The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-23

y f a.
Virginia was organized there have
appeared In The cs-Dispatch
lengthy articles by Nellie Parker Hen
son. headed "Shall Women Voter" Why
the question? docs not the lady al
ready know that several millions OF
more arc rapidly approaching cnfran-
ch!sement? Does she not know that
way and i've Of our own States have
fun suffrage. AMI that Great Britain.
ireland, several English colonies.
sweden, Denmark. Iceland and many
fragc? Has she not seen the la
newspaper reports OF nine Western
and one northern State securing o
majority Of legislative votes for woman
suffrage, and That Missouri has taken.
her initiative step In tho cause?
And last, but not least, how. tho old
South has broken the crust of tradi-
ton by granting the right Of franchise
10 certain women property owners OH a
bond issue ina North Carolina town.
and on n similar question and the rate
OF taxation in New Orleans and Baton
RonSeg
Now. from the foregoing. Is it not
evident that women are already vot-
ing?
So why ask the question in :; gen
eral way? If the lady had special ref
ercncc to her own State, the answer
is In the affirmative, IL being only a
question OF time.
This significant woman movement
HOW commanding INC nLtentDn OIL Inc
civilized world Is daily gathering force.
and will In time of its own momentum
sweep all barriers away.
To 1T try n5o stop It would be as futile
slide or to stem tic incoming tide.
That half Of the race which has had
rs thinking done FOR Il BY the other
half. letting It's own brain rus; In
4 disuse. has been reused into activity
and is now beginning 10 think for 1t
self. This is the inevitable result Or
n ~ m, tafatt vtat tS
lated. and women Will not rest until
secure in reasonable attainment TO
their ideals,
SAYS Mrs. Henson: Some ono re-
Gently sent me all the literature Of the
Equal Suffrage LcaHlic.t'' Now.
happen 70 know the person who sent
cnce. but this. with other m.sstate-
mcnts. vii! he noted as we proceed, To.
show that the lady, in her great zeal
to carry her point. ignores or miscon-
strucs facts She read the literature
.conscicntiousiy." but failed TO see any
reason why she should dare to urge
women dcpar, from the old teachings,
Small wonder she could not sec with
eyes blinded bv prejudice!
think the literature must contain
some pretty sound logic when out Of
nc lot fprohably z dozen IA mphlc;s
and leahe.s). she could find. it appears,
only three vulnerable points.
The address or Thaddeus p. Thomas.
Phi, ID professor OF economics and So
cioloey In the Woman's College OF Bal
,,imor, fh. says. the iensne printed
In fun. Now. II specifically states at
the heading Part OF an address etc.
But, 10 proceed his statement that
boys loy, their mothers. but that their
training diminishcs their respect for
them. Is In her Judgment wholly un-
true. II SHE had taken pains To have
quoted the reference little further
the reader would probably have ar.
rived at a different conclusion,
DR.. Thomas whe speaking of the
benefits OF equal suffrage. which he
faid had Improved tho mind Of woman
by broadening her environment. stimu-
iatins her Intellect, and training her
judgment; that the minds of men and
women differ slightly ny nature. the
Chief difference being due TO training
He was Speaking OF tho average man.
whose Training tended to make him
conceitcd and OF the average woman,
narrow minded. lie then said: THE
growing boy soon learns that hs he
longs 70 tho SOVEREIGN sen. ana that
his mother aud sisters belong TO the
subject sex, and while It does not dl-
minish his love for them 1t docs ~.
:ninisii his respect, lie realizes that
VIII remain civic cipiicrs. He says 10
himself in effect: Mama is good. hut
ineXperienfeedi She knows practically,
found outside of the home. except what
papa tells her. She knows enough 10
traln my sisters. but not enough to
that the hand that rocks tic cradle
Is the hand that rules the world gives
place In his mind 10 tho theory that
me hand that casts the. ballot Is the
hand that rules tho world"
Professor Thomas did not say wo-
men arc idiots. as Mrs. Henson would
leave one TO infer, bur that in being
denied the ballot las It is denied to
id!ots) they are classed with them.
II men arc so crazy to marry old
fashioned girls, WIS, arc SO many of
ci,t. for surely ali the "ant!s" are old
fashioned, and there seems to be
\ Eoodly number OF them? II would he
advisable for the men not to defer too
long the manifestation of their crazi-
ness. for the germ Of woman suffrag e
so recently planted In our midst is in
. most favorable culture he'd ana be-
fore the old-fashioned girl realizes il
she Will have contracted it, and 10! the
place that knew her Will know her no
more
Contrary to Professor Thomas's opin-
ION in reference to woman, tho ballot
and the baby Nellie Parker Henson
h ts,i,ye on" ,!Eo eemeteris' VIII be fun q
that thousands viii die from neglect
What reason has She for believing
this? IL does seem to he tho limit 10
aaual suffrage. To he sure many
babies die from Ignorance on the
mothers part in tho care and manage
ment OF them, and from unsanitary
environments. over which -ofttimes she
has no control. but to say that mothers
VIII neglect their babies 10 vote or 10
participate in politics Is to reverse the
law OF natDrc-the niother-iovc and
instinct OF protection. Does the lady
think that to exercise the privilege OF
voting Will consume n woman's whole
time? No more time or probably half
as much would be consumed as she
herself devotcs TO her card parties and
the anti-suffraSe work. which is now
engaging her attention. no say moth
Ing of the time required for prelimi-
naries. The hostess and her guests
usually give themselves about two
hours enjoyment at the conventional
card party.
To go to the polls and vote at every
election during n year would probably
require no more time than this bur
from such use of this time results
may come that will give permanent