Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-09-27
Dear Miss Thomas.

Dear Miss Thomas:
Knowing OF your work with women
In this state and others. I ask you
these questions. satisfied that you can
answer them: Has there been any at
tempt whatever on the part OF the
women OF Georgia 20 secure the ballot2
DO you think IL is proving success in
the states that have already adopted
it, Don't you think that il is only a
matter OF time until IL will be adopted
By all the states OF the union2
: The questions put me to thinking. II
Is one thing to have an opinion OF ones
own and quite another TO be able to say
whether those opinions are shared by a
majority or not. So I started forth to
find out what I really could say to tie
gentleman seeking the informal lion.
There have been several definite ef-
forts 20 give the women OF Georgia tie
ballot Brosd-minded men have. Of
their own accord. introduced bills IN the
legislature TO that effect. and in every
instance they have been defeated at the
next election They have been candidly
i informed by their party leaders that
they must be kept at home 20 keep
them out OF mischief.
The National American Womans' Suf-
frage association met here in 1895. That
vas a time that viii not be fOrgotten
BY those fortunate enough TO be there.
The smartest women OF our land were
there. women who had the courage Of
their convictions. for In those days TO
wear the little yellow badge often
brought jeers and Kisses. There was
womans' suffrage day during the Cot
ton States exposition. and the booth
was always surrounded by honest. ear
nest seekers after knowledge.
! don't think there is any active
- 49, - f. ~~.e~an
right here. There are not more than
q hundred names on this list. but all
over the state. as well as here, there
are hundreds who would rally to tie
cause II there was any urgent need for
them to do so. More literature has been
sent out this year than ever before. and
! suspect that there has been more de-
termined opposition There may be some
WHO. like I once did. wonder what the
association does for the good of the
land They have done more than just
talk There is one branch. the civics
league. that has done some good work
Civics. as you know. means municipali-
~. and in Rome that league was COM
posed OF soldiers who helped the citi-
zens out Of trouble: when one distin-
guished himself in that line he was
given the crown OF oak leaves. a crown
for those who labOred for others.
Before any legislation, or measure can
become effective there must be q senti-
ment created in its favor and, in a quiet
way this is being done by the Civic
league. They worked three years before
they succeeded in getting the business
men TO see that giving their employees
Saturday afternoon was the right thing
a do. very much doubt il there are
a hundred OF the employees who know
who helped them
Just now they are working for a city
market IN Atlanta and the splendid pa
per on city markets that was in last
Sundays Journal is the result OF their
efforts. They tried to get five women
put on the vice commission, but were
politely refused the honor. They have
been. and are still. working for a bill
70 allow women lawyNSs in Georgia. The
man that was brave enough to help them
in that measure went home to be told
that his days in the Georgia legislature
are over. that If he didn't have anything
/. better 70 do they would send another
man 70 hold the place
Think Of the injustice of saying that
a. an individual who has passed a brilliant
examination and is just as capable OF
holding q position as any other. is Gls-
qualified just because she is a woman
There are plenty Of smart women kept
out OF this state on account OF the men
sent to the legislature, or the men you
allow 20 say what's what in politics
More than once I've been told by men
in the legislature that they would sup
port certain measures. but their con-
.stituents would not stand for it. That's
gwhy the Georgia legislature is no more
Influential these days; men are picked
= to do certain jobs and dare not DO any
thing else ] would rather die for a