Bisbee daily review., 1912-04-12
THE SUFFRAGE SITUATION.

Si LA lON. Those who attended a meeting Of the Arizona senate in the committee Of the whole last Monday and heard i the arguments in favor of the woman suffrage amendment which had just been passed by ;he house in spiri; of levity could not avoid contrasting those arguments with the famous re. marks Of Elihu Root on the same question. Much that was said in the whole committee was calculated rather to arouse the hostility of tue senate than to incline it to the equal suf- frage view. II was made to appear that the introduction of women to the polls would be the beginning of a revolution in government general overturuing of the existing order, while the impression seems to De growing that there has already been too much revolution for the material good Of the country, without any oft setting moral benefit; an impression that it would now be better to turn back for a space. There was, Of course, the usual talk about taxation without representation, all of which. in the circumstances, to the thinkins man and woman. is wholly beside the question. It is not inopportuue, We believe. to reproduce the obserya- tions oi MT Root on this subject, al this period of its acuteness:
 "l am opposed to the granting Of suffrage 10 women because l believe II would be a loss tC the women, to all women and to every woman; and. because ] believe it would be an in- jury 10 the state. r would be useless to argue this if the right Of suffrage were natural right. Ii it were a natural right. then women should have il though the heavens fall.
 But if there be one thing settled in the long discussion of this subject it is that suffrage is not a natural right but it is simply means or gov ernment and the sole question to Le discussed is whether government hN the suffrage oi men and women would be a better government than by the suffrage of men alone.
 The question is thereforo, ques- ton of expediency and the question Of expediency on this subject IS not q question of tyranny, but question Of liberty, a question Of the preserva tion of free constitutional govern ment. Of law, of order, ot reace and prosperity.
 Tn my judgment. sir, there enters no element of the inieriority Of Wo man. There could not, sir, for ! re ioice in the tradition and the posses sion of a home where woman relgrs with acknowledged superiority m al the uobler and higher attributes, tha' bv common and universal consent de termine rank among the highest o' the children of God. Now ST. IL l' moi that woman IS inferior to mau but that she is different from mah; that. in the distribution oi power and capacities. Of equalities, our Max or has created man adapted 10 t' nerformances of certain functions 1T tbe economy Of nature and society and women, adapted 10 the perform ances of other functions.
 "One question to be determined ii the discussion of this subject IS Wheti. or the nature of woman IS such Una inc taking upon her Of the functions implied III suffrage will leave her U ,,ossession and the exercise Of th' highest powers or will be an aban donment Of those powers, on ehtefln'
 feld in which, because oi her oll ference from man. she IS distinctive iy inferior Mir. President nav eoid thai I thought suffrage would h s Ioss for woman. think so, becaus suffrage implies not merely the cas' inc of the ballot, the gentle ah' ,,eacefuI .all of the snowflake DH snffrage. if it means anything mean cn,er;ng upon the field Of polluc and politics IS modified war
 .In politics there is struggle striie titternegs. heartburnlng, ag'Jdtlol a.,citement and everything which adverse 10 the true character q 4,or,an Woman rules today by tE sweet and noble influence of her cha aotor Put woman into the aren oS conaict and sle abandons thes
 aat weapons, which control th sso,ld and Sshe tales into her hanl' teryoless for strife. weapons Nll ,rbirh shS is unfamiliar and ~hic
 na' ie iIn4ble 10 wield Woman strife 6ecomes hard, harsh. unlo'
 sla repulsiye. as far removed iroi ata oentIe creature, to' whom We a o en. sIIegiance and 10 whon we COT owe a-,,I.7,ission. as the heavens ar removed from the ear ear'a; 9;,.;n.. dis,rib,
 Mr. President m tue ul , 'ilS -ro.ctio, v..,1t ion ot powers, the au'S 'i 1i''V'''0'