Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-03-09
MISS JOHNSTON GREETED
Continued from Page y

tWo SIfiS w oHc Doy anu tie "oiho''
Of Virginia are on the rolls Of Col
leges both in this and other states,
thus showing that our women are both
industrially and Intellectually awake
and alert
Miss Johnston said that although
she had in the person of her ances-
tors, been in Virginia over two-hun-
dred years, and through them had
conquered nature, developed resour-
ces, helped to build cities, make roads
keep off famine, fghe Indians, ana
although in her own person she HAD
been self-supportng member of So
ciety, had owned property and hao
paid taxes into the common fund, yet
when it came to the distribution OF
the fund she had no voice because Oh
her sex, no matter what the feelings
might be. She was counted in wheI.
it came to contributing, but counted
out when it came to deciding. W.
hear much of chivalry, she said, Otter.
people who would be puzzled to give
q definition of the word, but there arr
three knights that women would likt
to see riding into public life, and THEN
names are knowledge, Wisdom anG
Justice.
In mastery exposition Of civil so.
ciety and political liberty, based OF.
the ideas of the greatest philosophers.
the speaker showed that if mankint
has a political nature, if society l.
composed of both men and women:
and if the aim of society is to secur,
a healthy, happy and safe environ
ment for it's members then the WON.
an is as vitality interested in secur
ing such an environment as man
could be.
The question is often asked, VIII!
do women want the ballot? They
want it for the same reason as men
for self protection and self govern.
ment. Women are doing the work o.
the world in the position of alien.
with their hands tied. They want The
rope cut. They wish the dignity Oh
citizenship, not because they are mas.
culine, but because they are human
because there can be no real demo.
cracy. no government of, for and by
the people so long as the word "peo.
pie" stands for only half Of our rea.
population.
Then in impressive language Miss
Johnston told how men bowed theil
heads and submitted to the rule of {.
king, until the barons rose and wrest.
ed some Of his power from him, ant
this was we'll, for it was better tina,
some be free than all be slaves. Their
the barons became tyrannical and the
cities of the middle ages forced then
freedom from king and mobiles. Mex
the men of small property obtained
liberties, and after that all men he.
came free even though they did moi
own property, and voice in public
affairs was given even to the slave
and the foreigner. Now the las
great struggle is for liberty to all
citizens regardless of sex. Must the
future historian say that men have re.
fused to their mothers, sisters and
wives this final request in this evolu-
ton of political freedom?
The speaker them examined in de-
tail the objection to giving women the
suffrage. All these she said were ole.
and worn out having been used in the
matter of woman's education and 9th.
err plans for women's advancement.
First, it will not work. This is the
of ignorance, for it has
worked in Wyoming for 50 years, be-
sides working in Idaho, Colorado anc
other states in Finland, New Zealanc
and the Scandinavian countries.
Then, some say it will work badly.
The answer to this is the reforms anC
Announcements already made in the
comparatively short time of its opera
ton.
Then, it is a change, and whittier
would the world progress were every
thing to remain in changeless
state.
Women, as class, are represented
by men as a class. To those who
would argue in this way the question
is asked, whether an individual or
class, can at the same time represent
himself and another or varying
i, -L&, o,5 ;pfarocfc Each L,,r,ap