The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-02
Women Should Have Votes II
They Desire.
COMPARATIVELY UNIMPORTANT
Question Not Worth Attention
Given 1t, He Says.
Sees Little Advantage Where
Woman Suffrage Exists.

New York. Feb. 2.-Theodore Roose-
Welt discusses ''Woman's Rights; and
the duties of both men and women" in
an editorial in the current issue Of The
Outlook. He said in part:
Much, indeed. has America owed TO
the fact that her two greatest men.
Washington and Lincoln, though they
did not neglect rights. were even more
concerned with duties.
I believe in Woman's rights. be-
heve even more earnestly in the per-
formance of duty by both men and
women; for unless the average man
and the average woman live lives OF
duty, not only our democracy but civil
ization itself will perish. I heartily be-
lieve in equality of rights as between
men and women: but also in full and
emphatic recognition OF the fact that
normally there cannot be identity or
functions. Indeed there must normally
be complete dissimilaritv of function
between them and the effort to ignore
this patent fan is silly
Il believe in woman suffrage
wherever the women want It. Where
they do not want it, the suffrage should
not be forced on them. I think that IL
would be we'll to let the women them
selves, and only the women, vote at
some special election as to whather
they do or do not wish the vote as a
permanent possession. In other words
this is peculiarly a case for the refer
endum to those most directly affected
that is, the women themselves. should
be entirely content to abide the decision
either way for. though 4 do not think
that the damage prophesied from
women's voting would come or has
come where Il has been tried I also
think that very much less effect would
be produced. one way or the other than
the enthusiasts believe. In other words
l do not regard the movement as anv-
thing ike as important as either its
extreme friends or extreme opponents
think It is much less important
never never been able to take a very heated
interest in It,
Raps SuGragettes.
II the woman suffrage movement were
to be Judged only by those advocates ~
II VINO discredit themselves and their sex
by disorderly antics in public and who
assan the foundations of private ana
pupilc morality in their endeavor not to
raise the sense Of moral duty in man.
put TO lower the sense Of moral duty
IN woman, / should certainly oppose
the movement But I do not believe
these undesirable apostles are IN anr-
way to be accepted as exponents OF the
cause and I call attention to the Fact
enat .t tfsy are prominent. not IN the re-
Slon where woman suffrage doea ert-r
put In regions where it does NOT exist
pin my faith to woman suffraRists
or the type of the late Julia Ward
Howe. Julia Ward Howe was one OF
the foremost citizens OF this renrblfS..
she rendered service to the peonie s,,e.b
as feW men in any generation render
and she did first of all her fun dufv
IN the intimate home relations that
must ever take precedence Of all other
relations
I'm our western states where the
has been given to women I
am unable to see that any great differ
snce has been caused. as connared vgtth
neighbOring states or sfr,ffo- .~of,I
and industrial conditions where worn-
en- have not the suffrage. yet what
slight changes have occurred have
oeeh LOT. the better and not the worse.
Comparatively Unimportaut
7 most earnestly desire to empha-
size my feeling that the question OF
woman suffrage IS unimportant com
pared to the great fundamental oues-
ions that 60 to the root OF right con-
iuct as regards both men and women
Ihere should be equality of rights and
iuties but not identity Of function. ana
with the man as with the woman the
prime duties are those related to the
nome and family.
THE supreme Importance and hfrh
position of the woman Of the type Of
lula Ward Howe cannot be material
y increased by the possession OF the
ballot ] am glad that the good wise
md brave mother should have the bal
OF. am especially glad II it's pos
iession VIII add to the high dignity
# her position in the eyes OF men.
But 1 cannot conceive OF any mana
low falling to hold such a mother as
more worthy of respect than any man.
n than any other woman.
In the long run and taken as
whole. men and women viii go up or
20 down together and all reforms c4
irst class Importance must look to-
ward raising both men and women to
. higher level alike as regards the
hings Of the body and as regards the
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