The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-30
Women Not Afraid to
Scratch Ballots in Any
Good Cause.
BRIDGE WHIST
WRECKS HOMES
Dr.. Maclachlan, in Strong Ser.
mon on Suffrage Question,
Asserts That Cards and
Punch Do More Harm
Than Votes for Women
Ever Will Do.

Bridge whist parties and punch
parties nave done more to wreck homes
and happiness than tho votes OF women
ever did or will do" declared Rev III
u. G. Maciachlan last night in ser
mon which startled congregation
that filled the Seventh Street Christian
Church. IF women. at least OF the
more cultured circles" said the minis
ter. do not AXE more interest in polit-
zeal affairs than their men folk, there
is no fear OF their wifely duties being
interfcrcd with materially. Standing
III line at tho Bijou or the Academy is
just rs destructive Of wornanly charm
as voting 1T tn. polls.
Il know | shall be told that this
question of woman's suffrage is not a
1T theme for the pulpit; that the bus
ineSz Of the pulpit is TO preach the
gospel and nothing else. TIE pulpit
does exist TO preach the gospel only.
The gospel has 10 do with human life
in It's whole extent It's business is
with everything that uplifts the race.
whatever its label, whether 1t is called
artistic literary, religious, social or
POLITICAL"
Returning TO his subject. Woman in
Democracy Mr.. Maclachlan said:
The average man and woman is not
Informed on tho facts of equal SUI
fraSe.. Of its past history and present
accomplishments 1t is question OF
fact. and not Of theory.
"A class OF arguments against wo-
mans suffrage VIC may call those of
prejudice. Such are the arguments:
Woman's sphere is the home she VII
lose her sweetness and charm if she
enter the political arena .woman's
mind is different from mans and is not
dcliberaiive enough for suffrage
woman was the first 'infirmary, the
first public school, the first juvenile
court, the first board OF public health,
the first sanitary Inspector, the first
hntl-sa1oon league, tho first Red Cross
society. the nrsr protector Of the purity
and sanctity of the home, This was
long before ballots were invented, nor
has she ceased 10 be such since their
invention. That these duties have be
come socialized does not alter her duty
It only alters its way of working.
Tor centuries man has been bung-
ling municipal and State duties and
appealing TO women to help him out of
the mess he has made. He has proved
himself incompetent TO solve problem
after problem. which women, with their
long inheritance Of insight and moth
crly instinct, could solve in a few years
II they only had the power Mans
fetish is property: woman's fetish Is
life. Man thrives in dirt; woman hates
II with an elemental hatred
One OF the first positive arguments
that concern US as citizens Of Richmond
favoring the extension of the suffrage
10 women is that our city government
needs, above all things. the feminine
touch. II left 10 themselves, men give
us what they cali a business admins
tration.' which too often means one in
which cleanliness, morality and civic
beauty are sacrificed to so-called pros
pcrity. Woman, on the other hand,
where she has the vote, tends to elect
an administration not less business
like. but more human, more sensitive
TO the higher values of life. SHE is a
municipal housekeeper and homemaker.
Dirty streets and jails. dirty sights
and sounds and other similar things are
an atonlination in her sight She is
interested in public parks and play
grounds more than In reducing the tax
rate. Being born philanthropist. she
noes not long tolerate the exploitation
OF the weak and defenselcss for The
sake of any phantom prosperity.'
Not long ego a leading citizen OF
Richmond representative of bust
ness. made passionate appeal to the
solerS not 10 support the proposed
ground that the agitation was a piece
OF oyerenthnsias SIN. Can you ina CINE
ficing thus Tic interests Of the r rHi
city: - - = '"s
in those States where women have
largely increased. Men are no. inde-
pendent, but partisans. Most of them
go up TO the polling booth and stamp
some OF us have had to hold our nos
trils while we did It, Not so women.
They are not afraid to scratch In a
good cause
been in operation s2 9er any sHhlE ehsth e Of
t iimf ea Of IN ess anS fer the
Of the great curses of industrialism
has been its wan1ton sacrifice Of the
ignorant slnnans INNOCENT ,',t and weak to the
state OF affairs has proved in,olerable
to woman,;s heart and consclence;
W vhn she has a5 been given vote
lection of the little ones as to TIC
income tax and tho tariff
ut is not true that women do not
really want to vote In their heart of
hearts. as IS Proved BY the extent to
VI, !, they use the vote when they
Man is inclined to be generous to-
ward women; ,,l but he is not so inclined
to tor De i Just SIic Th .na are some fey mat
man. as against the man: but in large
number OF othcr cases the laws are UNI
Just to woman In tho State of Vir-
ginia woman only owns such clothes
as she purchases With her own money:
the wife has no right TO the earnings
OF her child: the husband Is entitled
to all OF his wife's personal property
while the wife is. entitled TO only one
half or ne-thrd, according to clrcum-
stances; the mother does not inherit
equally with the father in the prop
erty Of a deceased child the Wife 5ha 4
no choice OF p family home; women
are mot represented on any OF the
boards of control Of the public schools:
mono but qualified voters are admitted