New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-05

they may themselves make the decision.
Surely If women could vote they would
strengthen the hands of those VINO are
endeavoring TO deal in efficient fashion
with evils such as the white slave trdl-
fic.
While Mr.. Roosevelt seems to narrow
the need of the ballot to working women
he would doubtless favor its extension 10
other classes, and while his only posi-
tive idea of the help of enfranchised
women seems to be confined to local ard
social questions he would probably admit
that IL might have wider scope, and
perhaps agree with Mr.. Taft that II
would have a most beneficial bearing
On the general welfare The belief that
he would do this, however, Is somewhat
weakened by his demand that majority
of the women In any state shall nave the
power to deprive the minority or what
he saws Is just as much the right or
women as of men, and just rs necessary
for the one as for the other.
The position Of Mr.. Chain. the Prohipi-
ton candidate, through two Presidential
campaigns, has beer for absolutely equal
suffrage, without any requirements or
| limitations.
| IL is difficult to quote any specific dec
I laration of Eugene V. Debs, as he mas
| been a fearless and uncompromising az
yocate OF woman suffrage since he was
| a boy i'm the High School and has spoken
and written in favor Of it hundreds OF
times. Perhaps an extract from an ar
ticIe by him OF very recent date will best
Illustrate his position:
There is no reason which applies 70
! manhood suffrage but that applies win
/ equal or greater force to the eIllrdh-
| Chisement Of women. The eNlstlhG, 49,
nomic system which has forced mIlllonS
| of the women and children OF the VOL
| ing class into the workshops. factories
/ and mines of this nation IN the pfeseit
/ fierce struggle for existence, deIhdhuo
! that women be given the Dauot az
mere matter of sclf-protecton Women
are yitaIly interested in all the socIdI
I and economic legislation which is now
| messing upon the attention or this am
every other civilized nation OF edith' aiu
as a mere matter of social justice Ihe5
| should be given the ballot. 49,
But there is yet broader ana nIs ne
| justification for the enirancnlseHent VI
women which should claim the lhatiili
attention of every thinking man ai ar
! woman. and il is. To my nina, tne an
. -
J suffrage. II the human race Is 10 PIo-
! gress in it's upward. Godward course 10
a better. saner civilization, theh tlt
motherhood of the race must nave tl l','
[ inteliectual broadening which alone can
come from active participation III w
solution OF the mighty pressing pio'
! lens Of this aye. +, .ho
In the name Of the motherhooH' III VIC
name OF the childhood. aud in the name
J OF the future manhood of the race the
Socialists OF the world demand the Daiiot
and equal freedom for all womanklhd'
Wilson Never for Suffrage.
The one Presidential candidate VINO
never has spoken one word in favor OIL
woman suffrage is the Democratic nofil-
lnee Woodrow Wilson. Al the time ne
WAS making the canvass for the Governor
I shin OF New Jersey he declared himset
uneuiivocally against it in an authorized
/ interview in THE New York World.
! since public sentiment in its favor has
grown so strong he has said on several
toccas;ous that he was "ou the fence.
Ills only definite statement, so far as
known, was made to his devoted admlrer'
/ Mrs Elizabeth Gardiner Evans VINO Jour
neyed 20 the Governors summer residence
AT Sea Girt, and thus describes the result
in LA Follette's Magazine" OF Septem-
Der 81:
! The object OF my interview was to tlnd
I out. IL Mr. Wilson were again catechlseu
ON equal suffrage. whether there was any
I hope that he would now make "A favorable
reply he answered promptly. men
was asked my position some TOUR or HEe
months ago. ! said | thought the ques-
ton arguable and that ! was still arSu-
/ ing II with myself And | am stu doing
SO. though ! am modifying my position
distinctly. He then explained the
scruple which still held him back ana
which / thought not AT all well taken;
He said that even II his mind mad reached
"A definite conclusion he should be un-
willing 20 announce "A change OF views AT
this time you see.' he explained, |
aid change my mind on the initiative and
referendum. ! was forced TO do so by
] the logic OF the situation stu II looked
/ Ike time serving. and 1t would be time
/ serving II / should announce q chanSe
in my suffrage Views now. II Is not as
! II the question were national one on
which | might be required to act
1 This record of the position of all the
/ candidates for the Presidency on the
question. with four out OF five in favor
| OF II, is an unanswerable argument for
an absolutely non-partisan attitude by
women. 1t Is the first time in the his
/ tory OF our government that such an eX-
preston OF opinion has been secured and
shows as nothing else could the tremen-
dous advance that has been made by
this movement. IL must be remembered,
however, that, as Governor Wilson says,
/ the question Is not a national one. IL
may be I'm the future, but at present It
! must be decided by each state for Itself.
II would be bad policy even 10 work
against Mr.. Wilson, for a number of Dem
ocratic state conventions have put woman
suffrage planks in their platforms, nOta-
bly, that OF New York during the present
week But IL must always be kept in
I mind that neither candidates nor plat
forms can control the votes of individual
men on this question, and that nothing
will so determine these men TO keep
women out of political power as to see
them working for the party they them
selves oppose. There is only one wise
and safe course for women who want the
suffrage, and that is entire non-partlsan-
snip.
BOYS WIN MISS DONNELLY.