The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-04-04
Jane Adams, of Hull House
Chicago, Aids Suffrage
Cause in State.
BIG CROWD CHEERS SPEAKER
Woman Who Is Said to Be Most Dis
tinguished Of her Sex, Speaks of
Demand That Women Have Equal
Rights With Men at Ballot Box.

| Jane Adams, head Of Hull House,
| Chicago, has offered to the people of
Kenosha a simple solution for the de-
lplorable civic conditions which she
has been told exist in this town. She
made it pretty clear to the represen-
tatiye people Of Kenosha who crowded
| the Rhode Opera House Thursday
night to hear her that those depart
ments Of city government which are
most badly administered are nearest to
/ the woman in the home and only by
Exercising the privilege of the ballot
will she be able to exert influence
necessary to take these departments
out of the hands Of politicians and
Iplace them in the hands Sof people who
know most about their administration.
Miss Adams scored her point ION
Kenosha when she referred to the ad-
ministration of the health department.
lin the prevention of the spread of
contagious disease. Her sentiments in
this matter owing to existing copdi-
tions in Kenosha, received a quick re-
spouse from the audience.
The speaker was introduced by Mrs.
Mary D. Bradford, superintendent Of
the city schools, and she spoke for less
than an hour, the latter part Of the
! program being taken up by questions
and answers. These questions put to
Miss Addams by the audience evinced
a very lively interest in the suffrage
question on the part Of Kenosha men
as we'll as women, the audience being
made up Of about as many men as
there were women.
Miss Adams began by illustrating
the worldwide movement of democracy
and pointed out the progress that had
been made by, other countries not yet
attained by the United States. The ex-
tension Of the privilege Of the ballot
Ito women in other countries has been
! much more rapid than in this, she said.
But the entire nation seems now to be
aroused to the need Of votes for
women.
In describing the necessity for the
ballot as an aid to lettering condi-
tions in the city and nation as well
as in the municipalities she divided
women into two classes, the domestic
class and the wage earning class.
The speaker first showed how nearly
every traditional activity of woman
from milking the cow and educating
her own children to getting married
and keeping the household clean had
been taken from her by certain de-
partments of the government organic
ed for the benefit Of the community.
She pointed out that just as soon as
4 the government had taken over the du-
i ties of the women the politicians had
promptly excluded women from the
participation in their administration
in spite of the fact that they had had
generations Of training in those par
ticular lines of work.
! The ballot for men originated, Miss
Adams said, when the soldiers of the
old warriors were called upon to, ex-
press their opinion as to whether they
were to go to war. This opinion was
expressed by clashing their shields to-
gether. When this clashing began all
the women were taken to a point of
safety After the ballot became a
peaceable matter the wometn were
still thought to be in the way when
the voting was taking place when she
pointed out that voting in later gen
erations concerned her interests much
more widely than the interests of the
men.
| The seconN class, the wage earning
women, need the ballot, said Miss Ad-
dams, because there are eight millions
of them at work in the factories and
shops Of the United States. Did they
have the opportunity, she said, they
would succeed in forcing the legisla
lures to pass laws favorable not only
to themselves but to all classes Of
workmen who are now unable to get
the legislation they want. Most all
legislation with regard to the care of
children has been excited by women,
said Miss Addan.s, yet The woman has
no power to enforce her demands for
legislation of this character.
AS an evidence Of the success of
general suffrage in the state where it
has been adopted, Miss Adams point
ed to the work Of the women in Colo
RADIO in support of Judge Lindsay in
the juvenile court of Denver, the par
ticipation Of the women of SEATTLE in
the famous recall case.
The campaign for the suffrage
amendment in Wisconsin has attract
ed attention Of the entire country,
Isaid Miss Adams, as Wisconsin is
looked upon as progressive state
and the success Of the amendment
there, she said would mean its irnme-