The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1912-04-12

SG
which break up homes, so the lawyers
tell US, not the momentous questions.
A community of great interests, with
able, can revive fading romance.
And this brings us to the thought
of the personal effect upon us as a
class. Can we be believers in Woman MS
Suffrage, members of Equal Franchise
Leagues, students of civic matters and
public interests, and voters, while we
still have and hold our homes, our
anhood? Well, if we cannot, then
the whole cause will disappear from
the face OF the earth. If we cannot,
then we shall learn that the very laws
Of the universe will protect the in
vio,able flower of our womanhood and
blight the success of our efforts. II
we cannot, the conscience Of the
world, which resides first Of all in the
soul Of woman, will rise in rebellion
and we shall with one accord drive
out the intruder forever. But the
history of the movement so far, and
Cleopatra, or whoever was the first
Suffragist, proves that the fall Of wo-
man from her rightful place has
never been because she wished to
vote. So let US not think of this
movement as dangerous to our char
acters, unless we choose to establish
q precedent and make 1t SO; but let
US look upon it as q well-founded prin-
ciple, q righteous attitude. a new and
appealing form of activity. a means
Of self-culture and information. an
end to be gained by quiet conviction
and moral suasion. Above all, means
to the end that our sons may be bet
WI
and mothers, our husbands more intel
ligently seconded, the poor, the inno-
cent. the weak better protected, and
that our nation may become the best
that warm hearts and clear minds can
make her.
Let us read the literature, attend
the meetings, ask. listen, learn. in
form, remembering that men Of pow
er and vision Of all ages have fore
seen and heralded the coming Of this
day. There are mems leagues to ad-
vance the cause of woman's suffrage,
and we must be ready to take what
they offer US. There are womanly,
effective speakers and instructors on
the subject, and we should support
them. There are those who In a lady
like and orderly manner are bringing
pressure to bear upon the powers
that be- for radical changes in the
realm of child-labor, school sanitation,
pure food, drugs, and literature; re-
form of the cruel practices in our prfs--
other good works too numerous to
mention. We should know and un-
derstand these measures, and pray for
these women.
If we believe in Home Missions, in
charity, in puritp, in the protection Of
childhood, in advancing good and
downing evil, then we believe in leg
jS a nv
these things come to be and their en-
emies be done away with. If it is
right for a good man to vote and
take an interest in politics, then it
is also for a good woman. For 1t af-
fects her as much and perhaps more
through the child whom she so large
ly cares for in the home, the schoo'
the playground and the street. If
the franchise comes to be for all, the
bad women are far less numerous
than the bad men who have had the
vote for years, and experience has al
ready demonstrated, moreover, that
bad women do not use the franch's
because they shun publicity, while bad
men are not only grossly partizan, blu
can be used corruptly. Statistics
show that there are fewer uneducat-
ed women than men, fewer criminals,
and a great majority of women who
are already able to vote intell'genfly
which interest them. There will al
ways be both men and women who
will shirk duty. shift responsibility,
and avoid the issue, some even selling
their vote for paltry gains, but that
number will fast decrease, we believe,
as we work on and exert our moral
influence in the right direction. IT
would seem as though it were about
time that some new blood were in
fused into the political situation. AS
for the arguments against going to
the primary, I have seen several pic
lures, photographs of women at the
polls in States where they are voters.
as if they represented a group stand
ing at some station awaiting a local
train.
An impression was made upon me
by joke sent me In letter by
friend: PA" said the young son,
what's the difference between
Suffra gist and a Suffragette?" "Well,
my son." came the answer after a mo-
ment's thought. "as I understand 1t.
the Suffragist WANTS to vote, like
your Ma and others here in America,
and the Suffragettes are GOING TO,
ike those in England"
Let us all be Suffragists in spirit at
east, and then when we get to the
place where we are "going to-, let us
10 it in quietness and confidence. |
And let us not be too hard upon, nor
Judge too harshly our militant sisters, |
Tor are they not fighting for prin-
,iple as did our glorious forefath theirs.
'or liberty of thought and action; for
Justice and mercy? All honor to the |
martyrs Of any worthy cause. and
eniency as to the methods which they |
Ind necessary to its Advancement. |
We can be thankful that American
suffra eists have no such conditions
20 combat as those prevailing in Eng
and, and that blessings may yet be |
ours which we have never thus hard |
y earned.