The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-06-03
PEOPLES FORUM
Has Ideas OF His Own.

sir-The letter of Mr. James Cannon rela-
tive to woman suffrage reprinted in last FRI
days issue of your paper from the Christian
Advocate is SO abundantly erroneous in state
ments of fact and conclusion that am con-
strained to ask your indulgence in publishing
this correction and reply. Regardless of Mr..
Cannons repeated proclamation of open minded
ness on the question of woman suffrage l fear
that we may hardly expect a change of attitude
in one whose prejudice has SO far blinded him
to things they actually are, having pre-
vented him from investigating beneath the sur
face from whose incidental appearances his
illusions are drawn. and which ha-. dictated the
sending forth of such statements under the
Iguise Of painstaking analysis.
I should think that a person Of Mr.. Cannon's
acknowledged political aoumen would have
avoided the error of judging a by what
he deems its spectacular and frivolous leader
superficial judgment by knowledge that the
real leaders of a movement are not always
those who appear in the front ranks: by a
knowledge that in the promotion of cause 1t
is necessary to adopt certain methods and that
certain persons discover themselves in specta-
cular positions.
| As to the march of General" Rosalie Jones
and her little pilgrim army and the leader
ship of Miss Inez Milholland In the suffrage
parade in Washington last March and khe
thinness of the garments worn by those par
ticpating in the tableaux at that time, II seems
| to me unnecessary to say more than that peo
pies idea Of the proper methods OF prousoting
a differ and that that difference Is not a
point on which to base valid objection; GER
tainly not ground for ascribing insincerfty to
ones opponent Genuine open mndedness-I
cannot forbear here mentioning-carries one
even TO the point of tolerance In details, for
instance, gracefully permitting in details for
one thinks best and permitting to ride
astrde or wear filmy garments II the two lat
ter called for by the part Is taking.
Joan of Arc didn't ride in side saddle do
dancers generally wear heavy wooden stuffs or
broadcloth To be perfectly frank, however, I
think Mr. Cannon needs little more personal
knowledge Of the characters of Resale Jones
and Inez Milholland.
1t is particularly in the matter Of his at
m he GA n he nf vynn IN q
suffrage hiatt Mr.. Cannons conclusions are un-
warranted by the facts. Anyone may set an
impossible standard-such his that only
wives and mothers have right to standing
room on the earth-and anyone may adopt
ridicule weapon.
/ why this standard of wifehood and mother
hood the only one under which a woman has
a right to voice? 1 should think one Of the
most important Offices In life, in which
more depth. more breadth, more spirituality are
required than in any others would be in that
! of teacher l do not know that that Office Is
any lower than so-called political Office Why
should, then. many Of the directors Of educa-
tional institutions entrust the training Of their
temporary wards to women who are neither
wives mothers? Certainly in schools and
colleges there other matters taught than
mathematics. English. the dead languages. etc
Mr.. Cannon should know this from experience
| Why all this pother about wifehood and
motherhood opposed to the suffrage move
ment? The matter of woman rights Is not
matter OF class--it is human matter-and con-
Germs human beings-women human beings
Where, may / ask, do the maiden sisters and
sisters law the maiden aunts the maiden
friends come in? Who dare deny that they
benefactors of the human race. Are not they as
greatly interested and as deeply concerned in
the welfare OF the human are others;
are not they in the world, the majority Of them
making their own bread and oftentimes bread
for someone else well? Cannot credit them
with sufficient intelligence TO the needs of
mankind from the close range at which they
are compelled to view life?
1t would be interesting, too. to know how Mr..
Cannon accomplished the wonderful feat of
taking a poll of the marchers in the suffrage
age of wives and mothers who walked that day.
1t may barely be possible that there were In
visible marchers in that line: the spirits of those
women-wives and mothers-whose presence
was demanded in homes throughout the land
by the performance OF those privileges and du-
ties which Mr.. Cannon erects into standard
Mr. Cannon's study of the names signed to the
petitions asking for equal suffrage Is obviously
too insufficient for him to base the conclusions
uttered by him,
casts upon the unmarried and childless women
We might we'll open minds to the fact
that women unmarried and women childless
are just as capable. just as efficient, just
and strong-having been tried-and just as
necessary to life are wives and mothers; and
age does not count, either, In that life of the
spirit which all moral purpose and action
belongs II really knows unmarried
element and childless element. is not so
ready ito condemn. Marriage is not for every
have marriage and COLLABORATING the standard
OF efficiency or the standard for the possession
and acknowledgment OF right there Is a vast
army of very efficient people who eligible to
ton made between women, when one never
thinks of making 1t between men? Why should
unmarried men be credited with purer motive.