The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-08-29
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ENJOY THE VOTE
: Speaker Clark's Sister Tells of
!: the Benefits of the Ballot.
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(By Mrs. Annie Hamilton Bennett
Spitzer.)
So much has been said about equal
suffrage in Colorado that I feel en-
harrassed in attempting to add any,
thing, for Island in awe of a regular
ly organized, bona fde suffrage asso-
citation.
A suffragist to my mind, means a
woman who can make a god speech.
So when the reporters began asking
me If l was a woman suffragist. l
said, ooh, no: I am only a voter" l
think this is the attitude of the rank
and file of Colorado women. We go
to the polls SO simply and naturally,
so entirely as a matter of course. that
until IL attention is called to it from
newcomers. We do not realize that we
are doing anything extraordinary.
Colorado on equal suffrage is like
the bible IN baptism-most people go
{ it with ~preconceived ideas to prove
certain theories, and they never fail
to find what they seek. We have new
er been able to convince magazine
W. tiers hostile to suffrage that equal
suffrage is not a failure in Colorado.
l myself always desired to vote. so
! lost no time in doing it, once the
privilege was granted.
Ballot a Personal Benefit.
/ am sometimes asked what person
al good the ballot has done n re-
ply. 1T has beer an educa "A and
a protection, not to mention a very
great satisfaction. Being a citizen, 1
wish to enjoy all the rights and priv
ileges of citizenship for which l am
a taxpayer, 1 wish to help pick my as
SCISSORS. If bonds are to be issued
which l shall be taxed to redeem, I
wish a voice in the matter. If a city
charter is to be adopted, under which
l u live, and to which 1 u IN
form, l wish to vote on it. 1t does
me the same good to do this as it does
my neighbor. Mr.. Graham. who is also
a taxpayer. The claim of the law
is the same on both of US. Also. since
if 1 sin under the law. 1 am judged
by the law. wish to help adopt the
law and select the judge.
I nave transacted business in Color
ado. and in states where suffrage was
not extended to women. but where
my family was better known and my
social position better recognized.
Without exception, l have received
more courtesy and consideration from
those holding elective Office in Color
ado than in nonsuffrage states.
I nave known many women without
male relatives to aid them who have
obtained re1nunerative positions,
which they We're fully competent to
fill. but which they could not have OBJ
tanned without the franchise. The
average salary Of women teachers has
been greatly increased since the ballot
was given. being higher now than in
most neighboring nonsuffrage states.
T e influence of the ballot on the
wages of all working Women Is up
ward. while there is not a working
woman in Colorado who does not re-
ceive moral support and become a
person Of more consequence through
the ballot.
Married Women Need to Vote.
Married women Of social position,
who are we'll provided for, need it for
a mental stimulant. because it broad
ems the mind. the interest. and the
outlook on life. 1t furnishes an inter-
est against the belittling tendency Of
idleness n of petty detail, which go
far to make up the lives of even the
nos favored women . Women who
take an interest in the welfare Of the
city. the state. and nation. I have
never known to be interested In COS.
sip. Women need the ballot to be-
queath as a heritage to their daueh-
tiers for whose future they cannot
give hostage.
But If there are women who think
they do not need the vote for any Of
these easons. and know they do not
desire 1t, they should feel bound both