The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-08-21
WOMEN IN POLITICS
tNew Haven Union)

Miss Mabel T. Boardman is the pres ent president of the National Red Cross society. Personally, she is an adnlirer Of President Taft and his ad- ministfation of national affairs. Miss Jane Addams of Chicago is probably the greatest woman leader we have in social betterment work. She is an arr dent admirer of Theodore Roosevelt and his present policies.
 Miss Boardrnan recently was offered a position on the Republican national advisory committee and the chair the Taft campaign. Miss Boardman declined, because of her association with the American Red Cross. She says that the society with which she is affiliated is a non-political organiza- tion. She severely criticises Miss the great social betterment work in which she has been engaged for the benefit of single political party.
 Without going into details, we feel that Miss Boardman has shown bet ter Judgment than Miss Addams in this matter. The thing which women are most interested in at the present time is the ballot. In six states this fall, women will vote on an equality with men for all the candidates from the presidential electors down the list. With the political shrewdness for which he is noted, MT. Roosevelt has tried to make the woman suffrage cause a political asset of his new party. He has declared for 1t unequiv- ocally in his platform and 1t is natural that such an ardent advocate of equal suffrage as Jane Addams should warm to the new Progressive party for this, if for no other reason.
 The woman suffrage propaganda, however, has never been a partisan movement in this country. From its introduction in Wyoming in 1869 till its adoption in California this year, the cause of equal suffrage has marched outside. of party lines from victory to victory. In the Republican states of Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, been written into the statute books. Tn the Republican states of Kansas, Oregon and wisconsin, it is to be submitted to popular votes. In the Democratic states of Colorado, Ne vada and Ohio, it is written into the and Prohibition parties have endorsed this reform It has also received recognition in the state platforms of several Democratic and Republican commonwealthS.
 No, the woman suffrage question is not party issue. It is to big and far reaching a. reform to be made the political property of any one party. There are many men in all parties who favor votes for women. There are many men in all parties who oppose equal suffrage. The woman suffrage cause can never be made a party question. and it is better for the cause that it should not be so compromised. The woman suffrage movement is world wide in scope. It is the first or ganized effort made throughout mother earth to promote the political liberty of half the human race. The emancipation of the negro does not compare with it in importance. It is movement that has had a steady growth and it's proven success in one place has led to its adoption in an other. We expect MT. Roosevelt to try to make this cause an asset of Bull Moosism. We shall await with interest to SC how many women in the equal suffrage states MT Roosevelt has been able to fool in this way.