The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-01-20

| women free.
| Ministers Add Their Testimony.
Mere man paid some telling tribute
/ to the suffrage movement when Mrs.
Lewis had finished her convincing ar
gument Rev. Edward 5. Kinks. of
Warrenton. who spent five years in
Idaho. told Of the way the ladies voted
In tina. State. The best ladies' in the
State voted and as a rule the worst
abstained from voting. He described
the deeeney and order that permcated
the elections and told OF going TO the
polls with his wife where they both
voted. The women who voted weret
many of them, from Virginia. Ten
riessec and other Eastern States. IT
was "a Islander upon them To say that
they saerificed' any of their delicacN
or refinement. Equal suffrage IL COM
ipg as sure as | live" declared the
minister and If the legislature would
cover itself with glory 1t teek favor
able action upon 1t.
Mrs. Kosher speaks.
Mrs. Charles J. Bosher, a prominent
member OF the Richmond Equal Suf-
| frage League was the next speaker.
She began hX pointing out thai -tharsA
: ara approxifnateiy~~4i+ zee men of
voting age In Virginia. and that in
the gubernatorial election of 1909, but
iii,317. of them voted for the can
didates for Governor. In the city Of
Richmond, she declared, there We're
some thirty odd thousand OF voting
age and that In the last guhernatorial
election not quite five thousa nd-not
one man I'm tive--voted. one of the
reasons women were asking for the
right OF suffrage, she declared was
that men were so Indifferent to IT,
Until women have gained political
recognition, until they are regarded
az Intellectual. responsible, reliable
! human beings, who are To lie con-
ferred with in all the relations and
obligations of life, they are forced
To realiz6 the inequality of their posi-
ton, the subordination of their In
tellect, the insecurity OF their stand
ing In the Industrial world. and the
suppression Of their awakened civic
consciousness; and It IL such realiza-
tlon that is calling from them this
appeal for enfrancbisement," declar-
cd the speaker.
She then traced the unfolding Of
the suffrage movement and speaking
as TO the reception accorded the
movement she said but ignored or
understood IL has gone steadily for
ward and 1t is now a fact that must
be faced. Out of ii has sprung the
effort Tor political equality and the
advocates or the latter include many
OF the most brilliant and distinguish
| ed men and women in the country.
We may disapprove of this effort, We
! may regret it but no longer il 1t
commemorative to scott at It. IT cam
not be disposed of with a laugh or
a sneer.' ------------
Mrs. Bosher inferred there were
still some who cbierted to the es-
adjustment of an institution for the
higher e6ncofinn Of in, Vir~
einia, but" said she. the day is not
far distant, We hope. when Virginia
VIII realize her responsibility To her
daughters and share with them the
i privilege and opportunities now given
her Sons"
4 telling point made by the speaker
was that in the course of time, II cQnz
ditions continue az they are. with the
high schools graduating two girls to
one boy, a condition will arise when
the electorate viii be composed large
~ of men of common school education
while the governed half will huve
high school education -
Mrs. BoSher's address was able
throughout, and she closed with tho
appeal; We believe in the gentlemen
OF Virginia. We ask them to believe
in us"
Another Minister Speaks.
Rev. j. w. Ware, rector of ST. Mark 3
Episcopal church. Culpeper, was next
introduced. He said he believed in sur
frage for women--why not? There
was abundant argument for it--none
against it. sheer. urged the min
lister, never constituted an argument.
He was ashamed of the man who SAYS
that the ballot would unsex woman-
hood. Certainly Virginia women would
hot be unsexed by casting her ballot
for principle. Could one think that
the privilege Of the ballot would make
less refined the mothers and daugh-
! tiers of the State? 1t was Il reflection
to ask such question. He had in his
home he said the sweetening influence
of a mother-i in laws years of age
and sunragist.
Many. said he. urge that women
don't want the ballot. I hey should
Il not confuse theories with facts In
his own town where he few weeks
ago. did not think there were five he
now found fifty. Men, said he, nloe
themselves from their self constructed
scare-crows. In one Western State he
named ninety per cent. of the women
voted at the last election. Take the
ballot from the men who do not vote
and give 1t To the women who want 1t.
said he.
fie rad a strong endorsement of the
equal suffrage movement from Judge
Lindsey, Of Colorado. who said that
he had never heard any valid objec-
/ ton urged to II in Colorado.
An Inherent Right.
The right CT suffrage is an Inherent
right, and il s wrong to deprive any
one of an inherent right. urged the
worthy minister. You are IN the
wrong if you don't give dog his
rights The only way to right a
wrong is TO repeal the wrong and sub
stltute the ri"ht for ii.
/ women should vote because we
need their touch on public affairs
urged Mr. ware. FIT one would say
haven't we their sympathies? Yes
the church has all the help she can
give as long as her hands are this
way" dramatically cried the speaker
holding up his hands crossed as they
would he IL bound with thongs.
Referring to the moral right To tax
women. he declared that they should
not lie taxed unless permitted to vote,
and it not so permitted then the con-
stitution should be SO amended as to
relieve them from taxation.
issras Clergy Represented.
II now being o'clock. the COM
mittee took I; recess until o'clock,
at which time Or. i'll. ID. G. Maclach-
Ian made a brief but foreeful talk In
support of the equal suffrage move
ment He read letter from Rev.