The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-01-27

|
up the pennies and gets dollars. The
call of the economist-reformer rings
loud in her ears.
IT was chiefly the voting women
of Denver who defeated the renewal
of the water monopoly's franchise
at recent election and declared for
municipal ownership. 1t is chiefly
the voting woman of Colorado who
is demanding inquiry into the tele-
phone, gas and street-car charges.
Under male suffrage there were
three dry towns in the State of
Colorado. Under equal suffrage a
local-option law was put on the stat
ute books, and there are now fifty
"dry" towns and twelve dry" coun-
ties. And it may also be mentioned
that Denver is one of the few cities
,, in the land that has no saloon-keep-
ers in its council.
The liquor interests hate the vot-
ing women because they cannot fool
her out of her antagonism. The pub
lie service corporations fear the vot-
| ing women because they cannot
handle" her. And who SO blind as
to deny the political partnership of
the saloon and the Misunderstanding
corporations? These corrupt and
malign influences have always work
ed together, and are working toge-
Their now In the desperate endeavor
to prevent the spread of equal stuff
rage. The gambler, saloon keeper,
macquerreau and barrell-house boss
the resectable criminals who fat
ten on franchises and the exploita-
tion of the people-these are the
people at the bottom of the anti-sufr-
rage agitation! They constitute the
secret influence that is inflaming con-
servaism and traditional prejudices!
The honest man is not vicious in
his opposition to equal suffrage. At
worst 1t is, as has been explained,
no more than matter of sex anita
gonism or survival of the fuedal
instinct. Is it not significant that
no reputable Colorado man has yet
come out in denunciation of equaI
suffrage? Men are in the majority
in Colorado, and surely, If the Colo
RADIO man is opposed to the law, and
desires its repeal, candidate could
not have more profitable platform
than the laws abolition.
AS a matter of fact, equal sufl-
rage was practically resubmitted in
1901, when people voted on the pro-
position to strike male" out of the
constitution of the State. Equal suff-
rage had had an eight years trial,
and benefits were much less marked
than now. Yet the proposition car,
ried by $4,000.
Discussion of equal suffrage in
other States may be governed by
tradition and prejudice; but exper-
fence and practice have made the
Colorado man come down to brass
tacks." Some may still retain a
vague antagonism, but not one but
has more sense than to advance the
arguments that enjoy vogue in the
East.
The chief conceded faults of
women are the faults of mind that
has been cooped up, circumscribed
by small household activities The
Colorado man has come to under
stand that the broadening influence
of equal suffrage remedies these
faults, and works for their elimina-
ton.
1t is claimed that woman should
not have the ballot because she has
i shown unfitness in graphing with the
servant problem
| In Colorado the servant problem"
is recognized as labor problem,
and what man will claim that male
votes have solved it? President
Taft's own answer to the request for
solution was God knows!"
The attachments of culture-these
"parlor accomplishments" that are
urged upon women-what are they
in the last analysis but self-adorn-
ment? The broadening of politics
is different from the broadening of
culture, for the one has social and
public purposes and the other is
personal and selfish.
The Colorado man has come to
the recognition of this truth, and
knows that the Colorado woman has
grown in strength and effectiveness
without loss of essential womanliness
or sacrifice of valuable traits.
Outside of the corrupt and self
seeking, the vile and venal, the man