Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-10-24
Probate Court.
Equal Suffrage Versus Anti-Suf
frage.

Before me lie the leaflets issued
by the organization opposed to equal
suffrage. The lengthiest pamphlet
is six years old. 1t comes from Hi
nois and purports to prove that equal
suffragists are socialists and all So
cialists are opposed to marriage
VOWS. This is a broad statement
that kills itself from the fact very
large number of equal suffragists
are not socialists. Moreover, the So
cialist platform is not stated fairly.
The second pamphlet is devoted to
reasons why equal suffrage is not
wanted in Oregon. 1t states that the
movement is on the decline here,
because the vote for it was greater
in 1900, when it was almost carried,
than in 1910. 1t does not, however,
state what is clearly known, that the
people who believed in civic right
eousness in Oregon were busy plac-
ing the initiative and referendum
law, which was of such Importance
that minor matters were not special
ly agitated. Every state or city sees
| fluctuations at times when some very
important measure is before the peo-
pie. The 'inalienable right to vote"
and taxation without representa-
ton" are lost in maze of words that
only an antedate lawyer could inter
pret.
The fourth statement is to the eff
! feet that the woman wage Garner is
well enough off in Oregon and is bet
ter protected than in the equal suf-
frage states. beg to differ, because
in several equal suffrage states the
woman wage worker works but eight
hours. In Oregon she works ten In
some equal suffrage states the teach
er receives a pension after a length
of time and also receives equal pay
for equal work. This is not the fact
in Oregon, either for the teacher or
in other employments.
There are "a women on the execu-
tive board of the association opposed
to equal suffrage. At least IS of
them or three-fourths of them are
women of wealth-from one with a
probable million in her own right to
fhncn Whn hai h., J-
Possibly two or more of the total
number are bread winners. When
one has always handled a silver
spoon and has no cold wind of ad-
versity to contend against she natur-
ally does not grasp the problem of
the working woman. Nor does she
foresee that in our rapid history max
ing in Oregon we must take time by
the forelock and prepare for that
period when our shores will be more
densely populated.
The arguments thus prepared by
those who know not by actual vision
the sorrows of the poor cannot have
the weight like those put up by Mil
| lie Trumbull or Lola Baldwin, the
Jane Addams of Portland When
they lift up their voices and plead
for the ballot for the working wom-
en- it means something. They as
trusted officials of long standing
have studied the disadvantages wom-
en- work under. They know their
temptations. Because of her love for
humanity Millie Trumbull is styled
Little Mother of the Poor" When
DR.. Esther Pohl of Portland, so long
one of it's health officers, pleads for
equal suffrage it means something
To how many bedsides has she
brought blessings, risked her life,
cheered and comforted the widow
and the fatherless? Does not her
uplifted voice carry weight? When
Sarah Evans pleads for equal suf-
frage as she overhauls the unsani-
tary products that are put up for
sale, and inspects the milk and looks
after the food that is condemned,