The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-27
PEOPLES FORUM
Ia1tc, Of a sulrrngc Mother to Icr Son.

My Dear Boy.--I have been thinking of you
of late. You know. just now the great men 81
the nation speaking out about the woman
movement, and are putting themselves on rec
ord as to sound Judgment and clear vision In
regard to It. AS expect that you some day
win be one of the leaders or lawmakers in our
country State have pictured In imaglna-
ton, my boy grown to years of maturity. send
ing forth thoughts to the listening crowds, of
whether woman Is to be. or not to be man
partner in all the avenues of life; whether she
is to help him see with double eyes and feel
with larger heart, the needs of humanity
How would YOU approach this subject?
Would YOU speak forth the words of truth and
soberness? Would they be words of wisdom.
Justice and equity? Or would you approach 1t
with levity as some of our lawmakers did? Or
would you brush II aside with motion to ex-
Glide discussion on the floor Of the House, and
failing IN this absent yourself from the hear
ing Then again, could you be So bold as to
cali for the pending question when the oppo-
rents Of the bill were making merriment for
the listeners, and winning converts to the cause
Surely not my
40, lovely woman: extoed a goddess and
classcd idiot! Q, woman with no sense
OF Justice" yet asking for Justice! Q. just man.
that re should refuse 1t. Would you have cast
the thoughts of the crowd back to your mother
tory" without head? You would not then
haze been man. my son!
few nights since, l listened to Woodrow
a government Of the people. by the people
and fer the people" He read from the Bill
q Rights and Numbered forth that every cit
i2en bad right to vote he-pleased" When
after the address. he was asked If he thought
y omen were citizens and should be included
among the people. he smilingly replied, Il am
thinking about it," Women, place In de-
rnoer1cy yet! 4 question concerning the moth
cry or men and yet no conclusion. Not yet, my
boy. not yet!
Again. I have in my aand the Outlook of
February 3rd. Theodore Roosevelt speaks on
'Women's Rights Hear him say: II believe
in woman suffrage" but, "it Is so much less
rfnp MT ia man her ST hat have
never been able to take very heated interest
in It." See him large in mind. but small in
sympathy. Would he feel thus II the suffrage
should be beheld from the men Of the race
from the bread winners instead of from the
home makers? Is not home making as i'm
portant function to government as bread
winning? Is not the mothers thought In gov
eminent important as the fathers He
doubt believes In the conservation Of the home.
but unlike the conservation OF the forests and
the coal lands. home-maker does not need the
ballot to help conserve it. Sovereign says
TO the subject sex; Your cause is Just. but
feel little interest In IT," THE worthy Homer
sometimes mods"
Listen again, my son. Did you hear the Rev.
Lyman Abbott's latest manifesto? IF the ma
Jority of women wish the ballot, / desire them
to possess It, but so long the majority Of
men do not desire the ballot. object" How
the privilege OF higher education, desire them
to have 1t, but as long as the majority OF wo-
men do not desire It, I object" Again. so long
the majority Of women do not desire to go
out into the business world and earn their Iiv-
Ing. | object that any should have tho priv
fege." Most learned Judge OF woman's rights!
but Is he logical? Are not the majority OF
men reluctant or Indifferent" to their respon-
sibilities in government? Why should women
have to stand this test before being given the
ballot? Meum and tuum. Ell?
am talking to you, my son, OF these public
men because they are the that count
much In this great cause. l want you to emit
late them in many ways. but note their incon-
sistenctes on the woman question. You Will
have to meet 1t before many years and must
stand pat for the right of 1t. Would you SO far
forget the love that bore you. watched over
You and protected you in your childhood az to
think that mother spirit and home spirit should
be lost to our larger public home In which you
VIII then live. move and have your being: VIII
you think the battle tho mothers of the land
are waging to build loftier home. and rear n
family worth the raising. should not have ex-
preston in the =ballet2-Wouid you not be.
lieve that the fathers of the land need us to
think with tassff and act with stkera for the
good OF all in this large human family?
Mothers to men! What parody. Only
mothers to hoys--no longer fit to love. to think
to act In the larger public home, where her
son goes out man. Will manhood bring a
parting OF the way with you, my son? / hope
not. want to follow you always In under
standing. sympathy knowledge and power to
overcome the wrong. The unseen forces OF
truth and right are working to this end, and
when you get there you count on
XOTvP