The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-02
old SOLDIERS FIFTH DISTRICT
appear 10 MEN VINO nave Reports Indicate o. K for
borne ArmS' Suffrage.
Do They Feel About An Alert and Iutouioon4 O.
NURSES In hospitals paign in Ten Counties.
E They ANGELS OF MERCY MRS. KIMBAII Is CnNEInENT
MOI women nave farC She Writes From Manhattan ia
III the "ars' Topeka Headquarters.
Why Deny Them Right to Votes for womeu CaUnot 20
INC Ear1 IN government! Defeated, Only Deferred
An Appeal to Men Who Have
Borne Arms.
How Do They Feel About
Nurses in Hospitals.
THEY ANGELS OF MERCY
Did Not Women Have q Part
in the Wars?
Then Why Deny Them Right to
Take Part in Government?

Members of the q. A. r.: The ques-
ton of enfranchising our women comes
up next week. With each of US it is not
question of giving the ballot to lot
of strange women whom we might
think unfit for the responsibility, it
comes to each of US as to the fitness of
our own daughters and wives, the wo-
men of our own families. 1t is not a
question either, of whether they want
it or not. 1t is whether we want to
make and preserve genuine Republic
by giving all human beings their part in
it and making them responsible to that
government for their privileges under
it. You have been associated with the
Women's Relief Corps, you know what
Clara Barton said in another campaign
when begging for votes for women,
that as she has stood by you in your
hours of pain, that you should stand by
her, and she asked such a little thing,
just the vote of the Old Soldiers.
Remember what Comrade Taylor
wrote of our own Mother Bickerdyke,
of whom General Sherman said: "She
outranks me-"
There came into the army
Gods one best gift to man;
She was a very angel
AsSuaging grief and pain
In passing near a bedside
If she heard the words my wife,
She kneIt and caught the message
Fer fled the spark of life.
Then comrades see "Our Mother
Give her a good salute
Though tenting on flames camping ground
She'll know freeman's shout
In records there are written
Names famous that you like
But none so well worth keeping
AS Mary Bickerdyke.
These were wonderful women. They
had their need of fame. But you, each
of you know women, who served their
country and you just as heroically only
on a smaller scale, and yet up till the
present have been denied the right
which you won for the negro, the right
to the ballot. What are you going to
do about it on Tuesday?
Besides isn't it the most natural thing
in the world that a daughter who in
herits your patriotism should want to
be a citizen of the land for which you
fought? Aren't you in feet, responsible
for the desire of the daughter to call
it her flag when father saved it to the
Union? Why, of course you are, Didn't
you give her the color of her eyes, her
features, her ambitions, many eharac-
teristics of mind and body and Is it not
then natural that she should share
your patriotic love of her country, her
state. Your desire to give freedom to
all men comes to her as a desire for her
own Embarrassment.
Comrade you shouldn't have been so
good a soldier if you had wanted nerve
less, bioodless nenentities for daughters.
AS We SHOT to make men free let us
VOTE to make our women free.