The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1913-08-07
STATEMENT BY
ANTI-SUFFRACISTS
Especial to the Silver State. J

WASHINGTON, August why
women are fighting women on the
question of suffrage has been explain
ed here in the first authoritative state
ment issued on the subject by the Ma
tional Association Opposed to Woman
Suffrage. The explanation was given
out through the Washington head
quarters of the organization. 1t is a
reply to the reiterated question
."Why do women who oppose suffrage
organize a fight against itl Why not
simply permit their suffrage sisters to
secure the vote. since the 'antis will
is given to womenf'
The statement in reply, coming at a
time when the suffrage question is
being agitated in Washington and in
several important states with unusual
vigor, is particularly interesting. The
statement says:
I'VE, more than any other organiza-
tion, believe in woman's rights. We
are fighting for woman IS rights. First
in the catalogue of woman's rights. is
the right of exemption. BY that, we
mean exemption from entrance into
active politics and all that it involves.
We have an abiding faith in both the
Justice and the necessity of this ex-
emption because by virtue of it
woman is able to do her half of the
world s work. Deprived of this ex-
emption, woman beeoms an incon-
gruity. Called upon to do double duty,
she will face the failure which is the
fruif of an unnatural task
"By no Juggling of the phrase
Woman s Rights, can the suffrag-
lists, who number only eight per cent
of the women of America. Justify their
claim that the lawmakers of this coun-
try should force the burden of the
ballit upon the remaining ninety-two
per cent who protest against it or are
unwilling to have it.
"In the catalogue of woman s
rights is the right to do good work
On the rolls of our organization are
the names of women nationally fam
Gus for their charitable and philan-
thropie work. Actuated by the same
motives which led them to help the
needy and suffering, they have under
taken the fight against woman suff
rage because thew are convinced of
the criminal injustice of the PROPOSE
tion to thrust upon the vast majority
of American women the additional
and unnecessary duties of the voter.
"When the suffragists define the bal
lot as woman's right, they manifest
distressing ignorance of political
economy The franchise is not a
right. nor a privilege 1t is duty, a
stern duty imposed by the state upon
that class of persons thought by the
state to be best equipped to perform
it, Most particularly is the franchise
not a plaything to amuse idle women.
1t is not something which can be used
or ignored at the will of the person
to whom it has been given. The suff-
ragists do not appear to realize this
fact when they degrade their doctrine
with the absurd declaration that those
women who do not want to vote may
remain away from the polls.
AS matter of fact. we consider
the franchise to be so big, so sacred
and so binding an obligation, when
once it has been conferred upon
women. that we ask all our members
and sympathizers in suffrage states
to go TO the polls at every primary
and every election. We have just
done so in Illinois, although we are
convinced that the limited suffrage
for women was obtained in that state
in an outrageous manner. We believe
that the annals of American politics
show no duplicate of this act in which
the legislature of a state arbitrarily
forced the franchise on the women of
that state. without giving them an OPP
portunity to be heard even through
the votes of the men. We hope and
expect to see this law repealed, but,
while it stands on the statute books,
our women, having had the response
bility of the franchise thrust upon
them, must exercise it as good citizens
of the state