The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-05-31
WOMEN AS VOTERS


made a lengthy and most interesting
speech in congress on April oath on
the subject of extending the suffrage
to women. There are 10000 women
voters in Colorado. He regards it not
only as an act of righteousness and
broadmindedness but proud exhibit
ton of chiyalry. We wish everyone
could read his speech. 1t would cause
one to think, and when man begins
to think it can almost be safely said
that his footsteps will be turned in
the right direction. Mr.. Taylor says
that giving a woman the right to vote
does not change her characteristics
or womanly nature in the slightest.
Though voter, she is still the low
ing, gentle and affectionate being
that she always was and always will
be. Continuing Mr.. Taylor says:
The women as a class are never
chronic or inveterate office-seekers.
In fact there is not one out of five
hundred who ever thinks of being d
candidate for office. They are not
ambitious for office. They are never
avaricious for power and influence
like men are. Men are shrewder pol
iticians and much more unscrupulous
than women. In nine cases out OF
ten when a woman does seek the nom
ination for an office she is earnestly
solicited to do so by many of her
friends and acquaintances who recog-
nize her exceptional qualifications for
the position. Moreover, women
scarcely ever strive for or want the
more important positions that the
men want The men want the posi-
tions that pay the large salaries and
require the executive ability and 9TH
esr responsibilities, and that involve
control of party machinery, patronage
and large affairs. AS ruule women
are never candidates for positions of
that kind. They do not care to be po-
litical bosses, and nine hundred and
ninety-nine out of one thousand i'll
shrink from allowing
themvelves to be made candidates for
the highest of best positions.
There is no reason why a fair share
of important offices should not be Civ
en- to women and they undoubtedly
will be as time goes on and women
become more qualified to fill them.
But in the meantime the women are
contented with the educational and
clerical positions and minor offices
that require energy and much pains
taking diligence and conscientious
work, and which are compensated by
smaller salaries. Furthermore, it
should be remembered that all of the
offices in any state or county or city
number as compared with the entire
population, and there is not one
tenth as much reason for the claim
that if women vote all of them would
want to hold office as there is regard
ing the men Neither of them can be
elected without receiving the major
ity of all the votes, both male and fe-
male, and that vote Will not be given
to either unless the candidate is we'll
fitted for the position.
There are many public-spirited and
well-to-do women who have more leis-
ure than their husbands, and who
take an active interest in charitable
work and the welfare of the unfortu-
nate; and they often serve on these
official boards and do a world of
good without any compensation what
ever. But they are clothed with the
authority that compels the officials in
charge to carry out their recommends
tions, which they would not do if the
women were not backed up by the
ballot.
The voting age of women is II
years, the same as men, and in Col
orado there are only comparatively
small per cent. of the women II years
of age who are not married, and most
of those who are not married are
school teachers, or stenographers, or
deputies in offices, or occupying some
clerical position, or clerking in stores
All of the women of Colorado are ex-
ceptionally intelligent and we'll i'm
formed on public affairs. The great
majority of married women have
their family affairs to look after, and
they do not care to hold offices. But
all of them are interested in who are
elected to offices, and the way the
public officials administer their of
fees.
=~
We hope that all the mud and filth
of the late primaries will be raked to-
oether in one bean and hurled In