The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1912-03-19
MANY WOMEN TO VOTE.

|
From a million to a million and a
half of women will have something
to say in choosing the next presi-
dent. In at least six states the hand
that rocks the cradle will also cast
the ballot.
In the six states where women will
vote next November, they constitute
somewhat less than one-half of the
total voting population. The census
report is authority for the statement
tina men are increasing in this coun-
try more rapidly than women, due to
| the larger number Of men immigrants.
TIE excess male population is fixed at
2,000,0 900. In the Western states men
are rot so much in the majority, how
ever, as they were in earlier pioneer
days. Moreover, it seems to be gen.
orally conceded that women register
and vote in larger proportion than
men. To take the woman's vote, there
fore, at approximately half the entire
voting population of the six states
where the feminine influence is "di-
rect would not be far wrong.
Estimating Washingtons total vot-
ing population inclusive of the new
woman vote at 45O, 900, Idahos at 1885,
600. Wyoming at $4,000, Utah's a;
10000, Colorado's at 100000, and
CALIFORNIA; at 100000, we would have
an aggregate of nearly two million
voters in the six states. Possibly the
fairest estimate would fix the quota
Of women voters at about 100000, a
number large enough to be reckoned
with i'll any campaign
This army of women, despite the
fact that the United States is some
times called slow of persuasion by
suffrage enthusiasts includes one
third OF the women voters of the
world. the other two thirds being i'll
Australia, Finland, Norway and New
Zealand. 1t more than the usual
presidential plurality If million
and half voted solidly they might
decide the presidency.
The women will not vote solidly,
any more than men will vote solidly.
About the most that can be said as
Indicative of womeIfs solidarity in
politics is that they have a ten0ency
to break away from party lines, to
choose the man rather than the party,
and that in their politics, as in their
! industrial economics, they follow the
biological law under which the female
of Ill species operates as the up
builder and conserver of life. Their
political activity has been almost uni
formly constructive, and the results
of that activity have been almost uni
, formlv reflected in legislation direct
ly related to the welfare of the home
and the family child labor laws, the
school laws, and industrial laws that
concern women.
The exercise of the voting privilege
in 1912 will be no novelty to the wo-
men OF Wyoming, where they have
been voting since 1896, the franchise
having been bestowed upon them
year after the organization of the
territory. When the territory became
state in 1890, women suffrage was
/ written in the constitution. Wyom-
ing women have exactly the same po-
itieal significance that men have.and.
according to figures from the state
T, 70 per cent of them make the most Of
It, registering and voting regularly.
They often sit as jurors and serve as
Justices of peace.
The women of Colorado are not
novices at voting in presidential cleo
tons, They were franchised in 1898
so that they have been voting for
presidents for nineteen years.
Utah women voted when the state
was still territory. The territorr
became a state in 1866, and the right
OF women to vote was established in
the constitution. A woman has once