The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-06-03

lespouse causes Tor Righteousness than aree un-
There is very large reason why the unmar-
ried and childless women should be forced to
the front In this campaign. and the reason Ii
children. But the argument does not hold
good that there is no interest among wives and
mothers in this matter; where they are not
leading-and strange as 1t may seem some
them as the "backers' Of the movement
| Mr.. Cannon is particularly contemptuous OF
the woman suffrage movement; and OF the
young things seking notoriety, and OF the
women Of uncertain age"-those without the
wives and mothers" This blessed privilege"
and solemn responsibilities business has been
loverworked. One wonders Just how many real
lie the blessed privilege" and solemn re-
sponsibi1ity" of these two Offices. by their
fruits we shall know them" What IL there
which the suffragists-marrfed and unmar-
lried-mothers and childless-male and fe-
male, have not done in an open and legitimate
lation fought for by them! am not In sym
pathy with the general condemnation melted out
Ito the so-called society women" for their In
by their fruits We shall know. them" What
ever may have been the cause OF their turn
ing, mighty awakening has come In some
quarters from the fact that they are turned. In
that little explored pshchic field of moral con-
version one is ofttimes in the dark as to ''the
cause of turning: of Importance are the
turning and the things does thereafter. Mr.
Cannon's arraignment of the young thing is
as unjust as 1t is ungenerous and comes perilous-
lily near to cynicism-that jaundice OF the
heart. I am sorry that Mr. Cannon should dis
play such lamentable ignorance of the motives
of the young. Here again one should think
that from experience he would know better 1t
Is not always-nor frequently-that notoriety il
sought by them-theres strong moral pur-
may--but youth dares-never grudges the
throe. There Is element of ridicule in MI.
Cannon's phrase OF women of uncertain age;
wish to remind him in connection with all
thse charges that 1t Is not by the station in
which found married, unmarried, child
less or with children, old young sad of ex
perience or otherwise, that ones value to life Is
reckoned, but that 1t Is rather by the con-
cientiousness and strength with which we I'LL
married, disappointed ones. turning to the suf-
frage cause, sorely disappointed with life. badly
treated. deeply wronged 1t may be. believe that
II would have been different II women could have
voted" If women had had the ballot-if law
makers and the executives and administrative
of the system had been responsible to her
there are laws which would be the statute
books which would have saved great deal Of
their disappointment and establishment. a
unjust treatment There would be no pernicious
liquor traffic; there would be an adequate law
under which to mete out justice to him who be-
trays a woman whether she be fourteen or
forty years of age; there would be statutes to
safeguard the rights Of unborn children and
their mothers physical health from COM
municabIe disease there would be better laws
for the working woman and child. and doubt
not but there would be better economic con-
dition ensuring to many who now deferred
ltherefrom for very sufficient-if unjust-causes
the privileges and responsibilities not only OF
wifehood and motherhood, but of husbandhood
and fatherhood. which latter are just as greatly
to be desired and are just as high and holy cali
ings the former.
And then Mr.. Cannons disconnected. unsatis-
fed "vainly imagine" he says. that woman's
nature be satisfied by taking up the work
of men" If mems work high 1t
should be there is not any reason why women
should not take 1t up, and from the context
one would judge that Mr.. Cannon here refers
in its largest concerns the whole OF life.
II willing, however. to admit. that men
work in this field as things are now consti-
tuted would not satisfy even the meagrest ma
tured of Women. even some low ma
tured ones. fight for big things. large issues, not
jobs and material recompense.
face the issue sQuarely: not alone to those
who have experienced 1.-The blessed privileges and
solemn responsibilities of wives and mothers"
Is the business OF life committed-not alone can
they determine to whether women shall have
the ballot. Political right is necessary to the
protection of her who has no husband, no child
as to her who has them, both.
| The opponents of woman suffrage have stop
ped fighting issues 1t seems to me and have
gone to calling names. These opponents hang
now only on 1.-The ballot" they try. to accom-
psh without 1t what would be sooner accom-
plshed with it-and this matter of the ballot
has turned many OF them. failing to meet Is
sue-to promulgating filthy stories on the lead
ers of the suffrage cause. and where they do
not attack individually they attack masse
and use such arguments as Mr. Cannon uses
t IT his article.
| In conclusion l wish TO call Mr.. Cannon'S at
ltention--and the attention of any who may
be like minded--to the fact that down beneath
some OF the so-caled spectacular features of the
equal suffrage movement there lies a great pur-
pose which Is making itself felt even through
the pretudces inherited from the ages. / wish
to refer them to the names signed to the petit
lions for equal suffrage, / wish to refer them
to a study of the lives and works OF Jane
Adams, Lavinia Dock, Anna Howard Shaw
and Mary johnson and Kate Langley Bosher, and
Lila Meade Valentine. What of such as these
leaders do you say? Unmarried or childless
Alas indeed! Who, though, would dare Judge
the motives Of these women? Wives and moth
ers accept their leadership-and proof Of
what say recommend them more particularly
to read and n ark-it might be well to remem-
ber perhaps inwardly-mentally, OF course.
digest the roll Of membership Of the Equal SUI
frage League OF Virginia There wives
mothers and grandmothers there: and this Vir-
ginia is a safely conservative State. There are
other States where conditions are the same.
But the headquarters OF the Virginia league are
in Richmond and their membership roll open
to inspection.
"Elisheba," Chesterfield county, Va