The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-11-16

tions seek to make it thing of the past. We
want that plank dropped-because we want all
women to have the suffrage.
Union workingmen realize that the equality of
man and woman rests their equality in the gen.
eral world of labor. It is not moral or an
ethical" or "concessional' question. It is abso-
lutely matter of fact. AS equal workers. az CO.
factors, demand equal rights for all, and in the
demand for the franchise we are simply emphasizing
this matter
The fight for the franchise has been long and
bitter one in the case of the men. Even now there
in this country hundreds Of thousands Of persons
who should have the franchise who are excluded
and hundreds of thousands of others are auto
maticaly barred by residential qualifications from
exercising it.
But in the case of women the condition of affairs
is criminal.
Most States utterly exclude women from the
polls.
In the great industrial States of the East where
the factory towns located, and where much of
the wealth is produced through the work Of women
these wealth producers have utterly voice in the
management of political affairs. They are classed
with paupers and criminals, and matter what
their industrial efficiency and intellectual attain
ments may be, they cannot vote.
At the recent election four States swung into
line and removed the stigma from women
Kansas is in line, and Kansas was settled by
people who went from the East to prevent the old
Territory falling into the hands of the slave
Minnesota to have forgotten that fight for
freedom, for she still keeps the in industrial
and political slavery. Kansas has grown up It
has gone ahead, and has shown that it still has the
great elements of progress in it,
Michigan, one OF the big agricultural States where
women have done notable work. shoulder to shoulder
with the men, is in line, and the women will now
have voice in the matter of government.
Arizona where the conditions of life for long
period were appaingly difficult but where women
in for
civilization, will have equal suffrage
Oregon, settled largely by migration from the
older Eastern States, lined up with California, and
there the women will vote next year.
What is the matter with Minnesota?
There be pretense about wishing to
''protect' women by keeping them away from the
ruttlanly scenes that sometimes take place at the
polls. We have hesitation in ''permitting -
women to go into the slave pens of Lawrence or
the fire traps of Triangle. We even force them
to go there and produce new wealth for the ex-
ploiters. But we pretend and aver that woman is
not 'constitutionally ftted' or intellectually
equipped' to exercise the function of voting She
must leave that to the political boss the ward heeler
and the "better citizens" who buy the votes and
do the exploiting.
political subjugation of woman as it already has
made it's fight against domestic slavery and political
serfdom.
At the coming session Of the legislature the
people of this state and particularly the organized
workingmen, will be given opportunity to de-
monstrate their sincerity and their earnestness on
this matter of woman's Acknowledgement It is a
splendid opportunity and one that every trade
unionist should welcome.
The women Of Minnesota have formed militant
organization under the auspices of the Women s
Suffrage Association and a powerful committee
headed by Mary McFadden, the we'll known Duluth
newspaper woman and suffrage advocate, and Mrs
S. G. Higbee, formerly president of the Minnesota
Federation Of Women's Clubs will work during the
coming session of the legislature for the passage
bill to submit to the voters at the next election
constitutional amendment to extend the right OF
suffrage to women.
We will be in the fight to the finish, and it is the
sincere wish of The Labor World that every labor
organization in Minnesota will back up the women
OF this state in the great and gallant fight they are
making for political freedom.