, for such brutal refusal, that il
was prejudice simple and deep seated,
against the measure. But for married
folk whose private lives are public
property, to look women in the eyes
and tell them It is for love OF a
mothers memory, love of sisters
whose womanly virtues would be con-
taminated by walking to the polls
once year and spend half an hour
in depositing votes--love Of wife and
home, which would be equally con-
taminated in the same manner-I say
it Is these reasons given to women,
which nauseate and disgust beyond
measure or expression.
oh God! How long will it be be-
fore wives, sustained in the holy love
of such husbands. will surely extend
their arms and touch on either side
of them the walls of the prison. mar
row indeed, in which they are held
unknown to themselves slave like
one in a harem.
oh women, sisters OF all OF you
whom / have pleaded for, and de-
Tended in every possible way, whether
Of high or low, rich or poor, alkSzhe
days OF thy life! Throw off the feth-
argy which ties your hands and mine.
II you love not this measure for your
self, be just enough to put no obstruc-
ton in the way of those earnest wo-
men who do care so much. 1t will cause
no obligatious%upon you to cast a bal
lot against your will.
To the large minority who voted
for the measure our grateful thanks
are due. There we're those of them
whe said, il such measure came
before the people under constitutional
amendment they might vote against
it. but believed it was wicked to pre-
sent 1t before the people for final
settlement.
The visit to Bismarck was educa-
tional in many ways; Mrs barrow
and / felt we had learned several VAL
liable lessons. The words Of the great
poet often REQUIRED to us, "Ch. man
man. dressed In a little brief author
ity," only few weeks ago these same
men were lodging hither and thithel
weekly booking votes and promising
measures. Now as masters they carry
clubs.
Men and women think deeply. There
are mighty elements working against
each other now, but the most vital
far reaching question before the
American people today relates to the
settlement of the sex relations. 1t Ii
the key note to the very life of this
nation.
It is because feel so intensely
the wrongs to my sex, that have
hitherto given no marked public at
tention to this question. Although II
has ever received my moral and finan-
ciaI support. But now am In the
fight for veal or woe to myself. The
almighty powers Of the heavens, trutl
and right, are for 1t. and until 1t pre-
walls, which it surely will. my feeble
powers such as they are viii be fulls
enlisted Helen deI4endrecie.