Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-04-12
SHALL THE WOMEN OF OREGON
VOTE?
(Katherine wv MaeGregor.l }

ment of women depends entirely upon
the willingness of men to give them
the right of the ballot. Just why men
have the exclusive right to grant this
privilege is a question that is answered
by men alone: I'VE have always voted
and run the government. Women
have their own place as wives and
mothers, and home makers. There
fore, the great things of nation
should be within the hands of the
men," and that is where they are.
Now, am gladto bear testimony to
the apparent willingness of number
of men to grant the franchise. l have
talked with many anent this subject.
Their query, each and every one, has
been, DO the women really want to
vote? I'd vote for the enfranchise-
ment of the state if thought the wo-
men really wanted it." We do. We
want the ballot. Not every woman in
the state, but the majority. In this
movement, as in every forward step,
there are always some on the mega
tive side.
For ten consecutive years / have
had the experience of a voting citizen
know what women have done and
what they are planning to do in Colo
RADIO. In consenting to write this
paper felt that my position was rad
ically different from that of the Dallas
women, for what they hope to do |
have done.
The reasons for granting the fran
chise are the same in oregon as they
are in every enfranchised state Each
commonwealth has lis own problems
to solve, and these problems differ
from each other, as do the conditions
from which they arise.
For example: the labor questions
that so agitate Colorado, while they
keep New York in an active state of
being, do not dominate the states ad-
vancement or retrogression. The hor-
rors of child labor as they exist In the
manufacturing states of New England,
| and the South, are absolutely un-
| huOMH III AOlOid0Ot AL NAAC bOAA NeNAH ~
of that state children are not sent un-
derground thouand feet to do Q
mans work. The sweat-shop labor
the starving wage Of the saleswoman
who either starves or sells her virtue
for the mere privilege of living, these
conditions that call for betterment al
the hands of thinking women In New
York, do not obtain in oregon. sc
what is necessary for correction In one
state cannot be used as a criterion In
all states But there are reasons com
mon to every state in the Union why
women should have the ballot. They
have been given, time and again, and
will not be new to anyone who reads
this paper.
| The basic principle of self-govern'
ment is amenibility to law. The
laws made by men hold responsible
men and women. Women suffer the
penalty of crimes. They are not ex'
cused because of sex; no plea is offer
ed in extenuation of crime because
woman is 'wife, and mother and
home-maker." She 'drees her own
weird" as she should, since she is q
reasonable, responsible being. But
where is the logic, the right, to deny
woman a hand in self-government
considering that the laws govern hei
as well as they do the men? If She
might break the laws with impunity
suffering no penalty because she wa'
held irresponsible then there woule
be logical reason for denying hel
the right TO help govern herself.
That women make the best teacheri
for children is an incontrovertibl'
fact. In the states where women have
voted for any length Of time th'
state points with pride to her schools
to the high grade of efficiency an'
scholarship. Almost every enfran
chised state has elected women a.
state and county superintendents o
schools. / know that many states per
init womento vote on school question
when on municipal matters votes ar
denied them. These states also poin
with pride to their public schools.
In the business and professiona
worlds. women need the ballot to bet
ter their own material interests. Or
egon has not the overwhelming mum
Der OF practicing professional wome
that New York has But oregon J
growing and the time Is not far dis
tant when those young. vigOrou
towns and cities Of our state viii b
the Mecca Of many splendidly en-
dowed and advanced professional wo
men. In New York this class OF VIC
man is thwarted and held back by pro
fesional brethren and II is within tn
bounds Of truth to say that oregon
lust as narrow about admitting wome
lphysicians as internes 10 her hopsitaI
as IL New York. The wage question
the saIeswoman In Portland also cal
for adjustment
When women crossed the plaii
with their husbands and settled
Oregon az pioneers. they did the
work both as mothers and hom'
makers. and a. men. To the honor
the early lawmakers be Il said th'
when the Territory made It's first laV