East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1912-04-04
VOTES FOR WON EN-
WHY MATCHMAKING WOMEN
SHOULD VOTE.

More than seven million women in
the United States daily leave their
homes to go put in the world and
fight besides men for their living.
They work under greater disadvan-
tages and temptations than men. they
work for longer hours and lower wa
ges. they bear the greater burdens OF
our industrial system, yet they have
the protection which men have
of the ballot.
Good laws are even more necessary
to the woman, for she is the mother
of the e generation, and upon the
conditions under which she works
depends largely the health of herself
and Of her children. The stunted
growth n impaired vitality of the
English working people today are the
direct results of lack of legislation in
their behalf when the introduction of
machinery made possible the great
exploitation of labor.
1t is of the utmost Importance that
there should be good factory laws,
that a woman should work under
sanitary conditions with protection
for life and limb. that she should
not work long hours, nor late at
night, etc. Yet she has no represen-
tatives to make or enact the laws so
necessary to her and her commun-
ity.
Working women need good laws to
protect them at home as well as at
work. Aud they need good laws far
n 70 fh u h rfal IE Sod T. 800
trust prices exhorbitant, dwelling
houses unsanitary. public schools
bad. public hospitals poor, street cars
sbominable, police protection made
quate. the rich can pay for private
service. The poor have no choice.
All these things directly concern
women. Her home, her children, are
her especial province, yet she cannot
demand the laws necessary for their
protection.
There are two ways to secure laws
by vote and by Influence" Wage
cannot afford Influence"
They must elect men who will pass
and enforce the laws they need. Leg
~islation in the interest of the work
ing class does not come unless they
demand it. An appeal to the cour-
tesy Of legislators is never so effec-
tive as a demand backed up by votes.
Formerly women did not have sep
arate interests. Everything now
made in the factory was then made
in the home. There materials were
woven, clothes, rugs, candles, soap.
matches, butter. cheese, etc, etc,
y,-a-. - nru~-
work. They did not come in contact
with the outside world nor share its
responsibilities. That was left to the
men, and men made the laws to pro-
tect their own interests. Women had
none. They were not even tax-pay-
ers. Everything they had belonged
t. their husbands. A man could even
will away his unborn child. But
when the Introduction Of machinery
removed work to the factories. wo-
men were forced TO follow. They no
longer made at home the things they
needed; they had 10 go out into the
world and earn the money with which
TO buy them. The status of women
yas entirely changed.
The form Of any government and
society depends upon economic con-
ditions. A change in Industrial life
brings a change in laws and customs.
Conditions under which women work
and live are constantly changing and
laws must be changed to meet them.
Women are nOw in daily contact with
the world; they do their work In the
world and share its responsibilities
with men. 1t is not their choice. II
has been forced upon them. The
proportion of self-supporting women
Is rapidly increasing. Self-protection
requires that they should vote. Pro-
gress demands 1t.
The grounds on which men have
obtained an extension Of the fran
chise are: /, Government must rect
on the consent Of the governed: 2.
Taxation without representation is
tyranny. These arguments apply
equally to women. There can be no
democracy where half the population
Is governed without its consent.
1t Is said that all the women will
vote. Well, neither do all men.
But 1t would be unjust to d~isfran-
all men because a portion Of
them, do not use the ballot.
II lis said that "women's sphere Is
in the home" but this does not apply
to the 7 million women in America
who must leave their homes in order
to live. Besides. no woman can keep
her home pure in evil surroundings.