The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-06-27
WOMAN SENATOR TALKS
TO LARGE AUDIENCE
MRS. HELEN RING ROBINSON
HERE UNDER AUSPICES OF
STATE SUFFRAGE ASSN.
The Court Room Was Nearly Filled
With Women Tuesday Night
Few Men RECONSIDERATION in
Colorado Told.

The women of Honesdale came out
in force Tuesday night to hear Mrs.
Helen Ring Robinson, Senator from
Colorado, talk in the court house of
the movement concerning votes for
women. There was a sprinkling of
men present but it was obvious that
the fair sex of Honesdale are be-
coming very much interested in the
suffrage movement. Mrs. Robinson
is distinguished by the fact that she
is the only woman Senator in the
United States or perhaps in the
world. She came here under the
auspices of the Pennsylvania State
Suffrage Association. Dorin's Boy
Orchestra rendered selections be-
fore and after the address. w. ].
Barnes introduced the speaker in a
few well chosen words. The meet
ing was opened by short benedic-
ton given by Rev. G. G. Miller.
THE movement" said Mrs. Rob
inson, 'is more than merely ques-
tion of suffrage. 1t is a worldwide
spiritual movement. The white fire
of idealism is in it. 1t is closely
allied to the best interests in both
men and women. All political par
ties will sooner or later put woman
suffrage in their platforms" She
named the several states where the
right of women to vote has been
placed on the statute books. These
are California, Arizona, Wisconsin,
Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, Utah,
Idaho, and Wyoming. These states,
she said, are going to decide who
will be our next President. In the
west the party lines are not closely
drawn. They are the doubtful
states. Women who have gained
the ballot there, are not for the most
part not strict partisans. This is
rather to be expected when we take
into consideration the character of
the women and the character of the
men who have been holding office
heretofore. The women themselves
will decide the question. The des-
tinies of the country will be settled
only by the vote of western women.
The Eastern women, she went on
to say, are not getting their share
of it. They are falling behind.
Mrs. Robinson said that she had
been offering a gilt clock in many
places where she had been to any
one who could give her a good logi-
cal reason why women should not
vote. She said that she still had
the clock.
Some of the objections to wom-
en- voting in Colorado" said Mrs.
Robinson, as offered by eastern peo-
pie are, first that men and women
are not alike. The husband votes
one way and the wife another, there
by causing family troubles. Anoth-
er objection is that women spend all
their time in voting and neglect
their homes. We in Colorado do not
spend all our time voting. We do
not vote any oftener than they do
in Pennsylvania. In my precinct
we vote in the Sunday school room
of a church. In the early days it
was customary to vote in the back
room of saloon. 1t usually takes
me twenty minutes to vote and I
have plenty of time to devote to my
home. Another objection frequently
held up in New England is that they
may lose the respect of the men.
The women are fearfully disturbed
over the fact. The men of Colorado
have not lost the respect for their
woman, rather their respect has in
creased since the women have gain
ed the ballot.
Many say the enfranchisement of
women in Colorado has been a
failure. The loudest in voicing this
are the corporate interests, liquor
dealers and others. The rest of US
are quite we'll satisfied after eigh-
teen years of equal suffrage. There
is no talk of taking the vote away
from women. 1t could not be done
for the women would have to vote
on the proposition as we'll as men. I"
Mrs. Robinson in light hearted
and pleasant manner held the at
tention of her audience throughout
and there were times when much en-
thusiasm was shown.
"The most serious argument in
favor of suffrage" said Mrs. Rob-
inson, "is the real argument of the
evening, something people should
take home and think about; the one
logical argument is, the eternal JUS
tice of the ballot. The woman has
just as much right to it as man. The
emblem of suffrage is life, liberty
and happiness. 1t is not a question
jof expediency or policy, it is the
Teternal justice of the thing! The
justice is taken up in one thought.
The ballot is a wish. When a man
votes he makes a wish. Is there any
justice in the thought that woman
have no right to wish? 1 believe
the home is the proper place for
women; but it is the proper place
for men too. The State of Pennsyl-
vania needs a woman to do the
State housekeeping, The men don't
. know how. 1t needs a woman to
see that there isn't any batching
i going on. We clean out the closets
and clean up politics generally. Add
I to the states betterment by getting
4 the ballot as soon as you can.
Women are interested in pri-
mary things that do not appeal to
man. Man provides for the home.
j You look after the spending, and
. when the state touches the home
4 you will be prepared to fight for
your interests. The men look after
4 their business interests with care but