The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-09-13
ARE THEY SINCERE?
Or Are Those Organizations of Women Opposed to Suf
frage Merely the Tools of Interests Who Want to
See the Feminine Franchise Defeated?
BY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.
Then there are the fools.

BY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.
Then there are the fools.
There are always a lot Of 'em round
ut one time and another.
Some of them are sending out Tit
erature" in envelopes labeled -
Association. Opposed to Woman Stuff
rage" with the street address and
city thereon.
With opposed to woman's suffrage"
In large fat black letters.
Now what do these women mean by
this?
Are they sincere?
Or are they put up to it" by some
party organization inimical to the uni
versal franchise for women?
Or are they a parcel of solemn dun
derheads who think they really have
a mission.
Or, far more like, nucleus of wo-
men bound to shine in the limelight
some way or other and take this
method of 80 doing.
Or few disgruntled ones elbowed
aside by some of the more strenuous
suffragists and to get even" organ
izing among themselves to put the
others to the bad?
Who can tell?
Nobody knows.
Presumably somebody but not those
- 4;rxc of tn
whom they send their literature"
Now whatever their nOtive-sincere
or notwithstanding these women
are barking back to the stone age.
For no matter how recent that age
In relation to present social activities
1T is as remote as the days when man
Jared forth to capture that female Of
the species which particularly took his
fancy and carry her back to his cave.
We're past that long ago.
Or at least we're past the organic
ting against progress state.
Women have the full franchise in
six states and what has happened?
Nothing in particular.
Things are going along as usual al
though perhaps not in exactly the
same old way.
Very few women either run for or
desire office.
They have almost invariably "stood
for" all reform measures and for the
most beneficial legislation.
Have registered votes against boss
rule and for enlightened legislation.
AS stated here several times before,
perhaps, the franchise for woman is
merely a civic right, which should be
possessed by har as a human creature
and part of the great social fabric.
In this she is merely being recog-
nized as an individual in contradistinc-
ticn to thing Of sex.
There is a tremendous lot of rot
floating about "the home" and the
duties of a wife and mother"
AS said here the other day woman
Is the bone upon which everybody
gnaws nowadays.
Why not let her alone and start on
the men.
They need it.
Men are naturally selfish and more
or less degenerate and need to be
prodded up to remember what their
duties are in the scheme of things.
For it has come to pass that, with
or without the franchise, women in
this latter day are performing not on
~ their own part in the drama Of life
but are forced to take on the role OF
the man in five cases out of six.
Look about in our institutions foI
instance.
This column heard it said the other
day that the women up at the high
school did all the work while the men
held the official positions the while
they sat round on tables telling alleg
ed funny stories or read the papers
while the pupils froliced.
Go into business houses and you'll
find the women the real mainsprings
Of action.
Many women, whether they vote OF
mot. are supporting themselves ane
their families which may or may not
but generally do, include men.
They pay taxes, build houses, pay
for property improvements, run bust
nesses, support families, rear chill
,dren, hew and sew and scour ant
scrub and cook, endure with fortitud,
the evil tempers, cruels treatment, in
difference, neglect and regardlessnes
Of men